Tier 1 is the instruction that every student receives. It is also known as the universal or core program.

The core should consist of evidence-based practices that are matched to students and families and are delivered consistently. In the data world, this consistency is known as fidelity and is a crucial element of a successful data reporting system.

In terms of the execution, Tier 1 should include periodic whole school data collection and review to determine if the core program is effective (i.e. working for most students). During this process, it'll become clear which students need additional support. Tier 1 should be delivered to 100% of students in a school and should work for 80% or more of the students in every demographic group.

Tier 2 is a targeted, group intervention for some students. 

In this tier, students who need a moderate level of support receive standardized interventions in addition to the core instruction. These interventions should be evidence-based practices that are easy to implement and “ready to go” for our most frequent student needs.

At Tier 2, student data is collected more frequently to directly monitor the skills taught in the intervention and determine whether the interventions are:

• effective as a whole (i.e. do they work for most students we serve?)
• working for the individual students receiving them. 

Tier 2 supports should be structured to serve between 5-20% of students in a school at a given time.

Tier 3 provides intensive, individualized interventions for a few students.

This third level in the framework consists of individually designed plans and supports for students who did not respond to the more standardized supports in Tier 2. Tier 3 plans should be constructed after careful consideration of a student's individual needs and history and should include input from the student's family.

Tier 3 is a level of support that is part of general education and should not be confused with special education. Tier 3 support should be available for between 1-5% of a school’s population at a given time.

• Overview of the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework: How and why it works

• Tier 1 deep dive: Screening, meeting structures, data analysis

  • Follow up with meeting support and/or coaching

• Tiers 2 and 3 deep dive

  • Follow up with meeting support and/or coaching

• Ion training combined with abbreviated MTSS overview

• Culturally Responsive Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS): overview of structures, science of behavior, social emotional behavior (SEB)

• PBIS in depth: Tier 1:  building and teaching expectations, use of reinforcement, restorative responses, team-initiated problem-solving (TIPS) meeting agenda, data screening with office of discipline referrals (ODRs) and Devereaux student strengths assessment (DESSA)

• PBIS Tier 2: function of behavior, check in/check out (CICO), check and connect, breaks are better, short-term skill groups

• PBIS Tier 3: functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and behavior support plans (BSPs)

• Tier 1 - Understanding the Science of Reading

  • Brain Science

  • Phonics 

• Understanding the Screening Data (ie: what your tests mean)

• Tier 2

  • Building time for interventions

  • Selecting “champions” and/or facilitators

  • Structuring interventions, evaluating outcome data

• Tier 3

  • Individual Problem Solving