As school districts across the nation gear up for Response to Intervention (RTI), much attention will be given to revamping existing educational support teams. Shepherd (2006) noted that studies have reported great variation in how Educational Support Teams (ESTs) function. Too often these teams operate without members being specifically trained to provide the support needed by referring teachers. A well-trained team is able to clearly define and provide data supporting student needs. It is acknowledged that the effectiveness of ESTs will directly affect the success of the students, but how do educators go about increasing the capacity of these teams to meet this challenge? In this article, the author discusses how RTI aims to help students early on so special education does not become part of their future. The author also discusses the new role for ESTs in helping RTI achieve its goals.