MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) is everything we do for students. It includes district & school leadership, family & community engagement, school climate & culture. RTI (Response to Intervention) includes screening, data-based decision making, progress monitoring, and a multi-level prevention system (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3). I&RS (Intervention & Referral Services) are school-based teams that develop, implement, review, and assess I&RS Action Plans for individual students in need of support. The “referral” part does not necessarily mean to refer for special education. It means to refer to the school based team and/or outside resources as needed. While the I&RS process may result in a referral for a Child Study Team evaluation, the I&RS process is for all students. It creates an  intervention Action Plan that includes progress monitoring. The plan starts with looking at everything that is being done for this student in Tier 1 (General Education). It identifies interventions that can be implemented in Tier 2 (20% of students). If interventions in Tier 2 are not successful, the student may need more intensive interventions in Tier 3 (5-10% of students). A Tier 3 intervention may include specially designed instruction through special education.

School interventions are highly specific additional activities to address an identified need. Intervention means targeted instruction to improve a skill. Interventions include strategies or techniques used to teach a new skill, build fluency, or encourage the application of existing skills to a new situation. The need(s) could be academic and/or behavioral. Interventions could take many forms. Tier 2 interventions for academic concerns could include small group instruction to address a specific skill deficit. If the student doesn’t respond at this level, there may be a need to increase the intensity or duration of the intervention in a smaller group or a one to one tutoring session (Tier 3). Students move between tiers when we increase the intensity and duration of the intervention. Progress monitoring is essential at every step. Accommodations change how the student learns the same material as their peers. It may be a tool, materials, technology, visual aids and timing to remove barriers. Accommodations are typically part of a 504 plan and are designed to “level the playing field” for a student with a documented need. 

Examples of accommodations include: presentation changes, response changes, setting change, timing, scheduling, audio books, or small group testing. 

A modification changes what the student is expected to learn. Modifications change curriculum expectations for the student and should only be used in an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for Special Education.