English Learners (ELs) have become a significant part of classrooms in the United States, posing a challenge for teachers to provide an equitable education. Inadequate training and a weak understanding of bilingual students' literacy and language development make it difficult for teachers to make instructional decisions for reading instruction. Consequently, lower academic achievement among ELs compared to their non-EL counterparts and the disproportionate referral of bilingual students for special education eligibility for reading problems have become common in schools. Frameworks, such as the Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI), have been adopted by school districts to provide evidence-based support to struggling students and assist in determining whether referral to special education eligibility is warranted. Yet, problems understanding how EL students should be integrated within the support continue to exist. This qualitative case study investigated instructional decision-making for reading within an RTI framework with ELs to understand the factors contributing to the disproportionate representation of bilingual students referred to special education eligibility for reading problems. The research questions that guided the study were: How do teachers describe effective strategies in Tier 1 for teaching reading to ELs? How does the teachers' implementation of Tier 1 literacy instruction with ELs compare to their stated conception? and How do teachers describe their process for determining when to refer ELs to special education eligibility due to reading difficulties within an RTI framework? The study was conducted with six teachers using interviews, a focus group, observations, and a document review to understand the factors contributing to this trend. The findings revealed that teachers need more tailored professional development and support to provide equitable education to ELs to alleviate the overrepresentation of bilingual students identified with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in reading. Implications resulting from the study included enriching training opportunities for teachers to assist in distinguishing language differences and learning disabilities, such as enhancing teacher knowledge of second language acquisition, culturally responsive teaching practices, academic growth projections, and the special education eligibility process. [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.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]