Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Mary Hallums

Abstract

In an urban Texas school district, teachers and administrators were concerned about students' achievement and the teachers' knowledge and implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 2 interventions with fidelity. This study addressed teachers' perceptions of the reliability of the application of Tier 2 interventions at the study site, its influence on student achievement, and the appropriateness of current professional development at the targeted campus. The constructivist concept of how people learn and the implementation theory of scaffolding instruction, meaningful experiences, and active learning provided the framework for this study. The educators provided perspectives of how the quality and frequency of the implementation impact the fidelity of Tier 2 interventions. A total of 15 teachers from Grades 3, 4, and 5, the RTI Coordinator, and administrators at the target campus who each met the criteria of more than 2 years of experience working with the RTI process, RTI training, and progress monitoring were included as participants. Data were gathered from the RTI School Readiness Survey, individual interviews, State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness for math and reading, and the state required campus and district improvement plans. The data were examined using comparative analyses, inductive generalizations, and analytical coding. The results indicated a need for sustained training to improve teacher knowledge of RTI implementation strategies and students' academic performance on grade-level content. This study will promote social change by providing teachers and administrators at the study site information on the RTI process and on the intensive professional development training needed to support student academic success.

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