Tier I

Tier 1

Universal supports and services are typically provided in a general education setting for all children. This tier incorporates universal screening to detect if children need any additional support or enhancement to meet with success, and progress monitoring to ensure that the support being provided is appropriate for the child. Progress monitoring is critical because it allows educators to see very quickly when a child needs additional supports and enhancements to achieve success. For children who need more support, we can move to Tier 2.

(Polk Elementary School, 2017)

(Kirk, Gallagher, & Coleman, 2015)

Examples of Tier I Interventions

Breaks

•      Break, moving position in class
•      Have student take frequent breaks, do errand, or active job
•      Send student on errand
•       Snack break

Consequences

•       Avoid power struggles
•        Call parent or note home
•        Clear, consistent, and predictable consequences
•        Do unfinished work during recess or unstructured time
•        Speak in calm and neutral tone
•        Take away privileges

Praise

•        Acknowledging positive behavior
•        Praise student frequently
•        Praise when cooperative and well behaved
•        Praise when good attitude and involvement occur
•        Praise when on task

Data Collection

Tier I Intervention General Tracking Form

Tier 1 Analysis

 First, the team should review whole-grade performance on the universal screening conducted for that grade level. The team should review what percentage of students is at each performance/risk level: benchmark (low risk), strategic (some risk), and intensive (high risk). Next, the team uses the percentages at each level to set measurable goals to achieve by the next review point. The goals should be stated in terms of the percentage of students making a particular amount of progress toward the identified benchmark.

 After reviewing the students’ current performance and setting goals for the next universal screening, the team lists whole-class instructional strategies to consider implementing to improve student performance. Ideas should be recorded in a list that is easily viewed by everyone. The team analyzes and rates the listed strategies per the extent to which they are evidence based, practical, and available or according to the feasibility of their creation. Finally, the team selects which strategies to implement during the next intervention period.

 The team should then discuss the logistics of the strategies, such as how to locate or create necessary materials, teaching each other the strategy by using peer modeling and coaching, or identifying assistance from specialists such as the school psychologist or Title 1 staff. The team also makes plans for self-monitoring of the strategies. Then, a “to-do list” is created for strategy implementation.

Family Involvement

As you begin to implement RTI in your schools, one of the best things you can do to ensure implementation success is to heavily involve parents at all levels of process.  Spend a lot of time communicating, educating, informing and involving parents, and be sure to include them every step of the way. 

Be very specific when describing your schools' RTI model.

Be sure that parents understand the assessments you are using and how the assessments are used to make decisions about their child (screening, progress monitoring, intervention/diagnostic).  If cut scores are used, tell the parents how the cut scores were determined and how they impact support for their child.

Clearly communicate the essential components of the RTI process in your school on "multiple occasions." Just telling parents at the beginning of the year is not enough.  Parents and children come and go, and some of us need to hear new information multiple times.

Be able to explain what the school will do if a child is not showing adequate progress.  Be able to explain clearly what you mean by “adequate progress” and how you document that progress.

Make sure that data shared with parents is easily understood.  Be empathetic.  Ask yourself, "If I were a parent, would this data make sense to me?" Avoid jargon.  Be able to explain how the school uses the data to make decisions about school programming and individual student needs.