SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 1
GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS
The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has developed an effective curriculum that
is used to guide instruction in all systems in Georgia. This curriculum is based on well-
defined performance standards, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which provide
clear expectations for assessment, instruction, and student work for each grade level and
subject area. The GPS includes standards for Reading, English, Language Arts,
Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, all of which will be completely phased in by 2010.
Other content areas such as Foreign Language, Career, Technical, and Agricultural
Education, Health, Physical Education, and Fine Arts either are in the process of being
converted to performance standards or will be converted to performance standards at a
future date.
All students, including students with disabilities, are provided with access to the general
education curriculum. General and special education teachers and related service
providers have had access to training on the roll-out and implementation of the standards.
The GaDOE has developed a website (www.georgiastandards.org) which serves as a “one-
stop shop” for educators who are implementing classroom instructional programs based
on the GPS. The site contains the entire set of standards for each content area at each grade
level. It also includes a comprehensive collection of resources including a unit builder for
creating standards-based lesson plans, teacher resources, and professional learning
opportunities.
Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions
In order to support access to and success in the general education curriculum, the GaDOE
has established the Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions, a framework of
instructional interventions that can be provided in a standards-based learning
environment to maximize student achievement for ALL students. This proactive approach
focuses on determining when students are struggling in academics, communication, and/or
behavior and assists educators in providing strategic interventions to help them address
students’ needs. The Pyramid also allows educators to identify high-achieving students
who may need extension activities to prevent them from participating in a curriculum that
is not challenging.
The provision of evidence-based, differentiated instruction, which has been developed
using grade-level GPS, is the cornerstone of each tier of the Pyramid. Frequent progress
monitoring at each tier allows educators to know when their students are increasing their
skills as expected and to determine when more intensive interventions are required to
maximize academic success for struggling learners. Progress monitoring relies heavily on
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 2
curriculum-based measurements and/or assessments which can inform teachers when
students are struggling before the achievement gap becomes too wide.
Implementation of the Pyramid requires educators to become creative problem solvers,
constantly identifying those students who are struggling, identifying the specific skills for
which the student requires additional, more intensive interventions, and then identifying
evidence-based strategies which can support student progress. Once the interventions
have been implemented, educators must conduct frequent progress monitoring to
determine the students’ responses to the interventions and make instructional
adjustments. By constantly analyzing student performance, educators will know when
students are struggling before the achievement gap becomes too wide.
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 3
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 4
Tier 1: Standards-based Classroom Learning
Tier 1 includes evidence-based instruction which is based on the GPS. It also includes
effective school-wide behavior supports. Differentiated instruction is provided to promote
higher levels of student engagement and achievement for all students. In Tier 1, teachers
use frequent progress monitoring to assess student progress and to adjust instruction as
soon as possible (typically within two weeks) to address students’ needs in the areas of
academics, communication, and/or behavior. Progress monitoring data is used to
determine students who need more formalized and intensive interventions.
Key Components of Tier 1:
rigorous curriculum that
meets GPS standards and is
based on evidence-based
research.
differentiated instruction for
all students that is research-
based and is delivered with
fidelity and integrity to the
standards
established school-wide
system of progress
monitoring that uses a variety
of measures including
curriculum based
measurements
established school-wide
system of behavior
intervention
Guiding Questions in Implementing Tier 1
Interventions:
Is classroom instruction based on the grade-level
GPS?
Are instructional materials and methodologies
based on scientific research and linked to the GPS?
Is differentiation used to create an accessible
learning environment for all students in the
classroom?
Are school-wide screenings used to determine
flexible grouping of students?
Do teachers use frequent progress monitoring to
adjust instruction?
Who is responsible for managing and reporting
assessment data?
How will the information from the data be used to
determine which students are in need of additional
assistance?
Tier 2: Needs-based Learning:
In Tier 2, formalized interventions are provided in addition to Tier 1 for students who are
not making expected progress in the standards-based curriculum. Tier 2 interventions are
pre-planned interventions, which are based on an analysis of school-wide data to identify
areas in which students are struggling. Tier 2 interventions serve as “standard
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 5
intervention protocols” for students in the school who require extended learning
opportunities or students who are not making adequate progress and need additional
interventions. For students receiving Tier 2 interventions, the goal is to determine areas of
need, with the intention of providing supplementary instruction and supports along with
more intensive progress monitoring in order to increase the rate of learning. If students
are not making the expected levels of progress in Tier 2, they are referred to the school’s
Student Support Team which comprises Tier 3 of the Pyramid.
