The Integration of the Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions

with Comprehensive School Counseling: A Framework that Supports All Students

Gail M. Smith, Supervisor School Counseling

Debbie Lozo, Supervisor Special Education

Laurel Kinard, Director Student Assistance Programs

Georgia’s Student AchievementPyramid of Interventions

a framework of instructional/behavioral interventions that maximizes student

performance for ALL students.

How does the Pyramid of Interventions

maximize student performance?

It is a model that is

• Proactive

• Collaborative

• Data-driven

• Multi-tiered

• Whole child centered

Pyramid of Interventions Pyramid of Interventions

Tier 1: Performance Based Instruction for ALL students:•Standards based curriculum

•Research-based practices and strategies•Differentiated instruction

•Effective classroom management•Guided by progress monitoring and balanced assessment

•Planned to address developmental domains (academic, communication/language, social/emotional, etc.)

Tier 2: Targeted Interventions•Tier 1 + more “TLC”

•Standard intervention protocols•Problem solving process & data analysis

•Tailored to student needs•Enhanced opportunities for extended learning

•Targeted small groups and selected individuals•Includes more frequent progress monitoring

•Planned to address developmental domains (academic, communication/language, social/emotional, etc.)

Tier 3: Intensive Interventions - SST

•Individualized – refine and intensify•More indepth assessment &

data analysis•Strategies & interventionstailored to specific needs

•Consideration for referral to special education and/other programs only when data indicates a need

Tier 4:

Specially Designed Instruction –

Special Education

Tier 1What All Students Receive

•Performance based instruction for all students

•Standards based curriculum

•Research based practices

•Differentiated instruction

•Effective classroom management

•Attention to developmental domains (academic, communication/ language, social/emotional, etc.)

•Progress monitoring and problem solving

•Assessment to determine what students need

Tier 2Targeted Interventions, Additional Focus and Intensity

•Interventions are available in the general education setting

•Opportunities to increase exposure (engaged time on targeted content)

•Problem Solving Process and data analysis

•Tailored to student needs

•Designed for flexible groupings, some small groups

•Attention to developmental domains

•More frequent progress monitoring

•Short term in nature - most Tier 2 interventions should have an end

•Documentation of interventions and outcomes begins

Tier 3Intensive, Individualized

•More individualized problem solving model

•Can include Title 1, Reading Recovery, remedial services, and other district initiatives as long as interventions and strategies are documented

•Includes longer term interventions

•In depth assessment, formative assessments, and data analysis

•More specialized strategies and interventions

•Child specific focus

•Data used for consideration of eligibility for special education are the data that have been gathered through the provision of supplemental services using Pyramid of Intervention services in Tier 1 & 2

Tier 4Specially Designed Learning

•Specialized programs, methodologies, or instructional deliveries

•Greater frequency of progress monitoring

Whole Group

Classroom Teacher

Smaller Group

School Intervention Teams

Individualized

Core Team

-decrease group size

-increase “dosage” or amount of interventions

-use flexible groups

Behavioral InterventionsBehavioral Interventions

-individual behavior plan

-classroom behavior management plan -school wide discipline

Specially Designed

Behavioral Interventions

Rarely does behavior occur without relationship to the academic environment.

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

Tier 1What All Students Receive

Universal school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures serve as the standards

for behavior

80-90% are expected to respond positively.

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

Tier 2Targeted Interventions, Additional Focus and Intensity

• Most common data used is office referral• Most common screener is classroom teacher• Targeted skills include re-teaching and practice of

specific behaviors• Monitored by teacher checklists, office referrals, or

rating scales

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

Tier 3Intensive, Individualized

• May include a more in depth analysis of student’s behavior

• May include a functional behavioral assessment• Academic assessments may also be completed as

the link between academic deficits and behavior can not be ignored

• A Behavior Intervention Plan may be developed

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

Tier 4Specially Designed Learning

• Specialized programs, methodologies, or instructional deliveries

• Greater frequency of progress monitoring

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

A Comprehensive School Counseling Program

American School Counselor Association, 2003

• A program foundation• A delivery system• A management system• Accountability

Practical Overlap

Pyramid of Interventions

• Proactive• Collaborative• Data-driven• Multi-tiered• Whole child centered

School Counseling Pyramid

• Proactive• Collaborative• Data-driven• Multi-tiered• Whole child centered

Classroom Guidance

Intentional Guidance

Individual Support

Specialized Interventions

School Counseling Pyramid School Counseling Pyramid

School School Improvement

School Improvement

The school improvement plan is the basis of an effective school counseling program.

• Needs assessment

• School profile

• Data

Tier 1 Guidance Curriculum

“Developmental in design, educational and preventive in nature, and comprehensive in scope, the guidance curriculum ensures that every student in the school will receive services from the guidance program.”

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Tier 2 Intentional Guidance

“The intentional guidance philosophy is that some kids need more.”

Disaggregating data can reveal equity and access issues:

• Competencies• Barriers to learning• Systemic issues Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Tier 3 Individual Support

Can include:• Individual student planning (appraisal or

advisement)• Consultation with parents, teachers, other

educators, community• Individual counseling• Crisis counseling/response• Referrals• Peer facilitationDimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Tier 4 Specialized Interventions• Agency referral

• Emergency crisis treatment

• Family preservation

• Long-term therapy

• Probation/incarceration

• Hospitalization

• Disabilities programs

Adelman & Taylor, 1999

In the past, school counselors were trained to deliver services one-on-one, behind closed doors, ancillary

to the academic program.

