1. Tier 1
Building a Strong Core

2. Successful mastery of Florida State Standards and prevention of skill gaps to ensure career and college readiness.
The Goal of Tier 1

3. Core Universal Instruction and Supports
Instruction and support is designed and differentiated for all students in all settings to ensure mastery of the Florida State Standards and core academic and behavioral goals/expectations.
80% of the students should meet proficiency expectations with core instruction.
Core Universal Instruction and Supports

4. One guideline for MTSS implementation is having approximately 80% of the students reach the benchmark criteria established by a universal screening tool.
If the percentage is significantly lower than 80%, schools should intensify their focus on improving Tier 1 instruction for two reasons:
Schools do not have the resources to intervene with a large percentage of students and
You cannot “intervene” your way out of core instruction that is not effective.
Critical Decisions

5. Universal Screening Choose reliable and valid criteria for screening.
Benchmark criteria
Norm-referenced criteria
The challenge is to find the right students and match them to right interventions as early as possible!
Ensure screening measures are implemented with fidelity.
If screening is working properly, it can assist schools in deciding:
If they are getting better over time.
What changes they need to make to the core curriculum.
Benchmark criteria established by a curriculum-based measurement screening tool.
Norm-referenced criteria (for example, their lowest 15%).
Or a combination of both.
Mention Fastbridge (if that’s the program we’ve chosen).
Fidelity – Have teachers been trained, have scoring rules reviewed, is there an efficient schedule to collect and review screening data in a timely manner?
Universal Screening

6. FastBridge Connection
When looking at FastBridge’s Benchmarks for aReading, we can consider the following:
The values listed in the Spring column represent the EOY target for each grade level in aReading. For example, in 8th Grade, the minimum target scaled score for EOY proficiency according to aReading is at least Similarly, in 6th grade, the minimum EOY target for aReading is This is the target value that would be used to help calculate a student’s gap and rate of progress.
Students scoring in the High Risk range are considered “far below grade level and unlikely to be on track to read grade level text successfully” (below 15th percentile).
Students scoring in the Some Risk range are considered “below grade level” (16th-40th percentile).

7. High Quality Classroom Instruction
Powerful classroom instruction begins with the adoption and use of an evidence-based curriculum, but effective teachers do not simply teach such a program page-by-page in the same way for all students.
They differentiate instruction, providing instruction designed to meet the specific needs of students in the class.
Students are screened on a periodic basis to identify struggling learners who need additional support.
Thoughts to consider:
Core is “whatever” you have to provide in order for your class to reach the goal of 80% mastery.
Lengthen the time
Intensify the instruction
Narrow the focus of instruction
Differentiate instruction
Provide additional scaffolding
Is your class as a whole struggling with phonics acquisition?
Additional instruction in this area would be provided as part of core in your class, but perhaps not next door were the needs are different.
If you still have students struggling with phonics acquisition, more intensive intervention may be required. (Tier 2)
Core may look very different among the classrooms at any given grade level depending on the needs of the students in the room.
High Quality Classroom Instruction

8. The Fish Bowl

9. Do you have a strong core?
What instructional routines are used?
Is there evidence of scaffolding and explicit instruction?
Is there evidence of distributed practice of critical skills?
Is cumulative review built in on a systematic basis?
How much time is allocated?
Does the pace of the instruction match student needs?
Do students have multiple opportunities for response and feedback?
Are students actively engaged?
Guiding questions for teams to discuss.
1st bullet - Are the routines consistent from classroom to classroom, general education to special education?
2nd bullet - Especially when students are learning something new. Is there documentation of when scaffolding becomes accommodations
5th bullet - How is that time used (for example, whole group instruction, small group instruction, or independent practice)?
Last bullet - Are they saying, writing, and doing?
Do you have a strong core?

10. The portion of instructional time allocated to a content area during which students are actively and productively engaged in learning.
The number of minutes of quality instruction.
330 minutes in a day
1650 minutes in a week
56,700 minutes in a year
This is the “currency” of instruction/intervention.
Academic Engaged Time

11. Predicts student achievement & performance better than any other factor, such as IQ, language, SES, and cultural differences.
How we use it determines student outcomes.
In order to catch students up, you must deliver high-quality direct instruction in great quantities.
The issue is how to schedule in such a way as to provide more exposure to core.
Some studies conducted during the last 25 years indicate that up to 50% of the school day is spent on non-instructional activities in general and special education classrooms.
If students are required to engage in tasks that are not well-matched to their individual characteristics, such as interest, ability level, or background knowledge, then AET is minimized because substantive engagement is likely to be low. Students are “procedurally” engaged.
Academic Engaged Time

12. Increasing AET Actively engage students. Monitor student performance.
Differentiate instruction.
Reduce transitions and disruptions.
Actively engage students in learning at appropriate levels of difficulty throughout the day. This includes seat work!
Monitor student performance through formative and summative assessment and use student data to inform instructional decision-making.
Differentiate instruction by using various grouping formats, modifying assignments, allowing students to respond in multiple ways, and using other effective instructional strategies such as reteaching and providing examples.
Utilize classroom and behavior management strategies that reduce transition times between activities and disruptions during instructional time.
Increasing AET

13. Rate of Progress and Gap Analysis
The key to more effective progress monitoring!
Rate of Progress and Gap Analysis

14. Measure the difference between desired & current performance.
Divide by the number of weeks instruction/intervention will be in place.
Determining rate of progress is important for ALL students before you begin progress monitoring.
With each data point you collect, are the kids on track to meet the end of year proficiency expectations? Are they falling below the expected growth trajectory or possibly exceeding expectations?
Rate of Progress

15. Student Example 1 Desired minus Current divided by Number of Weeks
FastBridge: / 36 weeks
37 Scale points/ 36 weeks
1.02 scale points gained each week in order to close the gap
Now you’re ready to progress monitor!
If the student’s growth doesn’t equal at least 2 scale points gained per week each time you progress monitor:
*Baseline = 30 Next data point collected if you monitor once a week should = 32…34…36…
*Baseline = 30 Next data point collected if you monitor every other week should = 34…38…42…
Use the data to help you adjust the instruction (frequency, duration, delivery method).
Consider the potential need for a formal intervention plan (Tier 2 PMP).
Student Example 1

16. Gap Analysis Gap = Expected Level Current/Observed Level
Rule of Thumb: 2.0 = significant gap
(The student would have to double their current rate of performance to catch up.)
A gap analysis does not need to be completed for students at Tier I. It is useful information when trying to determine if a skill gap is significant enough to require intensive interventions at Tier II and required for moving to Tier III.
Gap Analysis

17. Target Student’s Observed/Current Level of Performance: Defines 5 grade level academic vocabulary words
Expected Level of Performance: Defines 20 grade level academic vocabulary words
Peer Level of Performance: Defines 18 grade level academic vocabulary words
Gap Analysis:
Expected Level/Target Student:
20/4 = 4 difference SIGNIFICANT GAP
Expected Level/Peer:
20/18 = 1.1 difference NO SIGNIFICANT GAP
Why would you determine the peer level of performance?
Does this student require intervention? With a “3.3 gap”, would you begin with a Tier II intervention or consider more intensive support at Tier III to help close the gap?
Student Example 1

18. Target Student’s Observed/Current Level of Performance: Defines 13 grade level academic vocabulary words
Expected Level of Performance: Defines 20 grade level academic vocabulary words
Peer Level of Performance: Defines 18 grade level academic vocabulary words
Gap Analysis:
Expected Level/Target Student:
20/13 = 1.5 difference NO SIGNIFICANT GAP
Expected Level/Peer:
20/18 = 1.1 difference NO SIGNIFICANT GAP
Does this student require intervention? Probably not a Tier II intervention formally documented on a PMP. Perhaps some differentiated small group instruction?
Student Example 2

19. Tier 2: Targeted Supplemental Interventions and Supports
Next time…
Tier 2: Targeted Supplemental Interventions and Supports