The full FAQ has 55 questions and lives on the searchable page, RTI Quick Cards and FAQ. Type a word such as "notice" or "exit" and it filters as you type. The 20 questions you will meet most often are below for printing.
Basics
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is RTI the same as MTSS? | Almost. MTSS is the whole system. RTI is the part about giving and checking extra help. |
| Is RTI special education? | No. It is general education help that any student can receive. |
| Who decides what help a student gets? | The campus RTI committee, using data. You organize and record. |
| Does a Tier 2 or 3 student miss regular teaching? | No. Each tier is added on top of classroom teaching. |
Parents and notices
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When must a parent be told? | In writing, when Tier 2 or Tier 3 help begins. |
| The student was in Tier 2 last year. New notice? | Yes. One is required each school year. |
| Does the parent have to agree first? | The state requires notice, not permission, for academic and behavior help. Mental health services need consent. |
| We forgot the notice and help has started. | Send it now, record the true date, tell your principal. |
| A parent does not want their child in RTI. | Listen, explain, tell your principal, and write down the conversation. Follow district policy. |
Tiers and decisions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long does a student stay in a tier? | A round commonly runs 6 to 9 weeks before review. No student should sit for round after round with no decision. |
| Can a student skip Tier 2? | Yes, when the gap is large. Tiers are levels of strength, not a ladder. |
| When can a student exit? | When the goal is met and holds. Record the date and reason and tell the parent. |
| How do we know the intervention failed? | First confirm the student attended and the help was given as planned. |
Evaluations and referrals
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| A parent asks me for testing. | Help them write it down that day and hand it to the principal. A written request starts a 15-school-day clock. |
| Must RTI finish before an evaluation? | No. RTI can never delay or deny an evaluation. |
| Does help stop during an evaluation? | No. Keep it going. |
Behavior, records and deadlines
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is a suspension an intervention? | No. Discipline is recorded as discipline. |
| I made a mistake in SuccessEd. | Correct it and add a note. Do not delete history. |
| I am entering something late. Which date? | The real date, with a note that it was entered late. |
| What can I never miss? | The parent notice, and passing a written evaluation request to the principal the same day. |