Which of the following is true of pre-referral interventions?

• A. They must be tried and found ineffective before a student can be referred for special education services
• B. They are generally ineffective
• C. They are designed by each of the student's classroom teachers individually
• D. Their main goal is to lay the groundwork for the student's eventual referral to special education

Answer: (A)

Pre-referral interventions are a set of targeted, evidence-based supports delivered within general education to help a student meet expectations before any special education evaluation is considered. They’re typically part of a collaborative MTSS/RTI approach, with a team—teachers, specialists, and sometimes parents—selecting strategies, monitoring how the student responds, and adjusting as needed based on data.

The key point is that these interventions must be tried and shown to be insufficient before a referral for special education is initiated. This data-driven process ensures that eligibility decisions are based on how the student responds to high-quality general education supports, not on a single setback. It also helps avoid unnecessary labeling and keeps instruction in the least restrictive environment.

Interventions are generally designed through a team process rather than by each teacher alone, promoting consistency and appropriate progress monitoring across settings. The main goal is to determine whether the student can succeed with supports in general education; only if those supports don’t yield adequate progress does a formal referral become appropriate.