Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Multi-Tiered System of Supports is a framework our school district uses to meet the needs of all children. It is how we combine our core instruction in the classroom and any needed support, with student assessments so that our teachers and professional faculty can help meet all of the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs a child may have. We call those supports, interventions.
Through our Multi-tiered System of Supports framework, we are able to better know what individual children need, and we can ensure they have the supports (interventions) they need early with the option of available increased levels of support, instruction, and time if needed.
We use information about how children are learning. We look at the rate they are learning, and we look at how their social, emotional, and behavior skills are developing. This will help our school faculty make important decisions to best meet the needs of each individual child.
Key Components
Our Multi-tiered System of Supports takes a proactive approach to identify students with academic or behavioral needs. Early assessment and intervention for children can help them catch up with their peers sooner. We use these key components:
- Universal screening of all students early in the school year (iReady)
- Tiers of interventions that can be amplified in response to levels of need (Response to Intervention)
- Ongoing data collection and continual assessment
Schoolwide approach to expectations and supports (Positive Behavior Intervention Systems and/or Leader in Me) - Parent Engagement
Narrow the Focus of Interventions
In Tier 1: The whole class receives instruction
All students are taught with methods that research has shown to be effective. All students are screened to see who is and isn’t responding to these strategies. Students may be broken into small groups that address different strengths and areas of need.
In Tier 2: Small group receive interventions
Some students receive more targeted support in small groups. The scheduling of these interventions is important. The goal is to keep students from missing any core instruction or other Tier 1 activities that might make it harder to catch up.
In Tier 3: A student receives intense, individual support
A few students may move up to this most intensive level of support while continuing with Tier 1 activities. Their break-out groups are smaller than in Tier 2. These sessions last longer and are more narrowly focused.