The Effects of Tier One RtI at the Elementary School Level Using I-Station on Reading Text Fluency

This study looked at the effects of Tier 1 Response to Intervention (RtI) on elementary school reading fluency using I-Station assessment and intervention. The study included four elementary schools within the same school district that represented the four quadrants of the school district so that a variety of factors and the district’s demographic make-up were represented. This allowed for both vertical and horizontal comparison and alignment. The universal screener and diagnostic assessment from I-Station were administered at the start and end of the school year in September and May 2017 to all students in grades K-4 excluding only those students who were working on a functional individual educational plan. In addition, surveys that evaluated teacher self-efficacy with RtI were administered at the same intervals in the year to the teachers of the students sampled. Finally, teachers were asked to volunteer to participate in interviews regarding their perceptions towards the RtI process. Results indicate significant growth between the pre and post-test screenings on the I-Station reading fluency assessments. Teacher responses on the surveys did not change significantly across the school year and when evaluated through the context of the teacher interviews, the data highlights the importance of the professional development and follow up coaching piece of the implementation of the intervention. Future research indicates further need for training, education, and fidelity of implementation when it comes to RtI intervention and programming in schools.