Special Resource Material Developed by the Center


Title: Moving Beyond the Three Tier Intervention Pyramid Toward a Comprehensive Framework for Student and Learning Supports (Center Policy Brief)

Description: Introduction into federal policy of response to intervention (RTI) and positive behavior intervention and supports (PBIS) led to widespread adoption and adaptation of the three tier intervention pyramid. As originally presented, the pyramid highlights three different levels of intervention and suggests the percent of students at each level. While the focus on levels has made a positive contribution, the pyramid is a one dimensional intervention framework. Continuing overemphasis on the pyramid is limiting development of the type of comprehensive intervention framework that policy and practice analyses indicate are needed to guide schools in developing a comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive system of student and learning supports.

This brief underscores the limitations of the pyramid as an intervention framework and illustrates a mulitdimensional intervention framework and the type of expanded school improvement policy that can foster development and implementation of a comprehensive and coherent system.

Access at:   http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/briefs/threetier.pdf  182kb; 12pp