Tiered Instruction

Tiered instruction is a model of integrated academic, behavioral, and social and emotional instruction and intervention supports that are evidence-based and culturally and linguistically responsive.

Core support (often called Tier 1) includes academic, social, emotional, and behavioral curriculum, instruction, and supports aligned to grade-level standards and student needs. At Core, educators use instructional strategies and practices shown to be effective for the student population and educational context. In effective Core systems, most students benefit from Core programming alone and teachers use differentiation to ensure all students can access and benefit from core programming. 

Supplemental support (often called Tier 2) provides small group, standardized academic interventions or targeted social, emotional, behavioral supports using validated intervention programs. Teams select or design interventions and supports that have demonstrated positive effects for desired outcomes and are aligned with student needs. Supplemental interventions and supports are delivered with fidelity at an appropriate duration and frequency to ensure students have increased opportunities for practice and corrective feedback. 

Intensive support (often called Tier 3) implements intensive intervention to help students with severe and persistent learning and/or social, emotional, behavioral needs. Data-based individualization (DBI) is a validated approach to providing intensive intervention in academics and behavior. It is not a specific program, but a data-driven process that is characterized by increased intensity and individualization of instruction and tailored support.