The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the systemic change process and strategies used by key stakeholders within a local education agency when they changed from the traditional discrepancy model for learning disabilities identification to the Response to Intervention (RTI) model. The results of this study suggest that the change to RTI influenced one large Midwestern school district in two ways. First, the initiative changed the job roles of those responsible for designing the program. Second, use of the RTI model changed the district's special education programs from a label-based delivery system and to a cross-categorical system. This study suggests that educational change is messy and requires significant time and resources to begin to be effective. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]