A Phenomenological Study: Examining Teachers Perceptions of Response to Intervention Implementation in a Middle School With Limited Resources

Abstract

Response to Intervention (RTI) has emerged as a leading framework for closing achievement gaps–a priority in education to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have equal access to quality education and the opportunity to succeed academically. Nonetheless, the extent to which RTI is effectively implemented can vary significantly between schools, and districts with constrained resources can encounter unique challenges. RTI addresses diverse needs for students through a tiered approach of increased time, frequency and interventions, to enable students to attain mastery of the grade-level curriculum. This study examined middle school educators’ perceptions of the implementation of RTI in their rural New England middle school, and identified key factors that facilitated or hindered the implementation of RTI. This was done, in part, by revealing the gaps of the adult learners (the educators) and collating the amount and type of training and support they had regarding the innovation in the first place. This research employed a qualitative approach, combining the use of (1) semi-structured interviews with (2) the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and (3) the Levels of Use (LoU) interview protocol from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), to explore the educators’ use and understanding of RTI, and to assess concerns with the implementation of the innovation in their school. The findings from this research offer insight into what might make early exploration stages more effective, prior to implementation, to create a well-supported foundation for RTI to be successful. The Active Implementation Formula is the conceptual framework for determining whether or not this middle school was equipped for socially significant outcomes through the use of RTI as the identified effective innovation.