Explanation of Tier 3

According to a website, www.rtinetwork.org, it explains that students placed in this level of intervention, "students receive individualized, intensive interventions that target the students' skill deficits." It continues by saying that students that "do not achieve the desired level of progress in response to these targeted interventions are the referred for a comprehensive evaluation and considered for eligibility for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). All of the data that was collected from the screenings done during all three tiers will be used to make a decision about the services that will be provided for the students.

Also, this website mentions that "that schools use different approaches in implementation, such as problem-solving, functional assessment, standard protocol, and hybrid approaches."

It is important to remember that "at any point in an RTI process, IDEA 2004 allows parents to request a formal evaluation to determine the eligibility for special education . . . [the] RTI process cannot be used to deny or delay a formal evaluation for special education."

According to another website, www.understood.org, it explains that "only a small percentage of the class . . . perhaps one or two students . . . will require Tier 3. However, there are schools in which the numbers of students who need Tier 3 is more than just one or two students. These students "receive one-on-one instruction or work in very small groups. These groups consists of students that are "receiving special education services and who need to work on the same skills." Although, these students are receiving even more intense instruction they are still spending most of their time in their general education classroom.


Strategies used within Tier 3

According to a website,

http://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/response-to-intervention/effective-rti-strategies-for-teachers/

It indicates that in Tier 3 teachers use strategies designed to "affect they way . . . each student processes information." The website provides an example of what exactly a teacher would do, "the teacher may model how to think through a problem and ask student to think aloud as they work through the problem as well." The strategies and instruction are more explicit than in Tier 1 and Tier 2. This allows " students [to] work on memory skills, [and] teaches them to ask and answer questions about what they are learning and provides them with many opportunities to give feedback."

If students are still not showing any progress after being placed in all levels of intervention "it is likely that the school will recommend an evaluation for special education services." These services will provide these students with "individualized teaching, assistive technology and other resources."