The Bentworth School District has developed a Response to Instruction & Intervention, (RtII) philosophy. RtII is a general education initiative and the first step in the process is the implementation of a school-wide research-based core curriculum. The Bentworth School District has a scientifically research based core curriculum through Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. This curriculum provides the explicit instruction in phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension that are essential aspects of a core curriculum. This core curriculum, when implemented with fidelity, will provide the needed support for students in TIER I of the multi tier approach. At this level all students are assessed utilizing the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) benchmark assessments at least three times throughout the year. These benchmark assessments along with Study Island and curriculum based and additional formative assessments assist in making timely instructional decisions and determining if a student needs to receive instruction through TIER II. An essential component in the process is that ALL students receive instruction in the core curriculum and then receive either TIER II or TIER III intervention in addition.

Students who do not benchmark on DIBELS and/or the additional indicators or do not make expected progress in TIER I, receive additional instruction. The additional instruction is referred to as TIER II. Students identified for TIER II receive interventions in addition to the instruction in the core curriculum. These students participate in small-group interventions during 20 to 30-minute sessions at least three times each week. Currently, TIER II is provided five days per week. TIER II interventions are scientific research based interventions. For example, a student identified through DIBELS progress monitoring with an orthographic reading issue would receive small group instruction utilizing Wilson reading strategies and a student identified with a phonological issue would receive instruction utilizing Lindamood Bell strategies. If the student responds to the intervention and demonstrates success over time, they are then moved back to TIER I. Students in TIER II are progressed monitored on at least a monthly basis to determine if interventions are appropriate.

After steps have been made to ensure the instructional environment is sound, and it has been determined that a student still does not meet academic expectations through TIER II, the student may receive instruction through TIER III intervention as well as the core program. At this level of instruction the instructional approaches or environmental variables may be altered to promote the success of the student. For example, the intervention could require the teacher provide more corrective feedback, praise during instruction, alter the size of the group, etc. If, after these instructional, environmental or behavioral interventions have been implemented and data documented, the student is still not responding or not making expected growth they may be considered for eligibility through special education.