Current literature exists centered on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, its components, and ways in which MTSS is intended to support all students. Yet, there is a gap in the literature that examines how elementary schools are implementing it. This dissertation study sought to understand what the MTSS framework implementation at…

The multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) design provides academic and behavioral support for students. Children with emotional behavior disorders need these interventions and support to develop management skills. Students identified with the emotional, behavioral disorder (EBD) or with being emotionally disturbed (ED) could have a range of…

The purpose of this interview study was to explore teachers' perceptions of Response to Intervention (RtI) implementation in their school. Particularly, the study explored teachers' knowledge of RtI, teachers' perceptions of RtI tiers intervention/instruction in their school, and teachers' suggestions of RtI implementation in their school. The…

This article concludes this special issue by highlighting some of the most important points from the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in "Board of Education v. Rowley" (1982) and "Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District" (2017) but also discussing another crucial point to which school district personnel must adhere to ensure…

Using data to inform instructional decisions is a pillar of special education practice. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a systematic, ongoing assessment framework that allows special educators to monitor the progress of their students to determine the need for instructional adaptations. CBM and data-based instructional decision-making have a…

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a complex initiative which requires the ongoing support and communication of multiple stakeholders (e.g., teachers, administrators, support staff). The purpose of this paper is to examine RTI and direct application of the framework with public school practitioners. The paper is separated into several sections.…

The challenges of working within rural schools can impact successful implementation of a multitiered system of supports (MTSS). Although special education and general education teachers' responsibilities within a MTSS framework have been addressed through a myriad of school districts across the nation, rural districts face unique challenges that…

As a response to the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federal statute, Maine enacted a rule requiring all schools to provide additional support to students who are not on track for meeting state learning standards beginning in 2012. One intent of the requirement was to improve student achievement, and another was to reduce…

The selection of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in mathematics is a critical step toward improving mathematics outcomes for students with disabilities. This state spotlight presents how the Maryland State Department of Education uses the TAP-IT (Team, Analyze, Plan, Implement, and Track) process coupled with systems coaching to support the…

Two distinct forces recently converged in Utah that led to the Board of Education office creating a training and mentoring program for new special education administrators and teachers: simultaneous steady growth of charter schools and nagging concerns about the quality of special education programs in these new schools and Results Driven…

The purpose of this evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the Ascending to Men (ATM) program using ATM students', mentors', and program managers' perceptions and experiences and ATM students' academic performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). ATM is a mentoring-based program designed to support boys of…

This article provides teachers in rural settings with suggestions on how to engage classroom resource personnel (i.e., volunteers, instructional assistants) in monitoring students' achievement. The target, act, and graph (TAG) strategy offers rural special educators ways to empower classroom resource persons through training and use of the TAG…

This report was commissioned by the Global Partnership for Education's Secretariat to take stock of how disability and inclusive education are in included in education sector plans (ESPs) in 51 countries, including GPE-funded programs, such as education sector program implementation grants (ESPIGs), program documents (PADs), implementation…

Securing rights to inclusive schooling for children with disabilities in developing nations should rest on a scaffolding of interaction between international commitments such as Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals and the disability-centric UN "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" (CRPD). To…

Despite the almost universal adoption of Response to Intervention (RTI) in school districts across the United States, recent research report feelings of inadequacy on the part of general education (GE) teachers. In this study, the authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to examine research focusing on the teaching, learning,…