Tier 3 & SpEd Interventions
These interventions are intensive and individualized. The student receives instruction/support more often, for longer periods, and the intervention is increasingly customized to address each student's unique needs. This is all only a layer on top of Tier 1, which the student continues to receive.
Special Education (SpEd) could be referred to as "Tier 3 on steroids" because it's conceptually the same thing, but with a few important distinctions (e.g., funding, legal protections, modification options).
Tier 3 and SpEd plans are designed around the functions of the student's primary behaviors of concern. "What is this behavior accomplishing for the student and what prosocial behavior can take its place?"
Problem Identification
Identify 1-3 Target Behavior(s)
Click below to view example target behaviors (i.e., primary behaviors of concern). Our students are likely demonstrating many challenging behaviors. Use the following questions to help prioritize:
Magnitude: How frequent or long-standing is the problem behavior? Does it pose any danger to the student or to others?
Impact: To what extent would reducing or eliminating this target behavior affect the student’s capacity to learn and function independently? Will changing it reduce negative or unwanted attention from others? Will changing it produce higher rates of reinforcement for the student?
Cluster vs. Components: Do a cluster of behaviors nearly always occur together and the team hypothesizes they have the same function? For example, consider “Emotional/Behavioral Outburst” versus listing several different behaviors.
Verbal Behaviors
Target Behavior: Inappropriate language
Description/examples: Delivery of a verbal message that includes use of words in an inappropriate way, such as making inappropriate jokes/comments, swearing, or use of vulgar words.
Non-examples: Threats, intimidation, bullying, derogatory statements
Target Behavior: Talking out of turn/blurting
Description/examples: Any vocalizations that are not teacher initiated and are disruptive to others, out of turn, or unrelated to academic context (e.g., answering a question the teacher directed to another student, talking, laughing, or making noises when the teacher is giving directions/instruction, talking to a peer when the expectation is to work independently, talking out of turn during instruction, calling out, making remarks during instruction)
Non-examples: Answering a questions that the teacher directed to the child (or whole group), asking the teacher a question about work after the teacher has finished giving directions, talking with peer during group work, talking with peer during free time
Target Behavior: Verbal aggression
Description/examples: Interactions with another individual in a manner that is threatening or intimidating (e.g., swearing (at someone), threats, derogatory statements/name calling, yelling at someone, teasing, bullying)
Non-examples: Interrupting, talking back, vulgar jokes (unless derogatory)
Target Behavior: Verbal disrespect
Description/examples: Interactions with another individual in a manner that includes, but is not limited to, verbalizations of a rude, vulgar, impolite, and/or insulting connotation (e.g., use of swear words/foul language toward another individual, interrupting, name calling, talking back/arguing)
Non-examples: Bullying, derogatory statements, inappropriate jokes, intimidation, threats
Target Behavior: Vocal stereotypy
Description/examples: Repetitive vocalizations (sounds or words) that are not within the context of an ongoing activity (e.g., immediate or delayed echolalia, “ee, ee, ee, ee” outside the context of a vocal imitation task, laughter in the absence of a humorous event, singing, babbling, repetitive grunts, squeals, and phrases unrelated to the present situation)
Non-examples: Repeating a delivered instruction or question, making or responding to a request
Aggressive or Self-Injurious Behaviors
Target Behavior: Biting
Description/examples: Closing teeth on own skin or the skin of others
Non-examples: Mouthing with lips, sucking
Target Behavior: Emotional/behavioral outburst
Description/examples: An episode that includes, but is not limited to, two or more of the following behavioral examples: screaming, yelling, crying, physical aggression, property destruction, elopement, and/or verbal aggression
Non-examples: Ignoring adults, sitting at table with head down
Target Behavior: Eye gouging
Description/examples: Pokings others in the ocular area
Non-examples: Poking others in non-ocular areas
Target Behavior: Head banging
Description/examples: Rhythmic hitting of head against solid stationary objects (e.g., hitting forehead against wall, hitting side of head (ear) against tabletop)
Non-examples: Slapping head, hitting self in head with object held in hand
Target Behavior: Hitting
Description/examples: Using an open or closed hand to strike or attempt to strike the body part and/or clothing of another person/self (e.g., swatting at peers/adults when they approach, hitting adult when given an instruction, slapping peers in face, hitting peers on the back, punching peers in the arm with a fist)
Non-examples: High-fives, fist-bumps, patting someone on the back gently
Target Behavior: Physical aggression
Description/examples: Successful and/or unsuccessful attempts of any physical act directed toward others that has the potential to cause harm (e.g., hitting, kicking, pushing, pinching, punching, biting, scratching, pulling hair, head-butting, hitting with an object, throwing an object at someone)
Non-examples: Banging fists on desk, stomping feet, glaring, clenching teeth, making fists with hands
Target Behavior: Physical contact
Description/examples: Unwanted touching by any part of the body that does not result in injury (e.g., pushing, shoving, poking)
Non-examples: Pinching, hitting, kicking, biting
Target Behavior: Pinching
Description/examples: Forcefully gripping skin between finger(s) and/or thumb (including with enough force to leave a visible mark). Pinching any part of another individual’s body including arms, legs, and torso.