Key Components of Tier 2:
targets students who do not achieve at the expected rate with Tier 1 instruction
interventions are pre-planned, formalized, and systematically delivered based on areas of need
interventions are clearly defined at the school level and staff and materials needed for the interventions are identified and available
interventions are implemented for a pre-determined period of time
progress monitoring is pre-planned, more frequent than in Tier 1, and is based on a comparison of student progress to designated benchmarks
baseline performance is established and progress is charted and reviewed according to pre-determined timelines
Guiding Questions in Implementing Tier 2 Interventions:
How will student data be reported and analyzed?
How will this data be used to identify students who need supplementary assistance?
Are the interventions pre-planned and implemented at the school level based on areas of difficulty experienced by students in the school?
Are timelines and specific criteria designated for provided interventions?
Who is responsible for the delivery, monitoring, and recording of the intervention results?
Tier 3: Student Support Team Driven Learning:
At Tier 3, additional analysis is conducted for those students who need additional supports
to meet their needs. For high achieving students, the SST may identify extended
opportunities to enrich student learning or to support students in the areas of behavior,
organization, and socialization. For struggling students, the SST analyzes the specific needs
of the students referred to the Team to identify individualized interventions that need to be
implemented. In many instances, additional assessment data is needed before the
individualized interventions can be identified. Once identified, these interventions are then
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 6
implemented over a twelve week period. Progress monitoring is conducted frequently,
with a minimum of six assessments, using formal and informal instruments to determine if
the student is responding to the interventions. Effective Tier 3 activities are exemplified by
systematic activities to determine students’ individual needs, implementation of research-
based interventions that are implemented with fidelity to meet those needs, and frequent
progress monitoring to determine response to the interventions and to inform continued
instruction. When students do not respond to the individualized Tier 3 interventions at the
pre-determined rate, it may become necessary to refer the students for comprehensive
evaluations.
Key Components of Tier 3:
SST reviews response to previous interventions and may obtain additional assessment data to support a more in-depth analysis of students’ needs
individualized interventions implemented with fidelity for at least a twelve week period
frequent progress monitoring, including formal and informal measures, implemented to determine the students’ responses to the interventions
Guiding Questions in Implementing Tier 3 Interventions:
Is additional, individualized assessment data needed to further analyze students’ needs and plan appropriate interventions?
Are interventions individualized based on students’ unique needs?
Are interventions evidence-based and implemented with fidelity?
Are timelines and specific criteria designated for provided interventions?
Who is responsible for the delivery, monitoring and recording of the intervention results?
Is frequent progress monitoring implemented according to pre-set timelines to determine responses to interventions?
Tier 4: Specially Designed Learning
Tier 4 is developed for students who need additional supports and meet eligibility criteria
for special program placement including gifted education and special education. With three
effective tiers in place prior to specialized services, more struggling students will be
successful and will not require this degree of intervention. Tier 4 does not represent a
location for services, but indicates a layer of interventions that may be provided in the
general education class or in a separate setting. For students with disabilities needing
special education and related services, Tier 4 provides instruction that is targeted and
specialized to meet students’ needs.
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 7
Key Components of Tier
4:
represents targeted and
specialized instruction
does not represent a
location for service
may be provided in
general education
setting or in a separate
setting
includes adapted
content, methodology, or
instructional delivery
Guiding Questions in Implementing Tier 4
Interventions:
Are only those students who need specially designed
instruction placed in special education?
Are data collection and progress monitoring clearly
defined?
Are goals for students clearly defined and measurable?
Are services and methodology distinctly different from
those provided in the general education environment?
Is consideration given to ensuring placement in the
least restrictive environment?
Who is responsible for the delivery, monitoring, and
recording of the intervention results?
The Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions supports access to and success
in the general education curriculum for all students. This approach allows educators to
focus on students who are struggling in academics, communication, and behavior and to
support those high-achieving students who need extension activities to prevent them from
participating in a curriculum that is not challenging.
With the implementation of the Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions
and the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the IDEA of 2004, special
educators are involved in all four tiers of the Pyramid of Interventions. Parents also have
an important role in addressing the needs of struggling students. Frequent home-school
communication provides parents with information on areas in which their student is
struggling and progress on interventions that are being implemented. Staff must inform
parents on an on-going basis of their student’s progress related to the specific
interventions that are being implemented to address needs.
