Needs and Contradictions of a Changing Field: Evidence From a National Response to Intervention Implementation Study

Abstract

Designed to improve preK-12 student academic and behavioral outcomes, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), such as Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) or Response to Intervention (RTI), is a broadly applied framework being implemented in countless schools across the United States. Such educational restructuring and system changes require school counselors to adjust their activities and interventions to fully realize the aims of MTSS. In this special issue of The Professional Counselor, the roles and functions of school counselors in MTSS frameworks are examined from various angles. This introductory article summarizes the key issues and the basic themes explored by the special issue contributors.

School Counselors' Roles in RAMP and PBIS a Phenomenological Investigation (Part Two)

“…acting collaboration (Patrikakou et al, 2016), many of the school counselors in the present study struggled with delegation (Goodman-Scott & Grothaus, 2017). While the results of this study enhance the call for school counselor collaboration with stakeholders, they also clearly elucidate the challenges.…”

“…Although the majority of participants in the current study displayed a confident and optimistic view regarding the effects of PBIS involvement on their roles, a minority indicated a lack of PBIS training and a more muted assessment of the value or practicality of taking on roles in PBIS implementation. The accounts from this minority were similar to school counselors' ambiguous attitudes toward their roles in RTI (Patrikakou, Ockerman, & Feiker Hollenbeck, 2016). Thus, while overall positive, school counselors may have a plethora of roles and experiences with PBIS implementation.…”

School Counselor Experiences of Response to Intervention With English Learners

“…School counselors reported low self-efficacy in their abilities to carry out RTI roles (Ockerman et al, 2015). School counselors also noted changing roles in RTI, including increased collaboration, data collection, and data management (Patrikakou et al, 2016).…”

“…RTI has a long history in public schools, but the use of RTI frameworks gained popularity after the reauthorizations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act in 2004 and 2008 (Belser et al, 2016; Patrikakou et al, 2016). The frameworks offer the potential of early identification of and interventions for struggling learners through a multitiered model paired with continuous progress monitoring (Artiles, Bal, & King Thorius, 2010; Brown & Doolittle, 2008; Burns, Jacob, & Wagner, 2008).…”

“…In Lau v. Nichols (1974), the Supreme Court ruled that school districts must take “affirmative steps” to educate ELs (Robinson-Cimpian, Thompson, & Umanky, 2016, p. 129). Those steps vary by state and school district, but one framework to address the disparate outcomes has gained prominence: response to intervention (RTI; Cramer, 2015; Patrikakou, Ockerman, & Hollenbeck, 2016).…”