What are the 3 Tiers?

A Closer Look at the Tiers...

Tier I 

Characteristics of Tier I:

• Tier I is the core curriculum that is delivered to every child.

• Tier I differentiated instruction may include adjustments to content, process, product, and/or pace.

• Assessments at this level are for every child and allow teachers to tailor instruction to better meet the needs of students within the classroom.  

• Assessments help teachers identify areas of strength and areas of need so that instruction is highly differentiated.

• Tier I is focused on what we give to all of our students in all areas of the curriculum and specifically focuses on the areas of:

  • written expression

  • reading comprehension

  • reading fluency

  • basic reading skills

  • math reasoning

  • math computation

  • listening comprehension

  • oral expression

• Tier I includes academic and behavioral aspects of the school environment.

• Formative classroom assessments are completed and formally benchmarked at least three times per year.

Tier II

Characteristics of Tier II:

• Collaboration between teachers and specialists.

• Interventions targeted to address specific skills.

• Instructing or grouping students to address specific skills that have been identified as areas of need.

• Instruction inside of the classroom or outside of the classroom.

• Intervention is delivered with increased frequency by classroom teachers, specialists or a combination of both.

Decision Making at Tier II:

• Progress monitoring occurs every week.

• Decisions are made by a team of professionals taking into account the rate of progress.  

  • At the elementary school, it is appropriate to track a students progress through 8-10 weeks prior to drawing any firm conclusions about the need to continue, increase, or decrease supports.

 Tier III

Characteristics of Tier III:

• A continuation of Tier II, but adjustments are made to the intervention, group size, and/or the intensity.

• Collaboration between specialists and teachers focused on intensive interventions and supports.

• Instruction occurs outside of the classroom.

• Frequency of the intervention is at least three times per week for 20-30 minutes each time.

• A referral for special education may occur if there is not adequate progress, or if the skills and carry over are dependent on the intervention.

Decision Making at Tier III:

• Occurs after 8-10  weeks of  Tier II implementation.

• Progress monitoring occurs every week/possibly multiple times per week