New Initiative is a First-of-its-Kind Collaboration for Education

RTI Action Network kicks off campaign and launches new Website

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Offering new hope and promise to students, families and educators in school districts nationwide, the RTI Action Network unites the public and private sectors with representatives from general education, special education and family groups to support the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI). "This unique collaborative offers a rare opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students are identified early and given the necessary supports to succeed in school," says Kathleen A. Whitmire, Ph.D., Director, RTI Action Network. "This initiative represents a powerful convergence to guide educators and families at the local level where implementation occurs."

The cornerstone of the initiative is RTINetwork.org, the premier source of research-based information and expert guidance on Response to Intervention. This new Website offers informational resources and professional development as well as the opportunity to interact with top researchers and experienced practitioners. Educators and families now have an online meeting place to exchange information through discussion boards, shared stories and other networking opportunities. "Talking with principals and special education directors reveals pent-up demand for better ways to serve struggling kids than waiting until they crash and burn in third and fourth grade," says James H. Wendorf, Executive Director, National Center for Learning Disabilities. "Now educators and families alike have a new resource for sharing information and experiences."

RTI is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners. Student progress is closely monitored at each stage of intervention to determine the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, special education, or both. RTI approaches are being implemented from preschool through high school, prompting the need for reliable information.

The RTI Action Network is dedicated to the effective implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) in school districts nationwide. Our goal is to guide educators and families in the large-scale implementation of RTI so that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students - including those with learning disabilities - are identified early and receive the necessary supports to be successful. The RTI Action Network is a program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, funded by the Cisco Foundation and in partnership with the nation's leading education associations and top RTI experts.

RTI Action Network Founding Partners: America Federation of Teachers, International Reading Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, National Education Association.