Systems and structures at a high performing high poverty school: A case study using RTI to promote student achievement

Improving educational outcomes for all students is the primary focus of educational reform movements. In an attempt to minimize the achievement gap in student performance, Response to Intervention (RTI) emphasizes the early identification of struggling students, a multi-tiered intervention model and progress monitoring.;This study provided an in-depth description of the systems and structures of the RTI framework at a single Southern California elementary school selected for being both high performing and high poverty. The research questions that guided this study were: (1) What are the trends and patterns of performance among students attending high poverty, high achieving schools, specifically students in special education? (2) What are the perceived school wide systems and structures that contribute to the high achievement in high poverty schools and have the most impact on the implementation of RTI? (3) How are organizational systems implemented and sustained to support higher levels of achievement for all students?;Qualitative data for this study were collected from interviews, observations and documents. Findings revealed that the systems of professional development, leadership and resource allocation positively influenced RTI implementation. Strong leadership provided the effective elements of: prioritizing student achievement, implementing a standards-based curriculum, using assessment data to improve instruction, and ensuring the availability of appropriate instructional resources and interventions. As RTI gains traction, this study will contribute to the knowledge of a school wide reform and its implications for success at a high poverty school.