Abstract
This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined how the current Response to Intervention (RTI) framework supported math achievement for fifth-and-sixth grade students at a rural intermediate campus in Northeast Texas. Although Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports were in place, many students continued to struggle to demonstrate meaningful growth in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current RTI framework, identify barriers affecting its implementation, and implement an improvement strategy based on the findings. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze district benchmark and STAAR data, teacher surveys, and focus group interviews. Findings from the evaluation identified inconsistent implementation of RTI, limited teacher collaboration, inconsistent use of student data, and a lack of structure as barriers to improving student outcomes. Based on these findings, structured Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) were implemented to strengthen teacher collaboration, data-informed instructional planning, and Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction. Overall, the findings suggest that providing teachers with consistent opportunities to collaborate and use student data may strengthen RTI implementation and improve math instruction.
Date of publication
7-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5105
Committee members
Dana Morris, Michael Odell, Yanira Oliveras
Recommended Citation
Southerland, Amanda, "IMPROVING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION THROUGH STRUCTURED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIIES" (2026). Education Theses and Dissertations. Paper 44.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5105