A local paper in Texas published a recent article about how Wichita Falls, Texas, schools are having success in preventing some students from being enrolled in special education classes by using a Response to Intervention program.
The article says the RTI program is addressing a longtime problem in Wichita Falls schools of students being mislabeled and sent to special education classes when all they really need is more help in certain areas.
Wichita Falls debuted the RTI program in nine of its schools this year, and plans to expand it to others next year, and the rest of the schools in 2011, the article says.
So far this year, the district has reduced its special education population from more than 15 percent to about 13.8 percent. That translates into about 200 children, according to the article.
