“We have interventions, so why aren’t they working consistently?” One of the biggest challenges schools face isn’t finding interventions—it’s creating a system that ensures the right students receive the right support at the right time, AND staff know how to efficiently monitor those supports. Establishing an effective system of multitiered supports involves early coordination of processes and resources to support Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions that will be provided by staff to students. Research consistently highlights that installation of underlying systems is the primary predictor of sustainable implementation and improved student outcomes. The following systems are shown to be critical to effective implementation (Center on PBIS, 2016; Kittelman et al., 2022):
- A dedicated Advanced Tiers team
- Reliable screeners and decision rules
- An inventory of interventions matched to identified skill areas
- Processes for monitoring student progress & intervention fidelity
- An intentional professional learning and coaching plan
Each Friday throughout October, we will highlight each of these key systems that research describes as the critical components that build a strong foundation for advanced tiers support at the school level. Stay tuned!