Implementation of a Response to Intervention in Rural Early and Middle Years Schools - Research Report

Oct 15, 2026

Qualitative research examines administrators’ experiences implementing Response to Intervention (RTI) in early/middle years rural schools in Manitoba. Six principals were interviewed to understand the implementation process, the need to close skill gaps, and both expected and unexpected outcomes. Decisions were guided by data, collaboration, quality instruction, and assessments. Findings explain RTI’s three-tier structure and provide practical resources, professional development, and strategies for administrators starting RTI in similar rural contexts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study purpose and context

RTI framework and three-tier model

Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 details

Intervention movement and decision-making

Tier 1 instructional approaches

Tier 2 problem-solving steps

RESEARCH REPORT Implementation of a Response to Intervention in Rural Early and Middle Years Schools Alann Fraser Abstract This qualitative study explored the experiences of administrators while implementing Response to Intervention (RTI) in early/middle years schools in rural Manitoba. Six principals were interviewed to discover how they experienced the implementation process and to glean advice for other administrators who were beginning the process of implementing RTI. Data were collected through recorded phone interviews with each participant by the researcher. The decision to implement RTI resulted from a need to support students who presented gaps in their skills. The decision was made by principals and superintendents in order to close the skill gaps. The principals shared the experiences that they encountered during the implementation process as well as expected and unexpected results of implementing RTI in the school. The principals provided advice that would support an administrator new to the process of implementing RTI in a rural early or middle years school. The study also revealed some resources, professional development, and strategies to effectively implement RTI. Response to Intervention (RTI) is an approach that provides appropriate supports for all students in a school, including those students who struggle with learning or have disabilities of any kind. The RTI concept began to take shape in the late 1970s as a reaction to the practice of determining eligibility for special education services by showing the discrepancy between I.Q. and achievement scores for a student. The model gained additional traction with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, which allowed school districts to use the RTI model as a way of identifying students needing special services Decisions are made through data collection, collaboration between educators and families, quality instruction and assessments. RTI uses a three-tier approach that provides increasingly intensive interventions dependent on student needs. Tier 1 provides general education with quality instruction and assessment; Tier 2 moves to more intensive teaching in small groups; Tier 3 is individualized and highly intensive teaching to close the skill gaps that students possess. RTI is a hierarchy of interventions. Tier 1 reflects effective core instruction for all students. This is quality instruction, assessment, and movement through student learning, directed by the classroom teacher. Tier 2 interventions are supplementary interventions for identified students. These interventions may serve small groups of students. Interventions may be provided by the regular classroom teacher or by a team of staff members, including learning support teachers, administrators, and outside professionals. Tier 3 interventions are intensive interventions for individual students. The team provides these, and students often work with specialists in specific areas, i.e. , Reading Recovery teachers and learning support teachers. Boundaries between the tiers are flexible, depending on the needs of the students. Movement between the tiers is based on how well the interventions have supported the students’ needs. Decisions regarding movement between tiers must be made collaboratively among the members of the team and based on data that had been gathered on the students’ performance with the interventions. Each level within RTI supports students in a different way (see Figure 1) . Tier 1 consists of regular classroom, quality core instruction that uses a gradual release of responsibility. This is whole-class and small-group instruction and assessment. Approximately 75-85% of students will fit into Tier 1. Tier 2 supplements the core instruction with needs-based intervention. This tends to be in the form of small-group interventions. Assessments are more regular than in Tier 1. Approximately 10-15% of students will be well served through Tier 2 inte

FAQs

What was the purpose of the qualitative study?

To explore administrators’ experiences implementing Response to Intervention (RTI) in rural early/middle years schools and to gather advice for other administrators beginning the process.

Why did schools decide to implement RTI?

To support students with gaps in skills by having principals and superintendents make decisions aimed at closing those skill gaps.

How does RTI’s three-tier approach work?

Tier 1 provides quality core instruction and assessment for most students, Tier 2 offers targeted small-group interventions for students needing additional support, and Tier 3 delivers individualized, highly intensive instruction based on student needs.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans