Translating Policy to Practice

Abstract

This mixed methods study explores the pilot implementation of a Response to Intervention framework in the first grade classrooms in three urban schools. Two schools in a fully implemented condition (FI) with a facilitator and a partially implemented condition (PI) without a facilitator were investigated using student achievement data, field notes, teacher questionnaires, and teacher focus groups. Repeated measures ANOVA indicate that student risk levels measured by DIBELS phonemic awareness and decoding tasks were reduced in both conditions but favored the FI condition. Qualitative evidence indicates that programmatic changes were implemented in one year, but more complex paradigmatic changes did not occur.