Non-examples: Grasping clothing or materials
Target Behavior: Pushing/shoving
Description/examples: Using a part of their body, including an open hand, to make contact with another person’s body part(s) or clothing with enough force to cause them to move (e.g., using hands to move peer to the floor, using elbows to move peers to side to make way to front of a line, pushing against peers with chest to make way to front of a crowd)
Non-examples: Bumping into someone as a result of yourself being pushed, tripping, etc.
Target Behavior: Rough-housing
Description/examples: Two or more individuals engaging in mutual physical contact resembling rough, disorderly play (e.g., Chasing, pushing, and grabbing)
Non-examples: Physical aggression (Hitting, kicking, pinching, punching, biting, scratching, pulling hair, head-butting, hitting with an object)
Target Behavior: Scratching
Description/examples: Raking-like or picking movement of fingernails on the skin of others (e.g., scratching others’ arms)
Non-examples: Slapping, poking
Target Behavior: Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB)
Description/examples: Any physical act directed toward oneself that has the potential to cause harm (e.g., scratching or cutting own skin, poking own skin and breaking the skin, hitting and bruising own skin)
Non-examples: Accidental injury, physical aggression toward others, scratching due to discomfort, stomping foot on floor, other non-harmful motor stereotypy
Target Behavior: Spitting
Description/examples: Projecting matter from the mouth (1-inch from body). E.g., spitting saliva (including at individuals), spitting food out of mouth
Non-examples: Functional spitting such as spitting out toothpaste or water when rinsing mouth, spitting out food into a napkin, vomiting
Target Behavior: Throwing
Description/examples: Propelling an object with force through the air by movement of the hand/arm (e.g., throwing includes objects such as [include examples]. Objects may be thrown across the room or to the floor.)
Non-examples: Throwing at a person
Disruptive / Noncompliance / Out of Place
Target Behavior: Body rocking
Description/examples: Repetitive movement of the torso from side to side or front to back while standing, sitting, or kneeling, that is not within the context of ongoing activity.
Non-examples: Body movement in response to or associated with music, movement associated with muscular spasm, bouncing in seat
Target Behavior: Dropping/Flopping/Falling to floor
Description/examples: Collapsing from a standing or seated position to lying on the ground in an uncontrolled manner that is not within the context of the ongoing activity (e.g., falling to the floor in the hallway, laying on floor when given task demand)
Non-examples: Laying on floor playing with a toy, tripping/falling to ground accidentally
Target Behavior: Elopement
Description/examples: Leaving or attempting to leave the classroom (or designated area) without obtaining permission and/or during times other than appropriate transitions away from the classroom (e.g., leaving room without permission, running away from school staff, leaving school building, wandering hallway during class time)
Non-examples: Going to bathroom in emergency, in hallway with a pass, leaving assigned area with instructions to do so
Target Behavior: Non-compliance/Defiance
Description/examples: Failure to respond to an instruction within [XX] seconds of the instruction being given (e.g., saying “no”, arguing with instructions, looking away/ignoring directions, continuing with previous activity)
Non-examples: Failure to respond to a direction due to lack of understanding, failure to complete request due to skill deficit
Target Behavior: Off-task (active)
Description/examples: Engaging in any behavior that deviates from teacher directions, that may be disruptive to others (e.g., getting out of seat, making noises, talking to peers, disruptive use of an electronic device)
Non-examples: Head down, staring out window/ daydreaming, sleeping, non-disruptive use of an electronic device, irrelevant reading or drawing
Target Behavior: Off-task (passive)
Description/examples: Engaging in any behavior that deviates from teacher directions, but is not disruptive to others (e.g., head down, not looking at overhead or teacher, staring out window/ daydreaming, sleeping, not contributing to assigned task, not following along, non-disruptive use of an electronic device, irrelevant reading or drawing)
Non-examples: Getting out of seat, making noises, talking to peers, disruptive use of an electronic device
Target Behavior: Tardiness
Description/examples: Entering the classroom (or designated area) after the accepted entry period (e.g., entering the classroom after the bell, out of assigned seat or in hallway when final bell rings)
Non-examples: Excused tardies, student entered late with a pass
Other Behaviors
Target Behavior: Motor stereotypy
Description/examples: Repetitive movement of body parts that is not within the context of an ongoing activity (e.g., hand-flapping, body rocking, waving, opening and closing of a fist, finger wiggling, or wrist flexion and extension, head nodding)
Non-examples: Tapping foot to music, following along to a motor imitation task, movement associated with muscular spasm
Target Behavior: Mouthing
Description/examples: Partially or fully inserting non-food items past the plane of the lips and into the mouth in non-functional ways (e.g., chewing on pencils, bottle caps, erasers, sucking on toy/play foods, hair, neck of shirt, mittens)
Non-examples: Student licking food off of food containers or utensils
Target Behavior: Pica
Description/examples: Ingestion of inedible substances: [list inedible substances]
Non-examples: Accidentally ingesting a substance the student is allergic to
Target Behavior: Property destruction
Description/examples: Participating in an activity that results or could result in destruction or disfigurement of property (e.g., hitting an item into another object with force, breaking classroom items, throwing large/hard objects or furniture (such as desks, chairs, or computers)
Non-examples: Kicking, hitting, pushing, or moving furniture, slamming door, breaking pencils/crayons, etc., damage to a textbook
Target Behavior: Property misuse
Description/examples: Participating in use of property in a way for which it was not designed and that does not cause harm or injury (e.g., kicking, hitting, pushing, or moving furniture; slamming doors; breaking pencils/crayons; damage to a textbook; etc.)
