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There is a new phrase in education that is receiving a great deal of attention at both the national and state level - Response to Intervention (RtI).

A major concern for parents as well as teachers is how to help children who experience difficulty learning in school. Everyone wants to see their child excel, and it can be very frustrating when a child falls behind in reading, math, or achieving success in other subjects.

RtI refers to a process where schools screen all students regularly (e.g., three times per year) in basic skill areas, provide scientific, research-based instruction and interventions in general education, and monitor the progress of at-risk students regularly to determine if a child is "responding" to the interventions put into place.

RtI practices are proactive, incorporating both prevention and intervention and is effective at all levels from early childhood through high school. The Chisago Lakes School District has been using this type of process for the past 11 years with guidance from the St. Croix River Education District (SCRED). As a result, the district has seen significant increases in student achievement and a decrease in the number of students who have been referred for special education services. Recent SCRED Data indicate that across the SCRED districts, the percentage of students who receive special education services under the category of Learning Disabled (LD) has decreased from 4.5% in 1995 to 2.4% in 2005.

This decrease is significant and reinforces the notion that academic problems can be prevented through early intervention and intensive regular education remediation.

There has been a great deal of activity going on in the Minnesota Legislature around RtI. On February 7, the SCRED superintendents and directors presented to the Minnesota Senate K-12 Education Policy committee on the positive impact RtI practices have had on student achievement.

On February 28, the Senate K-12 Education Finance Committee met in Hinckley to hear a presentation on the SCRED RtI model. In addition, there is legislation proposed in both the MN Senate and House to incorporate RtI into state law.

Finally, on March 9, close to 300 educators from around the state will be convening at Chisago Lakes High School to hear about the RtI model and how it has been implemented in Chisago Lakes and other SCRED districts. Chisago Lakes should be proud to be on the cutting edge of educational reform using a process that impacts student achievement in such a positive manner.

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