Which statement best reflects evidence-based practice in selecting cognitive measures for school evaluations?

• A. Discrepancy models are always superior.
• B. RTI is often preferred over IQ-achievement discrepancy models for identifying learning disabilities.
• C. RTI eliminates the need for any assessment.
• D. RTI is only used for behavioral problems.

Answer: (B)

In evidence-based practice for school evaluations, the approach to identifying learning disabilities relies on monitoring how a student responds to targeted interventions over time rather than basing eligibility on a fixed gap between intelligence and achievement. This makes RTI the preferred framework because it uses ongoing progress data to determine need for additional support, reducing the likelihood of misclassification that can occur with IQ-achievement discrepancy models. Cognitive measures still play a role in understanding processing strengths and weaknesses and in ruling out other factors, but they aren’t the sole determinant of eligibility. The idea that discrepancy models are always superior isn’t supported by research, and RTI does not eliminate assessment or pertain only to behavior; RTI is about educational response and progress across academics, with cognitive measures informing the fuller picture.