Which statement best describes the focus of RTI in education?

• A. Provide universal interventions to all students
• B. Use data to identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes
• C. Focus on teacher performance only
• D. Assess curriculum alignment

Answer: (B)

RTI centers on using data to identify students who are at risk for poor learning outcomes and then providing targeted, evidence-based interventions based on that data. It starts with universal screening for all students and ongoing progress monitoring to see how each student responds to instruction and supports. Decisions are driven by the data, guiding the level and type of intervention and enabling timely adjustments before designation as needing special education. The other options describe elements that may be part of RTI in practice but do not capture its main purpose: identifying at-risk learners through data and guiding responsive instruction, rather than focusing solely on teacher performance or curriculum alignment.