Professional development and collaboration within the RTI process

| RTI Practices |

A considerable amount of professional development needs to be provided in the beginning stages of establishing RTI systems for capacity building. Continuing training and technical assistance for all staff is critical to any type of systems change and movement toward improvement because accountability for positive outcomes for all students is a shared responsibility of all personnel.

To develop consistency across programs, it is beneficial if state departments of education, as well as local educational agencies or districts, offer three or more opportunities for professional development throughout the year. It is important that continuing training opportunities be offered to parents, as well as educators, to help maximize the achievement of all students, including students with disabilities. To meet the needs of all participants, these opportunities can be delivered in a variety of formats:

  • Workshops
  • Guided practice
  • Seminars
  • Statewide conferences
  • Distance learning
  • Videoconferences
  • Online courses

It is vital to offer continuing, job-embedded professional development that addresses relevant areas essential to effective implementation of RTI and improved student outcomes. These areas could include the following:

  • Collaborative decision making (e.g., professional learning communities)
  • Effective use of data, including data gathered through progress monitoring, in making instructional decisions
  • Collaborative delivery of instruction/interventions
  • Research-based instructional practices, including supporting materials and tools
  • What constitutes "interventions" versus "accommodations and modifications"
  • Prescriptive and varied assessment techniques
  • Progress monitoring techniques
  • Parent engagement strategies