RTI offers clear advantages over the former process of relying solely on evaluation to determine eligibility. First, the RTI process is instructional from beginning to end. At no point is the child left to experience the frustration of failure while waiting until his test scores show a severe aptitude/achievement discrepancy before he gets help. He receives instruction that gradually increases in intensity and individualization as he shows the need for it.
RTI eliminates the gap in instruction for the kids who cannot succeed in the regular classroom without help and those who qualify for special education. The lack of services for gray area kids, kids who fall through the cracks, and slow-learners should be minimized as all children get the instruction they need.
