Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning
Major Professor
David Allsopp, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Lyman L. Dukes, III, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Zorka Karanxha, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jennifer R. Wolgemuth, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Keith Berry, Ph.D.
Abstract
The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included Response to Intervention (RTI) as an option for determining eligibility for learning disabilities. However, there is no required structure to follow for RTI implementation. This lack of guidance leads to a lack of clarity in implementation at district and site levels. Many states use RTI as the primary indicator of whether a student needs special education services for a learning disability. RTI is a model for delivery of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). The terms RTI and MTSS are often used interchangeably. For clarity, I use MTSS-RTI to refer to MTSS that incorporates RTI as a framework. Without fidelity of intervention, students who may need additional support may not receive help. As a special education teacher leader and parent, I use autoethnography to explore MTSS-RTI implementation through my dual identities to examine MTSS-RTI from multiple perspectives. My findings show that lack of common knowledge, preparation and professional development, personnel, and communication are barriers to MTSS-RTI implementation with fidelity. I conclude with implications for teachers, school leaders, and district personnel and policy-makers to improve MTSS-RTI.
Scholar Commons Citation
Hinton, Jessica, "Breaking the Cycle: A Teacher and Mother’s Examination of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support" (2025). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/11085
