Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) factors, components of an implementation of response to intervention (RTI) and student learning in mathematics at the middle and high school level. This study was designed to answer three questions: Is there a correlation between PLC characteristics and RTI components? Does participation by teachers in a PLC have a relationship with student learning in mathematics in middle schools and high schools? Does an implementation of interventions at the Tier 1 level in middle and high schools have a relationship with student learning in mathematics? Thirty middle schools and high schools participated in the study. Professional staff were surveyed using the School Professional Staff as Learning Community Questionnaire (SPSLCQ) developed by Hord (1996). Interviews were conducted with professional staff involved in the RTI process either in person, by phone, or online, to ascertain their views on the schools RTI process using the RTI Essential Components Integrity Worksheet and Rubric scoring guide (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2010). The unit of analysis was the school. Student screener data was collected from GRASP after students completed the final school screener. Data were analyzed from correlations and regressions on the relationship between PLCs and effective RTI implementation and the relationship each has with student learning. Results indicated a possible relationship between factors on the SPSLCQ and RTI dimensions. An analysis of a PLCs link to student learning showed no relationship; however, a relationship between aspects of an RTI process at Tier 1 and student increases in math score was noted.
