Imagine this scenario: A teacher has just finished administering their screening assessment. They cannot wait to pull up the results, but what is the first report they should look at? Should they reflect on the growth of the class as a whole, or immediately zero in on individual students?
To make Tier 1 the number one priority, teachers zoom out to look at the whole forest (i.e., the grade or class), first, rather than only fixating on the different trees (i.e., the individual students). It is intuitive for teachers to want to know which students made progress and which students did not. After all, this student-level focus is critically important to ensure students receive the instructional supports they need to meet grade-level expectations. However, if teachers only focus on individual students, they may not see the overall system. If our systems are overwhelmed by too many students’ receiving intervention, we must take a step back and analyze the effectiveness of our core instruction. With the forest analogy, we should pause to consider whether the majority of the trees are thriving with a vibrant green hue, or whether the trees are a pale mix of hues indicating less than optimal health. Healthy ecosystems produce thriving environments for plants and trees; similarly, our core systems create optimal conditions under which students learn and thrive. In the words of Dr. Stephanie Stollar and other leaders in the field, we cannot intervene our way out of a Tier 1 problem.
Within this article, we will explore the importance of a strong Tier 1, the essential features of Tier 1, and tips to ensure an effective Tier 1.
Tier 1 Foundations
Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of an effective MTSS, as all students have access to high-quality, standards-aligned instruction. When Tier 1 is strong, the majority of students meet grade-level standards and expectations without additional intervention support. As a result, schools can use resources for Tier 2 and Tier 3 more efficiently and strategically. Teachers use strong Tier 1 instruction to proactively meet the needs of all students, lower the number of students who may need additional support, and reduce opportunity gaps between student groups. Therefore, when we analyze data, we need to first reflect on the whole system and whether core instruction is effectively meeting the needs of the majority of students (e.g., at least 80%) before we focus on individual student data. If core instruction is not meeting the needs of the majority of students (e.g., less than 80% of students are performing on grade level), then we need to strengthen our Tier 1 systems to responsively enhance the supports all students receive.
If the roots of a tree are strong, the entire tree above it is more stable. If the roots are weak, the tree will not do well, no matter how much intervention is done later. Similarly, Tier 1 sets the conditions and lays a root system for student success. The essential features of Tier 1 include:
- Sufficient time for students to learn the content with consistent and coherent delivery of instruction across settings;
- Access to high-quality instructional materials; and
- Use of evidence-based instructional practices.
Within Table 1 below, we outline defining characteristics of those three essential features.
Table 1. Essential Features of Tier 1 Instruction
| Time | Materials | Instructional Practices |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Tips to Ensure a Healthy Tier 1
Ensuring a healthy Tier 1 requires collaboration and shared ownership of student progress, which leads to consistent delivery and experiences of students across classrooms. Teachers use a data-informed approach to systematically and intentionally strengthen core instruction. To achieve consistent and effective Tier 1 across classrooms, grade-level and department-level teams meet on a regular basis to analyze data and examine the extent to which they are meeting students’ needs. Again, this is a focus on the forest - school or grade-level data, not individual students.
Highly effective teams that maintain a healthy Tier 1 share a few common practices:
- Agreement on common commitments: Tier 1 starts with agreements or “non-negotiables”. Non-negotiables refer to expectations that the entire team agrees to that are aligned with best practice and supportive of the students they serve. This may include expectations around instructional routines, use of high-quality instructional materials, assessment practices, and student engagement strategies. These common commitments are made for both academics, including utilizing explicit instruction and high-leverage practices, as well as behavior, such as a 4:1 praise to redirection ratio where teachers express four praises for students to every one redirect. When common commitments are agreed upon and implemented with fidelity, every student has access to the same high-quality learning experience regardless of teacher or classroom.
- Willingness to adjust the instructional focus: Tier 1 is not static. Effective teams regularly examine whether their instructional focus is aligned to student needs and are willing to shift emphasis when data indicate it’s necessary. Protocols like the Tier 1 data review process help teams examine trends, identify strengths and gaps, and determine whether instructional changes are needed at the classroom or grade level.
- Dedicated time for student practice of skills: Students need ample opportunities to practice new skills with feedback. Incorporating frequent times in which students can respond to instruction, known as opportunities to respond (OTRs), keeps students actively engaged and provides teachers with real-time information about understanding. Generally speaking, three to six OTRs per minute leads to positive student performance, including better student engagement, more accurate responding, and decreases in off-task behavior (Harlacher et al., 2024; MacSuga-Gage et al., 2015). Students with targeted or intensive needs benefit from higher rates of practice opportunities to support progress towards mastering skills (Haydon et al., 2009; MacSuga-Gage et al., 2015).
- Use of differentiated instruction to meet students’ needs: Differentiation occurs through embedded small group support that extends learning and reviews skills as needed based on data. Flexible grouping allows the teacher to respond to students’ needs. Teachers must continually analyze data to ensure that students receive both the additional support to master skills and the enrichment to accelerate their learning, respectively.
Tier 1 instruction is the cornerstone of MTSS. By investing in high-quality instructional time, aligned materials, consistent practices, and data-informed decision-making, schools create conditions where most students can succeed before additional supports are needed. They seek to proactively strengthen systems before they become overwhelmed by students in need of additional support. A strong Tier 1 benefits not only students—but also teachers—by making the entire system more efficient and effective.
Related Resources
- Tier 1: Considerations for Improving Tier 1 Instruction, Curriculum, and Environment
- How can teachers improve instruction for students with disabilities and all students at Tier 1?
- Essential Features of Tier 1
References
Harlacher, J. E., Potter, J., & Collins, A. (2024). Untangling data-based decision making: A problem-solving model to enhance MTSS. Marzano Resources.
Haydon, T., Conroy, M. A., Scott, T. M., Sindelar, P. T., Barber, B. R., & Orlando, A.-M. (2009). A comparison of three types of opportunities to respond on student academic and social behaviors. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 18(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/1063426609333448
MacSuga-Gage, A., & Simonsen, B. (2015). Examining the effects of teacher-directed opportunities to respond on student outcomes: A Systematic review of the literature, Education and Treatment of Children, 38(2), 211-239.
