Response to Intervention
To help families better understand Response to Intervention (RtI) and Academic Intervention Services (AIS)—including how students receive support in reading and math—the Port Washington School District has prepared this informational guide. Our district continues to align RtI practices with New York State requirements and expectations, ensuring that all support services follow state guidance and the Commissioner’s Regulations. We hope this document provides families with clear, helpful information as we work together to deliver consistent and effective support for every student.
What is Response to Intervention (RtI)?
Response to Intervention (RtI) is a New York State–mandated framework implemented by schools to determine if a student is responding to classroom instruction and progressing as expected. It provides a structured process for identifying students’ learning needs early and delivering increasing levels of intervention based on their progress. In the RtI process, a student who is struggling receives additional instructional support (AIS-academic interventions services) provided by matching instruction to a student’s individual needs through a multi-tier instructional model. Each level, also known as a tier, provides instruction with increased intensity such as smaller groups or instructional time focused on specific areas.
RtI focuses on the early prevention of academic difficulty, particularly in the areas of reading and math.
Port Washington utilizes a three tiered model
Within Tier I, all students receive high quality evidence based curriculum and instruction in the regular education classroom. The teacher supports all learners through whole and small group instruction. Tier 1 instruction should effectively meet the needs of approximately 80–85% of all students.
Minimum requirements in Tier I include:
- Evidence-Based appropriate instruction in the area of reading including oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
- Evidence based appropriate instruction in math including problem solving, arithmetic skills and fluency, conceptual knowledge/number sense, reasoning ability.
- Universal screener administered to all students in the general education classroom (K-8) three times per year.
- Differentiated instruction based on the abilities and needs of all students in the core program
- A daily uninterrupted 60-minute block of instruction in both reading and math should be offered at the elementary level
- Ongoing progress monitoring of students
- Parental notification of additional support (qualifying and placed in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 group)
Tier II intervention is in addition to the student’s regular classroom instruction and may be provided within the classroom or in a separate room. Tier 2 intervention usually means that a student is:
- Receiving small group research-based instruction which is differentiated to meet the needs of the students in that group
- Explicit direct instruction 2-3 times per week for a minimum of 20-30 minutes
- Data-based progress monitoring minimum of every 2 weeks
- Ongoing collaboration between the classroom teacher, ENL teacher, and AIS provider (articulation meetings take place every 6-8 weeks).
- Scheduled discussions three times a year between the classroom teacher, ENL teacher, AIS provider and administrator, to discuss student progress.taught in a small group;
Tier III is reserved for approximately 1-5% of students who are still not progressing with Tier 2 intervention., Instruction at this level may be more frequent, smaller group and/or for a longer period of time than that provided in Tiers 1 or 2.
- Intensive research-based instruction in a group of 1-3 students
- Explicit, direct instruction 4-5 times a week for a minimum of 30-60 minutes
- Minimum of 18 weeks of intervention strategies
- Ongoing weekly data-based progress monitoring
- Ongoing collaboration between the classroom teacher and AIS provider (articulation meetings take place every 6 weeks)
- Elementary IST/Secondary Teams meetings are held every 6-8 weeks and/or scheduled discussions approximately every 4-6 weeks between the AIS provider and administrator when possible to discuss student progress.
New York State emphasizes that Tiers 2 and 3 are designed to supplement (not replace) a strong Tier 1 core program. They should enhance and support, rather than supplant, classroom instruction
Port Washington uses multiple data points to determine whether a student requires additional AIS support, with clearly defined criteria established for each measure.
- i-Ready Screener (math and reading)
- Really Great Reading Assessments (Foundational Skills Survey)
- Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Benchmark
- Group Reading Assessment & Diagnostic Evaluation (G.R.A.D.E Assessment)
- NYS ELA Assessment
- NYS Math Assessment
- Local Math Assessment