Using a Tiered Instructional and
Behavioral Support and
Intervention Model in the
Secondary School Setting
“Do not wait; the time will never be just right. Start
where you stand, and work with whatever tools
you may have at your command, and better
tools will be found as you go along.”
Napoleon Hill
Whittney Smith
wsmith@mineola.k12.ny.us
Jennifer Maichin
jmaichin@mineola.k12.ny.us
Stephanie Honig
shonig@mineola.k12.ny.us
Albert Einstein once said…
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and
over again and expecting different results.”
Where we’ve been…
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With the reauthorization of IDEA and introduction of
Response to Intervention (RtI), we saw a natural “fit” with our
Instructional Support Team (IST) Process
The NYS Education Department Memorandum (April 2008)
provided guidance to our established system
Research and data provided by Fuchs and Fuchs, RtI Action
Network, Interventional Central, and Jim Wright among others
have helped us become more educated about the process
and stay connected to successful ideas being used in other
places.
Site visitations and school presentations (3 Rivers Magnet
School, Connecticut and Lindenhurst UFSD, Long Island)
have also helped provide a foundation on which to build our
own program.
As a core team, we came to the consensus we were our own
best resource and adopted a problem-solving approach to our
practice. Working collaboratively has helped us move forward
in implementing comprehensive, meaningful, and strategic
systemic change.
Who we are…
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Shawn came to us this year with
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an IEP and many gaps in his
education from moving around
and not having stability at home.
Our process aids in answering
questions about Shawn’s needs
as a learner and as an
adolescent.
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Drew has not been meeting his
academic potential and has not
been advocating for himself. The
main goals he is currently
working to achieve are focusing
in class, increasing
metacognition and independence
for his learning and increasing
his reading comprehension and
fluency.
Noah is a bright and capable 6th
grader who has struggled with
organization, social and
emotional trials, and a loss of
motivation. Our process is
working to help both Noah and
his mother better understand his
difficulties and create strategies
aimed at helping him improve
academically.
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Danisha was an ESL learner who
was failing in the 6th grade. Since
her teachers saw her struggling
and involved her and her family in
the IST process, Danisha has
made consistent academic gains
and will proudly walk across our
stage at graduation this spring.
Essential Components for Success
High Quality
Tier I
Building and
Classroom
Instruction
Building
Wide
Ownership
Research
Based
Tiered
Instruction
Ongoing
Student
Assessment
Student and
Family
Involvement
 “Without
the right building-level leadership,
RtI will not realize the potential it has in
fundamentally altering for the better both
the delivery system and educational
practice in our schools.”
Dr. David P. Prasse, Professor and Dean
of the School of Education,
Loyola University Chicago
Background (The Who?):
 WelI
Established IST with
a Child-Centered focus
 The
Team
• Core Team Members: IST Chairperson, Guidance
Counselor, Speech Therapist, School
Psychologist, Parent
• Varying Members: Team Teachers (General and
Special Education), Encore Teachers, Support
Staff, Social Worker, Student
Individual Student Interventions
.
.
Motivation
Study Skills
How We See It:
Tier III
Tier II
Tier I
Tier III
Tier II
Tier I
Tier I: What is it?
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Quality classroom instruction
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Within the general education classroom
High quality program incorporating standards
Research-based instructional strategies or materials
On-going assessment of strengths and needs
Continuous rapport building between students and
teachers
Building-wide professional development aimed at
implementing common evidence based strategies
Tier I Implementation:
Education Leads to Ownership
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Educate the staff about what RtI is?
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IDEA 2004
“Wait to fail” vs. RtI
District Support
Leverage with New IDEA
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“ In determining whether a child has a specific
learning disability, a local educational agency may
use a process that determines if the child responds to
a scientific, research based intervention as part of the
evaluation procedures” (IDEA 2004, Title 20, Section
1414, subsection b(6)).
