RTI Framework Letter

Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

It is the mission of the California Department of Education to educate California’s students so that they are prepared to live, work, and thrive in a highly connected world. The success of our more than six million students who attend California’s public schools depends on outstanding teaching, all day, every day. To deliver on the promise of a world-class education for each and every one of our students, California’s Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) framework offers students and educators a system of academic and behavioral supports designed to promote student success.

The RtI² framework centers on three elements critical for reaching student success. First, an emphasis on strategic and formative assessments allows teachers to focus on effective instructional strategies for optimal student learning. Second, the combination of educational expertise, resources, and parent input provides an avenue for targeting individual students’ needs. Finally, RtI² processes prompt educators to share knowledge and create common understandings and supportive professional communities based on what students need to learn in order to meet high standards.

As we face the challenge of managing diminishing fiscal resources while maintaining the rigor and high expectations set for learning, it is more important than ever to innovate and collaborate to maximize the results from our efforts. The RtI² approach offers just such a compelling possibility.

Sincerely yours,