Superintendent of Schools
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Helen Keller
Response to Intervention (RTI) update (Fall 2023)
Hang around in a school long enough and you will probably hear the term “RTI” thrown around. Response to Intervention or RTI is a comprehensive educational approach designed to provide timely and targeted support to students who may be struggling academically. The core principle of RTI is early intervention, with the goal of identifying and addressing learning difficulties as soon as they emerge. Within Starpoint’s RTI framework, students are regularly assessed to monitor their progress, and those who show signs of falling behind are provided with increasingly intensive levels of support (e.g., remedial Reading, remedial Math, computer-based interventions).
Tier 1 consists of universal, high-quality instruction available to all students, while Tier 2 provides targeted interventions for those who need additional skill development in Reading and Math. Tier 3 is the most intensive level, offering highly individualized interventions for students with the most significant Reading and/or Math deficits.
This tiered approach allows us to differentiate instruction and tailor interventions to meet the specific needs of each student. RTI also emphasizes the importance of collaboration among teachers, parents, and specialists to ensure that students receive the most effective support. Starpoint’s RTI team regularly meets to review student progress and adjust interventions accordingly.
In addition to our core “Tier 1” Reading and Math instruction provided to all students by our general and special education teachers, we have added several more “interventionists” (e.g., Reading Specialists, RTI Math Intervention Teachers) to provide additional, targeted instruction at Tiers 2 and 3 for students not “At Benchmark.” Students who are “At Benchmark'' have met or exceeded the Reading and/or Math skills for that grade-level, at that point in the year (i.e., Fall, Winter, Spring). I’m proud to announce that our classroom teachers in concert with our interventionists continue to produce tremendous gains in student Reading and Math skills (see 2022-23 charts below).
Furthermore, RTI is not solely focused on academic concerns; it also recognizes the importance of addressing social and behavioral issues that can impact a student's overall success. When Mr. Farrell, Director of Special Programs, and I started our RTI program in Fricano in the 2008-09 school year we never dreamed how expansive it would become and what an impact it would have on Starpoint students. Starpoint is one of the few Districts across the state that administer both academic as well as social-emotional-behavioral screening assessments multiple times per year, across grades K-12.
By focusing on early identification and targeted support, RTI is directly in line with our mission of providing an educational setting where all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their initial challenges. Thank you for your support and we wish everyone a wonderful, successful school year.
Dr. Sean M. Croft
Superintendent of Schools
(716) 210-2352
