Tiers 2 and 3

With Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Tiers 2 and 3 involve interventions—something extra or different that schools do for students who need help with their behavior.  
 

Tier 2:  Targeted Supports 

Interventions and ongoing progress monitoring for students needing additional support (approximately 15–20% of students) 

All MPS schools determine which students are in need of additional behavioral support through a process called screening. This is done by the school’s Building Intervention Team (BIT), which identifies students on a regular basis based on classroom behaviors, behavior referrals, and/or suspensions. Schools create a process and data criteria based on the needs of their student population. 

Note: Any teacher, parent/guardian, or student (self-selection) can also submit a Tier 2 referral. Speak to your school if you would like to refer your student for potential inclusion in a Tier 2 intervention.  

The BIT considers additional data such as the nature of the referral, credits, grades, attendance, teacher input, work samples, and observation before determining whether a student should receive Tier 2 intervention. If intervention is recommended, it begins as soon as possible, and parents/guardians are notified. The BIT makes sure the student receives the intervention, regularly monitors their progress, and reviews data to determine whether it is working. Read on to learn about the escalating interventions available for students. 

Please note that not all interventions are linear. We recommend starting with Check In/Check Out, but depending on the behavior, students may progress differently due to their needs. (For example, if a student experiences a traumatic event, they may start at a higher intervention.)

1. Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) 

Check-in/check-out (CICO) is the first Tier 2 intervention. CICO involves students briefly touching base with a designated staff member each morning and afternoon. The check-in process lasts no more than two to three minutes, beginning the day with a positive interaction and offering an opportunity for verbal reminders about what is expected of students. At this time, the staff member can also determine whether a student is ready for class and can keep the student if further help is needed. 

Each student in the program receives a daily progress report (DPR) that is used to track their behavior throughout the school day to see if they're successfully meeting expectations. Teachers fill out the DPR for each class period, and at the end of the school day, the student takes the DPR to his or her designated adult for check-out. The staff member adds the day’s points up, provides feedback and encouragement, and sends a copy home for a parent/guardian to sign.  

Goal: Students should receive 80% on their DPR for 80% of the time over the course of four or more weeks. 

2. Individualized Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) 

If CICO is not working for a student, individualized CICO involves adjusting one or more elements. This could be: 

• Check-in time (for a student who is always late or a student who may struggle at a certain time of day, such as after lunch) 
• Morning greeter adult (if a student does not get along with the usual morning greeter) 
• DPR responsibility (having a teacher carry the DPR if the student usually loses it)  

3. Social Academic Instructional Group (SAIG) 

If a student is not meeting their goal after individualized CICO, the Tier 2 team will recommend them for a Social Academic Instruction Group (SAIG). These groups are led by available staff members and are scheduled consistently every week. The group facilitator creates lesson plans that teach specific skills and offer practice opportunities to help students become more successful. For example, if a SAIG is created to address fighting, lesson plans would teach problem-solving skills or anger management strategies. If leaving the room without permission is the behavioral issue, lesson plans would focus on ways to cope inside the classroom rather than leaving (e.g., safety zone techniques).  

It is important to remember that students are selected for a SAIG based on data and behaviors, not based on life circumstances. (For example, a group for pregnant teens is a support group, not a SAIG.) SAIG participants also continue to receive progress monitoring for their behavior outside of the group. This can be done through a daily progress report (like CICO), or teachers can complete a daily survey of the student’s progress toward their specific behavioral goal.  

To get a better idea of what these groups are like, check out MPS's SAIG curriculum for K–12 students, which was created by school psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors. 

4. Behavior Assessment/Intervention Plan (BAIP) 

If a student is not responding to CICO and SAIG, the Tier 2 team will recommend a brief behavior assessment (BA) as part of the problem-solving process. The team will identify routines in which the problem is most and least likely to occur, define the triggers and events that predict when the behavior occurs, and define the one consequence that contributes most to continuing the behavior.  

The findings are summarized, and this assessment is then used to create an intervention plan (IP). The team determines which changes to the environment may help, implements them, and monitors progress for four to six weeks. The plan can be later adjusted, or Tier 3 interventions can be considered. 

Examples 

• Student is constantly moving and making noises 
• Student does not transition into a new activity 
• Student refuses to work 
• Student is physically and verbally aggressive 
   

Tier 3:  Intensive Supports 

Intense interventions, replacement or additional curriculum, and/or instructional and behavioral strategies for students requiring an individualized plan of action (less than 5% of students) 

Students may be identified for Tier 3 if they do not respond to Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions. Any teacher, parent/guardian, or student (self-selection) can submit a Tier 3 referral. 

These interventions are very intense and individualized. Each student’s specific needs will be addressed by their individual team, which may include: 

• Teachers 
• Administrators 
• School psychologist 
• School social worker 
• School counselor 
• Additional staff members who interact with the student, such as assistants 
• Community members (therapist, mentor, parole officer, etc.) 
• Parent/guardian(s) 

This team uses progress monitoring data, including daily progress reports (DPRs), behavior referrals (also called ODRs), out-of-school suspensions (OSS), direct observation data, and student attendance.   

Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP) 

This process is used to identify (a) observable problem behaviors, (b) the contexts or routines where the problem behaviors usually occur, (c) any specific events that reliably predict the behavior, and (d) the consequences that continue the problem behavior. 

The Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) defines how the educational setting (classroom) will be adjusted to improve the student’s behavior: 

• How the physical environment will be changed to prevent problem behaviors 
• What teaching will occur to offer alternative ways of behaving 
• Which positive and negatives consequences will be used to encourage positive behavior, limit the rewarding of problem behavior, and discourage problem behavior 

Elementary Students: Educational Wraparound 

The educational wraparound process is based on individualized, needs-driven planning and services. It is an unconditional commitment to working with students on a “one student at a time” basis to support inclusive options for students with complex needs. Services and interventions are created to meet the unique needs of the student rather than refer the student to another setting. 

An individualized plan is developed by a team consisting of those who know the student best. The plan will: 

• Be needs-driven rather than service-driven. Services are based on family-identified needs, student strengths, and teacher expectations. 
• Be culturally competent. The composition of the team will fit with the person’s culture and community. 
• Keep the student in the school environment. Restrictive settings are accessed only for brief periods of stabilization. 
• Focus on normalization. Normalized needs are those basic human needs that everyone has. Needs will be addressed in three or more areas: family, living situation, vocational, educational, social/recreational, psychological/emotional, medical, legal, and safety/crisis. 

Outcomes are generated by parent/guardian and teacher expectations, and progress is measured often. 

Middle and High School Students: Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education, and Work (RENEW) 

RENEW is a structured school-to-career transition planning and individualized wraparound process for youth with emotional and behavioral challenges. Developed in 1996 by staff at the Institute on Disability (IOD), RENEW involves schools, community mental health centers, community-based providers, and IOD staff members. The model focuses on supporting each young person to design and pursue a plan for the transition from school to adult life. RENEW has substantially increased the high school completion, employment, and postsecondary education participation rates among our most vulnerable youth.