Response to intervention (RTI) emerged from the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, but the roots of RTI are found embedded within the history of the field of learning disabilities (LD) as well as other sources of influence. In what follows, we provide a brief history of LD and highlight the connection between the controversies of LD and the emergence of RTI. We offer discussion on the evolution of RTI through current practice, along with implications and cautions regarding future practice so that school personnel might gain a better understanding of RTI.