Resolution on Pennsylvania Association Council for Exceptional Children’s (PACEC) Views on Response to Intervention & Learning Disabilities

Whereas, the Pennsylvania Association Council for Exceptional Children (PACEC) agree with the Division for Learning Disabilities Position Paper on RTI and Learning Disabilities and the view that the Discrepancy Model was not implemented in the manner intended, resulting in a “wait-to-fail” model;

Whereas, the PACEC further concurs with DLD that the RTI data measures response to intervention but does not provide data to rule out or identify a learning disability as defined in the law;

Whereas, little research has explored the effects of RTI approaches on other learning disabilities, including those in the areas of math and written language or implementation of an RTI model at the secondary level;

Whereas, the PACEC believes that the proposed Pennsylvania Special Education Regulations – Chapter 14 need more clarification with regard to RTI, its implementation, usage beyond just reading, affects on students who are English language learners, and research on the effectiveness of an RTI model;

Be it resolved that PACEC believes that the RTI holds promise as a model for screening, implementing evidence-based strategies, and the monitoring of these strategies.

Be it further resolved that CEC believes that a comprehensive multi-assessment and evaluation accompany any RTI model to provide data that would be used to identify a student as learning disabled consistent with federal statutory language.

Be it further resolved that PACEC strongly urges the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Bureau of Special Education to address the issues raised in DLD’s Position Paper and provide provisions to ensure that any RTI model is implemented with a comprehensive blueprint by local school districts.  Until then, the PACEC cannot support RTI as a model for anything ACCEPT an early general education reading program.