Today, individual counseling can be considered a Tier 3 intervention.

With the introduction of the comprehensive model, the

delivery of services has shifted from primarily Tier 3 to

Tier 1, classroom guidance Tier 2, intentional guidance and

Tier 3, individual support

Both models have the same goal in mind – EQUITY and ACCESS to

quality instructional and behavioral support for ALL students to

maximize student performance.

Pyramid of Interventions School Counseling Pyramid

Tier 1Classroom Guidance

Tier 2Intentional Guidance

Tier 3Individual Support

Tier 4Specialized Interventions

Kinard, Lozo & Smith (2008)

Effective school counseling programs are linked to School Improvement and overlap with the Pyramid of Interventions.

The shift is encouraging counselors to develop data-driven practices that support

School Improvement and maximize

Student Performance rather than operate in isolation.

Cobb County School DistrictIntervention/Prevention Programs

• Coalition of Treatment Providers• Sources of Strength• QPR• Cobb Cyber Safe• Youth Leadership• Botvin Life Skills• Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum• Olweus Bully Prevention• SUPER Program• Emergency Response and Crisis Management• Community Collaborations• Gang Prevention and Intervention• Positive School Climate Initiatives• Comprehensive/Developmental School Counseling Curriculum

Activity

Think about the interventions conducted by your school counseling program and or other support personnel in your school

or district.

List them on the appropriate tier

on your pyramid.

Classroom Guidance

Intentional Guidance

Individual Support

Specialized Interventions

School Counseling Pyramid School Counseling Pyramid

The effective integration of the Pyramid of Interventions with

Comprehensive School Counseling practices requires developing

a common language —

data is the foundation.

Evidence-Based vs

Research-Based

• Evidence-Based: Specific interventions supported by well-designed, independent research studies.

• Research-Based: Methods, content, materials developed in guidance from the collective research and scientific community

Georgia Department of Education, 2008

Types of Data

• Process

• Perception

• Results

Process Data

• Provides evidence the intervention occurred

• Reports who, what, where, when and how

• Does not report how students are different

Perception Data

Reports what a student believes, knows orcan demonstrate

Measures ASKAttitudesSkillsKnowledge

Hatch, T. (2006)

Behavior

Results Data

• Achievement Related– attendance– discipline– parent involvement– homework completion– course enrollment patterns

Results Data

• Achievement– Standardized test scores– SAT/ACT scores– Graduation rates– GPAs– AP tests– College prep course completion

Hatching Results Conceptual Diagram

Guidance LessonsGroup Counseling

Who?What?When?Where?How Long?

Competency Attainment Data

Achievement Related Data

Achievement Data

Process Data Perception Data Results Data

Attitudes

Skills

Knowledge Beh

avio

r C

hang

e AttendanceDiscipline referralsParent InvolvementHomework completionCourse enrollment patterns

SAT/ACT ScoresGraduation ratesGPAAP TestsCollege prep class completion

Hatch, T. (2006)

Guidance Curriculum

Intentional Guidance (intervention)

Outcome Measures

“For many school counseling interventions, there is not a direct link

between the intervention and the ultimate desired change

in behavior and performance.”

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Outcome Measures

“Different measures are appropriate

at different points in the causal chain

that links the intervention

with the change in achievement.”

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Types of Outcome Measures

Immediate - corresponds to the competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes)

that the curriculum was designed

to help students attain

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Types of Outcome Measures

Proximal – measures specific outcomes or school behavior an intervention is designed to address and are often

achievement related.

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Types of Outcome Measures

Distal – measures the effects of an intervention on more distant outcomes

such as school behavior and/or achievement; the eventual change that is

required.

Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Perform Study Skills

Score HigherOn ClassExams

The Relationship Among Levels of Outcomes and Categories of Data

PerformSelf-Talk

Skills

Show HigherSelf-Efficacy

InterventionImmediateOutcomes

ProximalOutcomes Distal Outcomes

AcademicGroup

Intervention

Perform BetterOn State Test

Process Data

Process Data(Knowledge,

Attitudes,Skills)

Results Data

Standards andCompetency Data

Achievement-Related Data

Achievement-Related or

Achievement Data

ImmediateData

IntermediateData

Long-RangeDataDimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007)

Examples in Handouts

• Guidance Curriculum Action Plan

• Intentional Guidance Action Plan

Conclusion

When school counselors build their school counseling programs on

• The Pyramid of Interventions and • The School Improvement Plan,

the result is improved student performance for all students.

Pyramid of Interventions

School ImprovementComprehensive School

Counseling

Student Performance

Resources• www.cescal.org

• www.interventioncentral.org

• www.rtinetwork.org

• www.nasdse.org

• www.whatworks.ed.gov

• www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu

• www.studentprogress.org

• www2.edtrust.org

• www.schoolcounselor.org

ReferencesAmerican School counselor Association. (2003). The ASCA National

Model: A framework for school counseling programs. Alexandria, VA.

Adelman H., & Taylor, L. (1999). Coalition for cohesive policy in addressing barriers to development and learning. UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools.

Dimmitt, C., Carey, J. C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling: Making a difference with data-driven practices. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Georgia Department of Education. (2008). Response to intervention: Georgia’s achievement pyramid of interventions. Atlanta, GA.

Metro GLRS. (2007). Georgia’s student Achievement pyramid of interventions and rti: From understanding to practice. Atlanta, GA.