TPC _Journal-Vol6_Issue_3-MTSS-Full_Issue

233 Eva Patrikakou is an Associate Professor at DePaul University. Melissa S. Ockerman is an Associate Professor at DePaul University. Amy Feiker Hollenbeck is an Associate Professor at DePaul University. Correspondence can be addressed to Eva Patrikakou, DePaul University, 2247 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614–3624, epatrika@depaul.edu. Eva Patrikakou, Melissa S. Ockerman, Amy Feiker Hollenbeck Needs and Contradictions of a Changing Field: Evidence From a National Response to Intervention Implementation Study As a result of the Response to Intervention (RTI) mandate in schools across many states, school counselors are well-positioned to take a leadership role. The present research study examines how school counselors across the nation perceived their training and knowledge of RTI, as well as their confidence in its imple- mentation. Results indicate that while the majority of school counselors reported positive beliefs about RTI, they had limited confidence in their preparedness to perform certain RTI-related responsibilities, including collecting and analyzing data to determine intervention effectiveness and collaboration through teamwork. These perceived areas of deficiency point to a significant discrepancy with the American School Counselor Association National Model’s components and themes. Through building skills and capacity for leadership, school counselors can spearhead schoolwide teams to create and evaluate the effectiveness of culturally relevant and evidence-based interventions. School counselors and school counselor educators must use a multi-tiered system of supports as an opportunity to advance the field. Keywords : collaboration, multi-tiered system of supports, Response to Intervention, school counselors, school counselor educators The climate of accountability in today’s public schools requires all professionals to utilize data to inform decisions in the context of their practice, and the school counselor is no exception. Broader, statewide mandates such as Response to Intervention (RTI) have put additional pressure on school professionals, raising questions regarding practitioners’ preparedness to effectively utilize data to in- form practice and collaborate with peers to support the needs of struggling students. The aim of this study is to examine school counselors’ beliefs, perceived level of preparedness and practices regard- ing RTI nationwide, specifically in states where this model has been implemented. The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 and the subsequent 2008 regulations incentivized RTI, a multi-tiered system of academic and behavioral sup- ports for struggling students (Zirkel & Thomas, 2010). In each tier of instruction, student needs and interventions are determined through ongoing data collection and analysis. To explicate, the general education environment comprises Tier 1 of RTI, with the integration of research-based practices, universal screening and differentiated small group instruction. If a child is not successful in this en- vironment, he or she is targeted for Tier 2 intervention, small group instruction paired with ongoing progress monitoring. A continued lack of responsiveness moves the student to Tier 3, a more inten- sive level of intervention and progress monitoring, with possible referral for special education ser- vices (Fuchs, Mock, Morgan, & Young, 2003; National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 2005; Vaughn & Fuchs, 2003). Thus, when determining whether a student has a specific learning disability (SLD) in an RTI framework, there should be a significant body of data in regards to a child’s response to intervention to inform the eligibility process (Hauerwas, Brown, & Scott, 2013; Zirkel & Thomas, 2010). The Professional Counselor Volume 6, Issue 3, Pages 233–250 http://tpcjournal.nbcc.org © 2016 NBCC, Inc. and Affiliates doi:10.15241/ep.6.3.233