Tier 2 Overview

At Tier 2, students who demonstrate some academic risk are supported with evidence-based interventions. Targeted tier 2 interventions are supplemental and provided in addition to Tier 1. For example, a student who receives a Tier 2 intervention for reading should never be pulled out of core reading instruction for the intervention. Targeted tier 2 interventions should be consistent and implemented in a standardized way to a group of students with similar needs. Additionally, the intervention must be matched to student need and characteristics.

Generally speaking, Tier 2 interventions can be delivered by any staff trained to implement the intervention with fidelity. This means the staff delivering the intervention should have the time in their schedule to both deliver the targeted supports as well as analyze the data.

Use of Data

At Tier 2, data is used continuously to make decisions about both student response to the intervention, as well as effectiveness of the intervention. Before implementing the intervention, decision rules about entry into and exit out of the intervention are established. Screening data is used as one criteria for entry into a Tier 2 intervention, but keep in mind more than one data point should be used. Students receiving an intervention should be progress monitored frequently to determine whether or the not students are responding to the intervention. Student progress should be graphed against a goal line with a trend line and analyzed to see if the student is on track to meeting the goal or closing the gap. Individual student progress should also be compared to that of their peers in the intervention. Are most students on track to meeting their goals? Or are most students not making progress? The answers to these questions will give you information about effectiveness of the intervention as it’s been implemented.

Secondary Considerations

There are factors at the secondary level that need to be considered when implementing Tier 2 interventions. For one, transitions between terms may make implementation of the intervention challenging due to scheduling and time constraints. Additionally, educators at the secondary level must differentiate between supports that focus on work or subject completion as compared to targeted interventions designed to address skill deficits and academic need. The team leading the Tier 2 academic work must also consider scheduling barriers that impact the ability to provide supports, as well as previously provided supports and levels of success beginning at the elementary level.