Non-examples: Hitting an item into another object with force, breaking classroom items, throwing large/hard objects or furniture (such as desks, chairs, or computers)
Target Behavior: Stealing
Description/examples: Taking or being in possession of something that does not belong to them without permission from the owner (e.g., taking an object from teacher or peers desk/hand/backpack without permission)
Non-examples: Trading and borrowing (where explicit permission has been given by the owner of the item), picking up object off of floor
Problem Analysis
Find the Function(s)
Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) help us to hypothesize the function of a behavior—why it's "working" for the student—by highlighting the pattern of what typically happens before and after the behavior.
At Tier 3, schools conduct a less robust "mini-FBA." In SpEd, a full FBA occurs during a SpEd evaluation.
We find patterns by reviewing records (e.g., referrals), interviews, observations, and—in some cases—assessments (e.g., BASC forms).
Plan Development
Select Strategies That Fit the Function(s)
Click on the function identified in your FBA to view a menu of function-based strategies.
We use the "push and pull" of prevention, reinforcement, and response strategies to shift the pattern toward positive replacement behaviors. Learn more about function-based strategies on our Behavior Basics page.
Obtain Attention from Peers
Escape/Avoid Attention from Peers
Obtain Attention from Adults
Escape/Avoid Attention from Adults
Obtain a Preferred Activity
Escape/Avoid a Non-Preferred Activity
Obtain a Pleasant Sensory Stimulus
Escape/Avoid an Aversive Sensory Stimulus
Obtain a Tangible Object
Plan Implementation
Communicate the Plan and Check Fidelity
It's obviously not enough for a student's support team to simply select function-based strategies. We need to document the plan and communicate it to every teacher and staff member responsible for making it happen.
Our templates help us to quickly and efficiently put a plan together, and once it's distributed it's critical that communication continues. Staff members must have opportunities to ask questions, troubleshoot, and coach each other in order for our plan to work.
These documents come with fidelity check forms, which should be used to ensure that the plan is being implemented as planned.
Tier 3 behavior supports can be communicated to teachers using a Tier 3 Behavior Support Plan (BSP) or another form of documentation.
In SpEd, behavior supports are documented in the SpEd Forms database, either in an IEP or a Behavior Support Plan (BSP).
Plan Evaluation
Monitor Skill Growth
Progress monitoring is using a consistent measurement tool repeatedly over time to track a student’s skill growth with the SEL skills we're teaching them.
There are five logistical options for collecting SEL progress monitoring data. It's important to use a tool that matches the behaviors you're trying to measure.
At Tier 3, we often continue what was used at Tier 2. In SpEd, there are many options for monitoring IEP goals ("DBRs," rubrics, etc.)
Graph your data in eduCLIMBER. You can view it alongside discipline incidents, attendance, and grades.
Regularly review your data and make data-based decisions. If needed, adjust your intervention to improve student progress.
If Considering a Change of Placement:
If a team is seeing a pattern of concerning behavior that leads them to consider a change of placement (e.g., a self-contained Setting III program), then we need additional data about the behaviors of concern.
Learn more about how to navigate this situation.
During the consideration process—data sheets are used to monitor the frequency, intensity, and/or duration of target behaviors.
During the consideration process—the Behavior Tracker for Placement Determination (BTPD) is used to graph target behavior data.
Guideline 13 pertains to most Setting III/IV behavior programs, while Guideline 26 is specific to the SOAR program in Chisago Lakes.