Relations Between the CCSS and RTI in Literacy and Language

388RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CCSS AND RTI IN LITERACY AND LANGUAGEstudents. Because the CCSS willdirect the content of the curriculum,instruction, and assessment in ELAfor students in at least the 45+ statesthat have adopted them, they will mostcertainly have a significant impact oninstruction and intervention within anRTI approach to teaching and learning.This column explores the implicationsof the CCSS-ELA for RTI in the areas ofliteracy and language.BackgroundThe CCSS, like most academic contentstandards, are designed to provide aconsistent, clear understanding of whatstudents are expected to learn. They aredesigned to be robust and relevant tothe real world, reflecting the knowledgeand skills that our young people needfor success in college and careers. Theconcept of college and career readinessis a driving force behind the CCSS.College and Career Readiness (CCR)standards for the end of 12th gradewere developed first. These CCRstandards then served as the basis forthe development of the kindergartenthrough grade 12 (K–12) standards,which are intended to function aslearning progressions that lead toachievement of theCCR standards.The CCSS-ELA provide anintegrated view ofliteracy and language,highlighting the areaswithin the ELA—reading, writing,speaking/listening,and language. ForK–5, the reading andwriting strands arefurther delineated bytext type—literatureand informational.The grade 6–12standards are first organized by ELAand subject matter to distinguishwhich standards are the responsibilityof the ELA teacher and which are tobe addressed by subject area teachers.Within the ELA portion of the grade6–12 standards, the organization issimilar to that of the K–5 standards(i.e., all four areas of the languagearts, with reading and writing brokendown by literature and informational).In contrast, the subject area sectionsaddress only reading and writing, andthese areas are broken down accordingto history/social studies and science/technical subjects.RTI is focused on determiningwhether students are respondingto instruction and intervention ina manner that indicates they aregaining the knowledge and skillscharacteristic of mature, effectivereaders. The CCSS-ELA documentdescribes mature, effective readers inthe form of a “vision” of what it meansto be literate in the 21st century (p. 3)and a “portrait” of what students whoare college and career ready in ELA“look like” (p. 7). The vision statementemphasizes that students who meet theELA standards “readily undertake theclose, attentive reading that is at theheart of understanding and enjoyingcomplex” texts, and “habitually performthe critical reading necessary to pickcarefully through the staggeringamount of information availabletoday.” Furthermore, “they activelyseek the wide, deep, and thoughtfulengagement with high-quality literaryand informational texts that buildsknowledge, enlarges experience, andbroadens world views.”The portrait of students who meet theStandards includes several attributescommonly identified as good habitsin the areas of ELA—attributes suchas (a) demonstrating independence;(b) building strong content knowledge;(c) responding to the varyingdemands of audience, task, purpose,and discipline; (d) comprehending aswell as critiquing; (e) valuing evidence;(f) using technology and digitalmedia; and (g) understanding otherperspectives and cultures. In short,the emphasis on college and careerreadiness in the CCSS-ELA raises thebar for what students are expected to“Because the CCSS will direct the content ofthe curriculum, instruction, and assessment inELA...they will most certainly have a significantimpact on...an RTI approach.”R TThe Reading Teacher Vol. 65 Issue 6 March 2012