before referring struggling students for traditional special education testing and placement. Others are implementing RTI from a compliance perspective, doing just enough to meet mandates and stay legal. For still others, their RTI efforts are driven by a desire to raise test scores, which too often leads to prac- tices that are counterproductive to the guiding principles of RTI. Far too many schools find the cultural beliefs and essential practices of RTI such a radical departure from how schools have func- tioned for the past century that they are uncomfortable and unwilling to commit o the level of change necessary to
succeed. Finally, some schools refuse to
take responsibility for student learning,
instead opting to blame kids, parents,
lack of funding, or society in general for
students’ failures.
The Wrong Questions
The questions an organization tries to
answer guide and shape that organiza-
tion’s thinking. Unfortunately, far too
many schools and districts are asking
the wrong questions, like these.
How do we raise our test scores?
Although high-stakes testing is an
undeniable reality in public education,
this is a fatally flawed initial question
that can lead to incorrect thinking. For
example, many districts that focus first
on raising test scores have concluded
that they need strictly enforced pacing
guides for each course to ensure that
teachers are teaching all required state
standards before the high-stakes state
tests. Usually, these guides determine
© STEFANIE FELIX
