Additional support involves providing scientific, research-based intervention matched to student needs, with important educational decisions based on students’ levels of performance and learning rates over time. Rather than limiting the provision of instructional and social/behavioral supports for those students classified under a particular label or program, supports are provided to all students, based on individual needs.  The information below outlines additional instruction provided to students who need more.

Tier II: Additional instruction provided to students who are not making sufficient progress within the general education curriculum 

• primarily through the use of smaller groups, instruction that is highly focused on specific skills and/or learning strategies, and more frequent monitoring of progress and social development
• Interventions are short term (e.g., 6 to 8 weeks) and remain part of the general education system, with supports from specialists. These interventions are supplemental to the core academic instruction and behavioral supports that are part of Tier I. In other words, Tier II students receive support both in Tier I and Tier II. Tier II interventionists may be general educators, specialists or other educators with appropriate certification and/or training for implementing the intervention.
• Assessments for monitoring progress in Tier II must target the student’s specific skill in the social or academic area of concern and a baseline must be taken prior to implementation to determine if intervention is working
• Scheduled, and of sufficient duration, to have a reasonable chance to impact the child’s performance
• At least three or four reassessments (progress monitoring) during Tier II or Tier III intervention are required to establish a trend in the student’s performance.  If this trend indicates no improvement, or worsening of performance, then the intervention should be modified or changed.

Tier III: Intensive, individualized instruction for students needing the most support  

• Greater intensity AND/OR individualization (e.g., smaller teacher-student ratio, longer duration of instruction, detailed attention to social environment and more frequent progress monitoring, function-based support plans for students with behavioral difficulties)
• In addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2 core instruction
• At least three or four reassessments during Tier II or Tier III intervention are required to establish a trend in the student’s performance.  If this trend indicates no improvement, or worsening of performance, then the intervention should be modified or changed.

Tier I: All students receive high-quality curriculum and instruction in the general educational classroom 

• core general education curriculums and instruction (differentiation of instruction and instruction relevant and responsive to culturally and linguistically diverse students, including ELLs)
• attention to the quality of the school climate
•  comprehensive system of social-emotional learning and behavioral supports for all students (explicit teaching of social skills, ethical teaching practices, clear behavioral expectations for all students, and a set of procedures for encouraging appropriate behaviors and discouraging inappropriate ones)