Students enter Tier 2 and never leave

The Problem

Students entered Tier 2 intervention and stayed there indefinitely. There was no systematic process for deciding when a student should move up to Tier 1 (success) or down to Tier 3 (more support). The average time in Tier 2 was 18 weeks — nearly half the school year — because no one made the decision to change. Data existed but wasn't driving decisions. Teams reviewed data and said "let's keep monitoring" rather than making a clear move.

The Plan

1. 1
   Every Tier 2/3 student gets a biweekly factor score

   Progress tracked against an aim line. Visual display on the data wall.

   Factors Data Wall See example

   Elmer Suite → Factors

   Factor Trend

   SepOctNovDecJanFeb

   ↑ Trending positive — on track to meet target
2. 2
   6-week review: move up, stay, or move down

   4 of 6 weeks meeting aim line = move up. Below aim line = move down. Maximum 2 consecutive 'stay' decisions before a change is required.

   DataDay Data Wall See example

   Elmer Suite → Data Wall

   StudentMetric 1Metric 2Status

   Student A At Risk Watch Flagged

   Student B On Track On Track ✓

   Stoplight colors show who needs attention at a glance.

3. 3
   Every decision documented: date, data, rationale, next review

   Creates an audit trail. Ensures accountability. No student languishes without a decision.

   Events Student Profile

The Team

The MTSS team redesigned the decision process with clear criteria and timelines.

Related Strategies

Use this strategy at your school

Book a quick demo and we'll show you how to set this up.

Already have an account? Sign in