A new online tool for assessing student instructional needs is now available from the Iowa Reading Research Center at no cost to Iowa educators.  

The Tier 1.5 Calculator is a part of the IRRC’s Core Data-Based Decision-Making project. This tool assists educators in evaluating student data to determine the need for Tier 1.5 classwide intervention.  

The three most commonly discussed levels of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) for literacy instruction include Tier 1 (universal, whole-class instruction), Tier 2 (supplemental, small-group instruction), and Tier 3 (intensive, one-on-one intervention). However, when the majority of students in a classroom are struggling to meet their reading goals, intensified instruction may be needed at a whole-class level. This is what we call Tier 1.5, or classwide, intervention.  

Research varies on the specific thresholds to determine whether or not Tier 1.5 intervention is appropriate. In some prior studies, this instructional strategy is implemented when a class’s median reading scores on universal screening assessments drop below a specific score, such as the 25^th percentile or 40^th percentile. This is known as a cut score, and it separates proficient reading from nonproficient reading.  

The IRRC’s Tier 1.5 Calculator is designed to help educators analyze data collected from screening assessments conducted three times per year to determine whether Tier 1.5 intervention is right for their students. This tool simplifies the use of student data to guide decisions about intervention strategies. To learn more about the importance of data-based decision-making for core instruction, see our previous blog post. 

To use the Tier 1.5 Calculator, teachers simply input their students’ most recent screening assessment scores. The application then calculates the class’s median score and determines where that score falls relative to both the 25^th and 40^th percentile marks—two cut scores used in prior research to identify individual students and entire classrooms struggling with reading.  This allows educators to quickly and accurately assess whether current Tier 1 instruction is sufficient for the class as a whole, or whether Tier 1.5 supports may be necessary on a classwide level. The timely introduction of Tier 1.5 intervention in the classroom can put students on the path to reading success, while also increasing the effectiveness of universal instruction and reducing the number of students who require specialized Tier 2 and 3 support.

For more information on Tier 1.5 intervention, read our related blog posts on the Tier 1.5 Calculator webpage.