TIER One ~
Response to Intervention Plan
Jefferson County Department of Education
Revised Fall 2009
The use of the Four Blocks as the framework for balanced literacy instruction for
all elementary students in the Jefferson County Schools incorporates all five
core components of balanced literacy and provides for scientifically researchbased instruction beyond the 90 minute required block of time.
Daily instruction in all Four Blocks in first through third grades provides for 120150 minutes of language arts as the core program. Using this model allows for an
additional 30-60 minutes of language arts Daily. The Scott-Foresman Basal
Reading Program is the primary resource along with other supplementary
materials as available.
“Effective teachers spend 120-135 minutes per day on reading instruction in
the primary grades.” Taylor and Peterson, 2003-Fuchs, Fuchs, and Vaughn, p.
21
Universal Screening:
All elementary students are given the Scott-Foresman Baseline Test within the
first three weeks of school as a screening measure. Students at risk for
academic failure in reading are identified through the screening data. The cutscore for identification is determined on a school- by- school and frequently
class-by-class basis. Students scoring below the cut- score on the curriculumbased measurement will be considered at risk and thereby identified as Tier
One students by the classroom teacher in collaboration with the Literacy
Coach or Targeted Intervention Teacher.
Tier One
Prevention: Effective Reading Instruction in the Classroom by the
Classroom Teacher
Tier One instruction takes place in the classroom as part of the balanced literacy
program providing quality instruction through the Four Blocks framework as
the instructional delivery system. Teachers provide direct instructional contact
three times per week with the identified students in the targeted area of
intervention.
Progress Monitoring
The identified Tier One students will be progress monitored every two weeks
using authentic curriculum-based measurements (CBM) throughout a ten
week period to obtain at least five data points..
– In the case of student absence, teacher absence, or school not being in
session, the duration of time required to obtain five data points may be
longer.
•
As progress monitoring, the teacher will administer Scott-Foresman Fresh
Reads that align with classroom instruction to determine word accuracy,
comprehension, and words correct per minute. The data obtained will be
recorded and a copy given to the school-wide literacy coach by the end of
each ten week intervention period. In this way, five data points will be
obtained. Other data is highly encouraged and can be obtained by
administering other assessments determined appropriate by the teacher.
– See Tier One Data Collection forms
•
•
•
–
Kindergarten and
Early First Grade
 For Kindergarten and early first graders, the teacher will monitor
progress with WCPM on disconnected text (high frequency word list).
 Other assessments are highly encouraged such as Phonemic
awareness, alphabet knowledge, DIBELS, Orchard, anecdotal notes,
fluency rating scale, and checklists.
 See Tier One Data Collection forms
 Students in Tier One receive ten weeks of quality instruction in the core
reading program with a focus on the targeted skill area of need. After
that time, the at risk students who are appropriately responding to
classroom instruction based on progress monitoring will transition out of
Tier One. Those students not responding to targeted instruction may
be considered by the School Intervention Team for Tier Two
intervention.
Parent Notification
Parents are to be notified every four and one-half to five weeks.
Teachers will refer to data points as well as documented teacher observations
and other assessments.
Notification may be by progress report, telephone, Email, or letter.
See documentation on Tier One Record
-See sample letters for parent notification