What are the Tiers of Instruction?
Tier 1: High-Quality Classroom Instruction, Screening, and Group Interventions
Tier 1 students are performing at grade level or above. Grade level or enrichment curriculum will be used to challenge higher level thinking skills, enrich vocabulary, and motivate independent learning styles.
Within Tier 1, all students receive high-quality, scientifically based instruction provided by qualified personnel to ensure that any difficulties are not due to inadequate instruction. All students are screened on a periodic basis to establish an academic baseline and to identify struggling learners who need additional support. Students not showing adequate progress are moved to Tier 2.
Tier 2: Targeted Interventions
Students not making adequate progress in Tier 1 are provided with increasingly intensive instruction matched to their needs on the basis of levels of performance and rates of progress. Intensity varies across group size, frequency, and duration of intervention. These services and interventions are provided in small-group settings in addition to instruction in the general curriculum.
Students identified as being “at risk” through universal screenings and/or results on state or districtwide tests receive supplemental instruction during the school day. During that time, student progress is closely monitored using a validated screening system such as curriculum based measurement. Students who continue to show too little progress at this level of intervention are then considered for more intensive interventions as part of Tier 3.
Tier 3: Intensive Interventions and Comprehensive Evaluation
At this level, students receive small group and/or individualized, intensive interventions that target the students’ skill deficits.
It should be noted that at any point in an RtII process, parents may request a formal evaluation to determine eligibility for special education. An RtII process cannot be used to deny or delay a formal evaluation for special education.
