Interventions and supports provided at the tier 3 level are highly individualized and are used with students who exhibit the most significant, severe challenging behavior. Typically, tier 3 interventions are provided to a very small percentage of the student population (approximately 3-5%). Ideally, the needs of the majority of the school population will be met with less intensive interventions at the tier 1 and tier 2 level.
Some tier 3 interventions may be similar to those provided at the tier 2 level, however, they will differ due to the use of individualized assessment to identify, a higher intensity and/or frequency of implementation, and are typically provided individually. As such, tier 3 interventions require a significant amount of time and effort by adults to develop and implement.
It is a common misconception that to receive tier 3 interventions, a student must qualify for special education supports and/or services. However, any student can receive tier 3 interventions, regardless of if they also receive special education supports and/or services. Additionally, a student who receives special education services may or may not also receive tier 3 behavioral supports.
