African American disproportional placement and underachievement are national trends, and both are problematic because stigmatizing labels lead to diminished opportunities in education and employment. A gap exists in the literature regarding the efficacy of Response to Intervention (RTI), a new educational initiative designed to reduce disproportional placement and underachievement. This evaluative case study utilized a mixed methods design to answer research questions about whether RTI met the goals and implementation objectives in a rural school district previously cited for disproportional placement. Qualitative data were analyzed using word and phrase counts and textual comparison to identify common themes and discrepant responses. Archived standardized data were analyzed, and a chi-square analysis revealed that, after 1 year of RTI implementation, the district no longer showed disproportional placement of African Americans in special education. Although archived data revealed progress, quantitative survey data showed that stakeholders lacked awareness of RTI's actual effect in the district. The study contributes to the literature on RTI by providing a better understanding of whether RTI influences reading achievement and special education placement, both of which influence future opportunity. The study promotes positive social change by examining the effectiveness of RTI on academic achievement and disproportional placement so that all students can maximize their educational opportunities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]