RTI Tier 4
A teacher’s job is always to bridge from the known to the new. Because there really is no other choice. Kids are who they are. They know what they know. They bring what they bring. Our job is not to wish that students knew more or knew differently. Our job is to turn each student’s knowledge, along with the diversity of knowledge we will encounter in a classroom of learners, into a curricular strength rather than an instructional inconvenience.
P. David Pearson
What We Understand About Tier 4
The Individual with Disabilities Act of 1990, commonly referred to as “IDEA,” requires school districts to provide children ages 3-21 who have various disabilities with special education services. In 1975, IDEA, formerly known as the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act, was passed entitling “handicapped individuals to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.” In 1997 and 2005, IDEA was reauthorized.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which includes Section 504, designates that a student or adult can be afforded accommodations and services through the educational system without the specific classifications furnished under IDEA. Later amendments to this Act in 1986 and 1992 provided that recipients of federal financial assistance could not discriminate against individuals with handicaps. Additional information on IDEA, as well as other legislation, is available through VESID, the Office of Vocational and Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities, or NICHY, the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities.
Our Approach
In Mamaroneck, Tier 4 refers to special education and is delivered by a certified special education teacher who certified to teach students with disabilities. S/he must accommodate the needs of identified students. The special education teacher is well-versed in the legalities and techniques of special education to ensure that s/he fulfills the requirements of each student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). While the special educator works primarily with students in Tier 4; s/he also collaborates with general educators to provide services in Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.
See our Student Support Services Page for more information.