Case Study:
The following case study illustrates the practical use of a problem solving approach in
implementing the Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions. Although this
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 8
particular case study addresses an academic concern, the same model would be used for
students who may have behavior or communication needs.
Implementation of the Georgia Student Pyramid of Interventions
Callie is a fourth grade student at a local elementary school. The school uses the
Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions to provide strategic
interventions to those students who are struggling or need additional supports.
Tier 1
In the first month of the school year, students are screened to identify those
considered “at risk”. In Callie’s school, “at risk” students are defined as those who
perform below the 25th percentile on the previous year’s CRCT or who perform
below the 25th percentile on a more current test. These students are screened
individually with tools that have diagnostic usefulness.
At Tier I students receive instruction in general education with evidence-based
curricula and instructional strategies. The teacher differentiates for learning
styles and assesses reading levels. The fidelity of the implementation is
documented. At-risk students are monitored for 8 weeks, using brief monitoring
tools to identify the sub-set who respond inadequately to general education at
Tier I. Callie is one of these identified students.
Tier 2
Callie, like other students who continue to struggle despite Tier 1 interventions,
receives 10 weeks of supplementary diagnostic instruction. This additional
instruction is clearly explained to parents, documenting what strategies will be
used and the measurable short-term goals. Callie participates in small group
instruction with other students who share similar reading difficulties. The group
is taught at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes per session.
During the 10 week instructional period, on-going probes are administered to
monitor student progress and adjust instruction. Callie and the other at-risk
students are administered the screening tool in the area of reading. In Callie’s
school, students scoring above the 25th percentile are considered to have made
satisfactory progress. Callie did not meet this benchmark.
Tier 3
Callie is referred to the Student Support Team when her reading assessment falls
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 9
below the 25th percentile. The SST analyzes Callie’s limited reading progress and
reviews previous interventions and strategies. Callie’s performance on the
DIBELS indicates that her oral reading fluency is 65 words per minute. She is
considered “high risk”. The SST determines that Callie’s instruction in reading
will consist of her general education instruction combined with specialized
intervention characterized by:
small group instruction;
mastery requirements of content;
frequency of progress monitoring (1-2 times per week);
duration of the intervention (9 to 12 weeks);
frequency of the intervention (3-4 sessions per week with 45-60 minutes
per session); and
instructor qualifications.
Focused intervention activities and assessments have been implemented over 12
weeks and Callie continues to make only limited progress in reading. The
Student Support Team reconvenes and makes a referral for a comprehensive
evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services to address her
reading difficulties.
Tier 4
Callie is determined eligible for special education based on the Specific Learning
Disabilities eligibility criteria. An IEP is developed to identify specific and
measurable goals and objectives if appropriate. Recommendations for
appropriate special education and related services are also made in the
development of the IEP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is differentiation?
Differentiation is a method of delivering instruction to meet the needs and learning styles
of diverse learners in the classroom. Differentiation includes consideration of student
needs, interests, and learning preferences for instruction. Differentiated instruction does
not include accommodations and modifications, but rather consideration of the adjustment
to the content, process, product, and environment so that all students can learn.
Is differentiation limited to flexible groups?
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 10
No, flexible grouping is just one way of adjusting the environment but differentiation can
occur in a variety of grouping practices.
What are examples of school-wide screening instruments?
There are numerous commercially available screening instruments accessible for
educators to use in assessing student performance. Special education and general
education teachers and administrators should work together to identify instruments that
meet the needs of their students.
What are some of the important points regarding high quality progress monitoring?
scientific, research-based instruction utilized and includes the continuous progress
monitoring of student performance across all tiers
teachers follow a designated procedure and schedule for progress monitoring and
for regrouping students as needed
measures administered frequently to inform instruction and curricular placement
decisions
progress monitoring occurs in all tiers
progress monitoring measures are appropriate to the curriculum, grade level, and
tier level
data resulting from progress monitoring is documented and analyzed
progress monitoring uses a standardized benchmark by which progress is measured
and determined to be either sufficient or insufficient
teachers use progress monitoring data to evaluate instructional effectiveness and to
be informed about the potential necessity for changing the instruction
an established data-management system is utilized to allow ready access to
students’ progress monitoring data
after progress monitoring, a graph is completed to display data for analysis and
decision-making and to indicate percentages of students at risk, at some risk, and at
low risk
staff members receive training in the administration and interpretation of progress
monitoring measures
school designates reasonable cut-off points and decision rules for the level, slope, or
percentage of mastery to help determine responsiveness and distinguish adequate
from inadequate responsiveness
cut points are reviewed frequently and adjusted as necessary
rationale is provided for the cut points and decision rules
What are examples of Tier 2 supports?
