Promoting Successful Transitions: What Can We Learn From RTI to Enhance Outcomes for All Students?

Achieving positive postschool outcomes continues to be a challenge for many students. These challenges are compounded for students with disabilities, even years after the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (1990; IDEA) required systematic transition planning. In this era of accountability through high-stakes testing, schools and families may feel that they are sidelined to stand by helplessly as students-particularly those with special needs-experience life-altering circumstances such as high dropout rates, underemployment and unemployment, failure to access continuing education, and dependent living situations. To find practical and relevant suggestions for promoting successful transitions and enhancing postschool outcomes for all students, the authors examine the emerging tiered-intervention paradigm known as response to intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]