TEA for Tu? Technology Enhanced Assessment

Ask a seasoned educator about the latest flavor of the month and they may lump Response to Intervention (RTI) in with the Vanilla Mint Chip. Many a good intention has failed due to inherent resistance to change, implementation difficulties or lack of evidence based research.
With RTI, however, the research is in and it is good. But several scholars fret that lack of fidelity of implementation may be the straw that breaks this camel's back. That's why it is so important that educators explore the use of technology to enhance programs. Technology is well suited for collecting, managing and analyzing the vast amount of data generated by a robust RTI program.

In "Using Technology to Enhance Tiered Instruction," author Matthew K. Burns outlines  four key areas where technology can enhance RTI:

1. improving classroom instruction
2. tiered instruction and intervention, both behavioral and academic
3. ongoing assessment
4. home-school collaboration

Recently, California administrators and educators gathered to review the state of state regarding RTI and technology, at a recent conference sponsored by the League of Schools.

And more information is available at the National Center for Response to Intervention Technical Tools Committee has created a chart outlining various tools for progress monitoring.

Effective school counselors, psychologists and administrators would do well to explore technology based programs to enhance implementation of RTI in their schools.