Instructional Coordination for Response to Intervention: How Organizational Contexts Shape Tier 2 Interventions in Practice

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how resources and organizational decisions within seven geographically diverse elementary schools shape instructional coordination for Tier 2 interventions within the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework. Research Methods: This work is part of a larger, multiple-case study examining how schools support academic achievement for economically disadvantaged students. We draw on qualitative interview and observation data from seven purposively sampled public elementary schools in Wisconsin during the 2017–18 school year. In our analysis, we approach each school as an individual case to ascertain how resources and organizational decisions shaped instructional coordination for Tier 2 interventions within the RtI framework. Findings: We find that organizational contexts shape how schools approach the instructional coordination of staffing and schedules requisite for multitiered instruction. Specifically, local programming, delineation of staff roles, and availability and deployment of school resources influenced if and how schools coordinated staff and schedules to support RtI. These elements consequently informed student groupings for interventions, the extent of student access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 content, and staff engagement in data-driven discussions. Implications: By closely examining the everyday realities of diverse elementary schools, this study demonstrates that RtI is not a singular program but a context-contingent process. In tracing the relationships between school contexts, instructional coordination, and the practical implementation of RtI, we provide insight into the messy realities of schools and obstacles to RtI that past research overlooks. These findings emphasize the importance of systematic, school-wide coordination that extends beyond single grade levels and subjects.