Tier III

Preparing for First Meeting

Making the Decision When making the decision to move

to Tier III, all those involve with the implementation of Tier II must review the Reflective Questions to guide the decision making.

You (or your school) may also choose to involve your PLC group.

The Reflective Questions look at:

Implementation

Evidence

Implementation Did the delivery of interventions follow

the plan for implementation? Is progress monitoring of the

intervention used and adjustments made as needed?

Did the intervention match the student’s specific need? If the answer is “no” to any of the above

questions, you must first make adjustments to the plan before considering moving the student up to Tier II.

Evidence Does the instruction or the intervention

decrease the student’s learning gap? Does the intervention reduce the

problem behavior and/or increase the desired the behavior?

Does progress monitoring data determine the intervention to be effective?

Does student performance improved as measured by assessment(s)?

First Step Teacher needs to develop a

clear description of the problem:

– This is the most difficult step of the model.

– It is highly recommended to be done collaboratively.– Using your PLC– Using Case Managers– Using the RtI Team– Or whatever collaborative format is set up

at your school

How to Develop Description1. Select Target Area(s)

Reading Math Written Expression Language Behavior

Developing Description 2. Define the Problem

Hypothesize what the specific problem is. Do this by breaking the target area down into

the smaller component or domain. This will help lead to interventions.

You probably feel that this was completed at Tier I & II. It may have been. However, since the student continues to struggle, a review needs to be completed to be sure the correct problem was defined.

Examples Reading:

Slow oral reading fluency is impeding comprehension.

Struggling in reading due to weak phonological awareness skills

Weak vocabulary is impeding comprehension

Examples Math:

Struggling in math due to weak number sense.

Weak computation skills are impeding students ability to do math.

Student is having difficulty with math due to weak problem-solving skills.

Examples Written Expression

Student struggles with writing due to organizational problems.

Writing tasks exceeds the student’s memory capacity.

Student has difficulty with writing due to expressive language problems.

Examples Language

Second Language Weak acquisition of language skills in the

area of listening is impeding the student’s academics.

NOTE: If it is determined that the student has weak acquisition of language skills in the second language, there needs to be discussion about whether it is appropriate to move student to Tier III.

Examples Language

Communication Difficulties Weak listening comprehension skills are

impeding the student’s academics. Student has weak social language, which is

impeding academics. Difficulty in oral expression is causing

problems with learning

Examples Behavior

Student’s off task behavior gets him/her out of independent work.

Student displays inappropriate social behavior to get attention from adults.

Documenting Description

Target Area Problem Definition

Page One of Tier III Paperwork

Documenting Description

You may have more than one target area and problem definition listed on page one. No matter how many areas, only do page one once. For example:

Now What?

Complete a Functional Assessment Generate questions and develop an

assessment plan. Data across four domains should be

gathered from multiple sources - RIOT Reviews Interviews Observations Tests

Determine roles, responsibilities, and timeline

Why look at functional explanations?

Relating academic performance to aspects of classroom instruction that both precede and follow student performance represents a functional approach to understanding failure.

Functional explanations appeal to factors external to the child that have been shown experimentally to affect academic performance, such as time for learning, feedback from the teacher, and reinforcement for correct responding.

Because these factors are external to the child and subject to direct manipulation, functional explanations have the added advantage of identifying simple, practical targets for instructional programming.

How to Complete a Functional Assessment

Functional Assessment The functional assessment is

completed by looking at the four domains listed on page one of the Tier III paperwork.

To help you complete this assessment, a problem analysis/assessment guide has been created.

Unless requested by your RtI team, this guide does not have to be filled out, but should be used to assist you with the functional assessment.

To complete this guide, you will need to…

Review, Interview, Observe, Test Review records and work samples,

interview staff and parents, observe student in the classroom, testing involves CBM or informal diagnostic assessment.

Let’s begin

EnvironmentHow is the environment

impacting learning?

In order to review this domain, it is recommended that you already have the social/developmental history completed.

A review of the cumulative records will also be good.

Environment The Problem Analysis/Assessment

Guide has several statements to help you determine if there may be an environmental cause impacting the student’s learning.

Go through each statement and determine yes or no.

Environment

Under Problem Analysis Any statements that you stated “no” to would

be listed as a possible reason for why the problem may be occurring.

If nothing was identified, write no environmental causes were determined.

Environment

Assessment Plan If statements are listed, the RtI team would then

identify how best to assess and address the possibility. This plan would be written here.

If nothing was identified, the assessment plan would be Problem Analysis/Assessment Guide.

Person Responsible List the Person

Environment Examples

Environment Examples

CurriculumIs the curriculum appropriate

for the student?

There are three parts to reviewing this domain.

1. What parts of the core curriculum does the student display weaknesses?

2. What programs or methods have been used to addressed these areas of weaknesses?

3. Identify the student’s strengths, as well as any incentives that motivate the student.

Curriculum You need to be prepared to discuss this domain in

detail at the RtI meeting. Doing a serious review of this domain will help to

determine the type of instructional interventions. The section on the form will be completed as

indicated below.

InstructionIs the instruction appropriate

for the student?

To complete this domain, it is important to understand the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model and Effective Feedback.

Instruction The Problem Analysis/Assessment

Guide has several statements to help you determine if there may be an instructional cause impacting the student’s learning.

Go through each statement and determine yes or no.

Instruction

Under Problem Analysis Any statements that you stated “no” to would be listed as a

possible reason for why the problem may be occurring. If nothing was identified, write no instructional causes were

determined. Note: It would be rare to have no instructional causes.

Instruction

Assessment Plan If statements are listed, the RtI team would then

identify how best to assess and address the possibility. This plan would be written here.

If nothing was identified, the assessment plan would be Problem Analysis/Assessment Guide.

Person Responsible List the Person

Instruction Examples

LearnerAre there student factors impacting the learning?

For this domain, you are looking at the student.

For older students, you may want to consider interviewing the student.

You will also want to understand Learned Helplessness.

Learner The Problem Analysis/Assessment

Guide has several statements to help you determine if there may be a learner cause impacting the student’s learning.

Go through each statement and determine yes or no.

Learner

Under Problem Analysis Any statements that you stated “no” to would be listed as a

possible reason for why the problem may be occurring. If nothing was identified, write no learner causes were

determined.

Learner

Assessment Plan If statements are listed, the RtI team would then

identify how best to assess and address the possibility. This plan would be written here.

If nothing was identified, the assessment plan would be Problem Analysis/Assessment Guide.

Person Responsible List the Person

Learner Examples

Date you will be bringing the student to the RtI Team Meeting to review this information.

Preparation for Meeting Description of major concerns and how

the student’s difficulties interfere with the student’s performance

Pertinent data from parents, including their concerns

Description of student’s strengths, as well as any incentives that motivate the student

Description of what has been done to assist the student

Data that indicates the student’s current level of performance