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 11
Numerous supports are available at Tier 2 to facilitate student achievement. These may
include but are not limited to:
extended Learning Time
after-school academic programs
Early Intervention Program (EIP)
academic skills for connection classes
basic reading or math class at middle and high school levels
interventions during uninterrupted 90 minute academic block for small group
instruction
How do schools select Tier 2 interventions?
Staff completes a thorough analysis of student performance in critical areas such as
academics, communication, and behavior. Once the areas in which students are struggling
have been identified, possible research-based interventions are researched and reviewed.
The most appropriate intervention(s) are then implemented with fidelity and data is
collected to determine the effectiveness of the intervention(s).
When is Tier 3 support necessary?
If a student’s school-wide screening or progress monitoring results indicates a deficit in a
specific area, an appropriate instructional intervention is implemented and progress within
that intervention is monitored. If students are not making sufficient progress with Tier 1
and Tier 2 instruction, are falling behind on benchmark skills, and are requiring additional
intense instruction to achieve grade-level expectations, they are referred to the school SST
for Tier 3 additional assessments and supports.
How are Tier 3 interventions evaluated?
When implementing Tier 3 interventions, teams may use the following guiding questions to
assist them in evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions.
Are the interventions research-based?
Are Tier 3 interventions different from the curricular materials used in Tier 1
instruction?
In addition to Tier 1 and 2 instructions, are students receiving Tier 3 interventions
for at least 45 minutes each day for 9 to 12 weeks.
Was the student’s ability to progress within the curriculum documented?
Are SST intervention plans created with specific goals, individualized interventions
and expected target and end dates?
What is the difference between Tier 2 and Tier 3?
Tier 2 includes interventions designed for groups of students whereas Tier 3 is more
individualized to address a student’s specific needs.
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 12
Who monitors the impact of interventions at each tier?
Tier 1: Classroom teacher
Tier 2: Teachers, intervention specialists, school level administrators, or other
people responsible for implementing the school-wide interventions.
Tier 3: Teacher, Student Support Team, and school level administration
Tier 4: Special education and general education teachers
Resources:
The following websites are provided to assist student teams in addressing the needs of
struggling students through the Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions:
Georgia Standards.Org (http://www.georgiastandards.org/): This Georgia
Department of Education website is a one-stop shop for Georgia educators. The site
contains the entire set of standards for all content areas at each grade level. It also
includes a comprehensive collection of resources including a unit builder for
creating standards-based lesson plans, teacher resources, and professional learning
opportunities.
What Works Clearinghouse (http://www.whatworks.ed.gov): This United States
Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences website collects, screens,
and identifies studies of effectiveness of educational interventions including
programs, products, practices, and policies.
Ideas That Work (http://www.osepideasthatwork.org/index.asp): This United
States Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
website is designed to provide easy access to information from research to practice
initiatives funded by OSEP that address the provisions of the IDEA and NCLB. This
web site includes resources, links, and other important information that supports
OSEP’s research to practice efforts.
Intervention Central (http://www.interventioncentral.org): This website offers
free tools and resources to help staff and parents promote positive classroom
behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth.
National Center on Progress Monitoring (http://www.studentpogress.org): This
Ideas at Work Website, funded by the United States Department of Education,
includes numerous resources on progress monitoring practices proven to work in
different academic content areas (Gr. K-5). The website also contains a review of
commonly used progress monitoring tools.
SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools ● All Rights Reserved
August 2007 GENERAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ●Page 13
Big Ideas in Beginning Reading (http://reading.uoregon.edu/curricula): This
Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement website offers many
resources on reading interventions for struggling students. Information on
selecting core reading programs and on models of reading interventions is included
on the site.
This manual is meant to serve as a practical guide for implementing IDEA and its regulations. It is not intended to state
new law or supplant any federal or state laws, regulations, or requirements. Nothing in this manual should be seen as
having the force of law. This manual should not be cited as law or as imposing any additional requirements or obligations
outside the requirements of existing law. Systems, schools, and parents are not required to adhere to this manual, but
only to the requirements of IDEA as codified in 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq., its regulations promulgated in 34 C.F.R Parts 300
and 301, and the rules of the State of Georgia promulgated by the State Board of Education.