Chapter 6: Response to Intervention (RtI) as a Framework for Innovation

Response to intervention (RtI) is a popular approach designed for K-12 school settings to systematically ensure learners who present with learning and behavioral needs receive individualized, scientifically validated instruction prior to being referred to special education. The framework is recognized as a tiered, preventative academic model that structures the provision of increasingly intensive interventions to students at-risk for academic failure before they fail. This chapter proposes RtI as an innovative, efficient structure to revolutionize the provision of collegiate academic support for student-athletes. Although most offices of student-athlete support services utilize systems that screen and provide support (e.g., learning specialists, academic counselors) beyond what is available to nonathletic students, far too many student-athletes who present risk factors early in their collegiate careers fail to reach graduation or transition away from intensive support on the path to graduation. Offices of student athlete support should use an RtI framework to strategically match the individual’s level of need to the intensity of services provided. Doing so will facilitate greater academic success among student-athletes.

We were three years into the new coach’s regime, and the detailed plan for athletic dominance which he had so passionately outlined during his interview was coming to fruition. Our team was off to its best start in school history (7-0); the university, fans, and alumni were ecstatic. Those of us working in academic support, however, were experiencing unprecedented stress attempting to match the athletes’ accomplishments on the field with their performance in the classroom. Aggressive recruiting and a winning culture led to an increased number of student-athletes who were fully focused on their sport but less prepared academically. We devised a plan to provide intensive supports to our underclassmen (i.e., freshmen), attempting to remediate their academic challenges early-on in their collegiate careers. We were confident this approach would ameliorate the need for intensive resources as the students transitioned into upperclassmen. Our reality was the academic challenges remained for many of the students deemed most at-risk, requiring extended intensive supports that depleted our dedicated staff and valuable resources throughout those students’ tenure on campus. (Mid-Major Academic Counselor)