Parents are vital in their child's success in education. While parents may not be experts in the educational process, they are experts about their child and have valuable information to share with educators. As members of the decision-making team, the information they know about their child increases the likelihood that RTI interventions may be successful. It is therefore important to involve parents as early as possible, beginning with the basic instruction. Often schools will provide information on how their school district provides help to struggling learners at a fall open house, or at a PTA meeting. It is considered best practice for parents to be involved in the RTI process as early as possible.
Schools vary greatly in how they use the RTI process, so parents often benefit from knowing how their school provides extra help to struggling learners. While there are some requirements many aspects of RTI are designed by the local school district. Some schools call this process RTI, while others districts may provide the process using a different name. Some districts may provide information about interventions at school conferences as a way to include parents, while others may invite parents to attend all meetings when their child is discussed.
Becoming informed about your schools intervention process is often the first step in becoming an active partner in the process. The following questions have been adapted form the national Center for Learning Disabilities and the National Joint Committee on Learning disabilities to assist parent in gaining information about their school?s process of helping struggling students.
- Does our school use an RTI process? Are any schools in are district providing RTI? If not, are there plans to adopt a RTI process?
- Are there written materials for parents explaining the RTI process? How can parents be involved in the various phases of the process?
- How are students who need extra help identified? What screening tools are used?
- Can you describe the process of choosing interventions? Are these scientifically based and supported by research?
- What length of time is recommended for an intervention before determining if the student is making adequate progress?
- How do school personnel check to be sure that the interventions were carried out as planned?
- What techniques are being used to monitor student progress and the effectiveness of the interventions?
- How does the school provide parents with regular progress monitoring reports?
- Has the district adopted district policies and procedures for providing RTI?
- When, in the RTI process are parents informed of their due process rights and responsibilities under IDEA 2004, including the right to request an evaluation for special education eligibility?
In addition to understanding how the school provides interventions to struggling students, parents will want to be clear how their child is performing in each academic area and behaviorally at school. Be sure to ask questions of the education professionals that clarify how your child is meeting curriculum benchmarks and how they compare to the other grade level students.
A successful intervention system such as RTI requires the commitment of many people, including parents, teachers, specialists, administrators and para-educators. It requires that all work cooperatively in supporting each student as they progress.
