The use of the term "response to intervention" focuses on its potential utility for diagnosis of learning disabilities. In this context, "response to intervention" can be understood as a diagnostic approach for determining which students are entitled to special educational services. It is important to notice that the validity of the RTI diagnostic approach for identifying students with learning disabilities depends critically on the quality of the RTI instructional model as it is implemented in a school, or school district. In this brief paper, the author will focus on the impact of the RTI instructional model on rates of identification of students with learning disabilities. The author will present data from a large number of schools in Florida that illustrate the immediate impact this approach to early reading instruction is having on the percentages of students in those schools that are being diagnosed as having a learning disability. (Contains 3 tables.)