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…

This resource outlines case studies for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) and related services across school reopening models, including considerations for identifying settings and least restrictive environment (LRE). The case studies examples include elementary, middle school and behavior, secondary transition, and preschool. There…

This article describes the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity, which articulates seven principles for evaluating and building intervention intensity based upon research. The Taxonomy's seven dimensions of intensity are strength, dosage, alignment, attention to transfer, comprehensiveness, behavioral support, and individualization (see Table 1). In…

According to federal data, African American students are more than three times as likely as their white peers to be suspended or expelled. As a school leader, what do you do when your heart is in the right place, but your data show otherwise? In "Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity", Edward Fergus takes us on a journey into…

The purpose of this article is to describe the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity, which articulates 7 dimensions for evaluating and building intervention intensity. We explain the Taxonomy's dimensions of intensity. In explaining the Taxonomy, we rely on a case study to illustrate how the Taxonomy can systematize the process by which special…

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in initial eligibilities of elementary students across Tennessee since the implementation response to intervention (RtI), as well as understand the perceptions of elementary school psychologists related to those changes in identification and eligibility. RtI is a Tennessee mandated initiative,…

Research supports special educators' use of progress-monitoring data for instructional decision-making purposes as an evidence-based practice for improving student achievement. This article describes the Professional Development for Algebra Progress Monitoring (PD-APM) system. PD-APM, is an online system that includes two "hubs" that…

This article presents case studies of two rural districts--both confronting economic and demographic challenges--that were making significant strides toward closing achievement gaps between students with and without disabilities. The districts accomplished this work by using six practices, common to both but implemented differently in each: (a)…

This case study chronicles the efforts of a small high school over a 2-year period as it designed and implemented a response to intervention (RTI) program for students at the school. Their efforts were largely successful, with improved achievement, attendance, and grade point averages and a decrease in special education referrals. Major themes…