ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses Response to intervention (RTI)/ multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) systems and federal law. It examines the legal basis of RTI and MTSS in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The chapter explains guidance issued from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office of Special Education Programs in the US Department of Education. It addresses the Child Find requirements of the IDEA and how school personnel and officials may inadvertently violate the IDEA if they use their RTI/MTSS system in an inappropriate manner. The chapter reviews RTI/MTSS in the 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which was titled the Every Student Succeeds Act. It offers guidelines on how school district personnel can develop and implement RTI/MTSS systems that comport with federal law. Officials of departments and agencies within the federal government often issue statements or letters that offer guidance regarding particular areas of law.