Tier I Implementation:
Ownership Leads to Success
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Teacher Ownership vs. “Buy In”
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Station Activity
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Devote Faculty Meeting Time
Objectives from IST Meetings
Teachers working in groups to brainstorm strategies
Attach strategies to research
 Share collective strategies with faculty
 Utilize strategies when working with students
Getting Stuck in Tier I
 Scenario: Your team has an IST meeting to discuss
a student who is struggling in school. A few strategies
were brainstormed after a lengthy conversation about
what the student can’t do. Six weeks later, the team
meets again and…
Tier II: What is it?
 Quality
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classroom instruction
Skill specific evidence based interventions in
math, reading, learning strategies, etc
Group counseling focusing on social and/or
emotional needs
Increased intensity and frequency of
academic intervention (12:1 student teacher
ratio)
Increased frequency and analysis of progress
monitoring (1 x month)
Tier II Implementation:
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AIS classes (taught by content area general education
teachers)
 Skill specific curriculum
 Group counseling run by building support staff
(Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor)
 Creation and implementation of individualized behavior
and reinforcement plans/charts/checklists
 Staff development on progress monitoring,
administration, implementation, and interpretation
 Scheduled meetings to discuss data (IST, AIS specific
meetings, teacher-student meetings)
Tier III: What is it?
 Quality
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classroom instruction
Individualized to address basic skills in math
and reading
Evidence based interventions and programs
(Read 180, Wilson, Just Words, Mathematics
Navigator)
Increased intensity and frequency of
intervention (4:1 student teacher ratio)
Increased frequency and analysis of progress
monitoring (2 x month)
Tier III Implementation:
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AIS classes (taught by certified reading teachers and
special education teachers)
Individual programs personalized to target basic skills
Individual counseling run by building support staff
(Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor)
Creation and implementation of Functional Behavior
Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans
(Psychologist)
Staff development on progress monitoring,
administration, implementation, and interpretation
Increased frequency of scheduled meetings to discuss
data (IST, AIS specific meetings, teacher-student
meetings)
AIMS Web Monitoring System
Reading
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MAZE
Reading Curriculum Based
Measurement (R-CBM)
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Tier III – Progress Monitoring
(weekly / bi-monthly)
Tier III – Strategic Monitoring
(Monthly)
Tier I – Universal Screening
(Benchmarking 3x/year)
Math
All Facts
Math Concepts and
Applications (M-CAP)
Building Level Academic Support
(Individual students may move between tiers at any point in the year)
7th and 8th Grade
6th Grade
One period dedicated in schedule
for intervention
Double Period Math –
Research Based Math Program
Differentiated Instruction
Tier I
Skill Specific Enrichment
On Target
Double Period ELA --- Reading
Teacher Push In
Uses research Tier
based
II methods to
developAIS
areas
of and/or
weakness
Math
Uses curriculum
as support
AIS ELA
Focus on individual
Tierareas
III of weakness
Uses highly specific research based
AIS
Math and/or
Reading
strategies
and AIS
programs
(Comprehension and/or Wilson Groups)
Tier 3 - Intensive
Small group (4-6 students)
AIS classes
Progress Monitoring every
2-3 weeks
Regression /no progress,
revise (repeat if not
successful) --- consider
referral to CSE
Progress
Continue with
program
IST Process
Tier 2 - Strategic
Three data
checks,
regression/no
progress
IST Process
At-Risk Student
Teacher analyzes data, refers
student to IST and moves
student to Tier 2.
Small Group (10-12 students) AIS Classes
Benchmarking three times / year
Tier 1 - Universal
Quality classroom instruction using
research-based strategies with
targeted students
Three data
checks
IST Process
On Target Student
Teacher analyzes data and
keeps student in Tier 1.
Staying inspired along the
way…
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“I would like to take this opportunity to thank
each and everyone of you for the support that
you have given to [my son] these last couple of
months. I was very worried that we were
headed down the wrong path but with the
support he has gotten from his team of
teachers he has been able to turn himself
around and make positive progress. Looking
forward to his continued success.”
~ email from Mrs. S. (mother of current IST/RtI student)
Questions…
Resources/Links
 www.cerebrum.wikispaces.com/RtI
 www.nrcld.org
 www.ncld.org
 www.nasdse.org
 http://www.rtinetwork.org/
 www.aimsweb.com
 www.interventioncentral.org