Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center

A Webinar for Northwest Educational Leaders

This interactive webinar focused on tiered intervention in high schools. This event was one in a series of opportunities the NWRCC has provided for educators in our region to become involved in building, supporting, and sustaining an integrated Response to Intervention (RTI) framework.

Highlights Included

• An overview of a recently released report from the National High School Center, "Meeting the Needs of Significantly Struggling Learners in High School: A Look at Approaches to Tiered Intervention" presented by its author, Helen Duffy. This report outlines the unique opportunities and challenges presented by RTI at the high school level, defines two RTI models, provides a snapshot of implementation, and outlines the resources needed to support this work.
• A presentation from Vancouver School District in Washington State on the development of their system response to increase achievement for all students through a comprehensive literacy effort.
• An opportunity to hear Dr. Jill Martin (the 2007 National Association of Secondary School Principals/MetLife National High School Principal of the Year) highlight strategies in place at her comprehensive high school (Thomas B. Doherty High School in Colorado Springs, CO) to raise student achievement.
• Time for participants to share implementation efforts, issues, and concerns specific to high school RTI.

Webinar Goals

• Disseminated information about the National High School Center's new RTI resource, "Meeting the Needs of Significantly Struggling Learners in High School: A Look at Approaches to Tiered Intervention."
• Shared national and regional approaches to implementing RTI in high schools.
• Facilitated communication and networking opportunities among NWRCC states around RTI implementation at the secondary level.

Outcomes

• Increased awareness of the implementation and structural issues unique to an RTI framework at the high school level.
• Identification of resources and supports required for successfully implementing a secondary RTI framework.
• Review of current efforts and future plans to implement RTI in high schools within the region.