1. Can supplemental material created by independent educators for the REWARDS reading program produce significant student progress in reading decoding and fluency? 2. Will these materials be successful by working in accordance with the reauthorization of IDEA and RTI intervention principles?

Abstract

The 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has greatly impacted the education of all students. Education services are most greatly impacted when determining student eligibility for special education services. Under IDEA, proof must be given to show whether the student has responded to a researched-based intervention (RTI) program. RTI programs must be scientifically proven, and the new criteria for determining eligibility of special education services are specific and parallel with the curriculum based assessments that accompany many of the approved curriculum. This process will allow educators to determine that a student's underachievement is due to a specific learning disability and not due to a lack of appropriate instruction in math and reading.