So, What Happens When Classroom Interventions Arenโt Enough?ย ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Youโve talked with your childโs teacher.ย Theyโve tried some in-class interventions.ย But despite their best efforts, your child is still struggling.
Now what?
At this point, youโre likely writing a letter to the teacher or principalย asking for additional support. That request usually triggers a meetingโwhich can go by many names,ย depending on your school district:
๐ MTSSย - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
๐ IATย - Intervention Assistance Team
๐ RTIย - Response-to-Intervention
๐ SSTย - Student Success Team
๐ Any other mysterious acronym your school throws at you!
What to Expect at This Meetingย ๐
Even well-informedย parents are often caught off guard when they walk into this meeting. Why? Because it can feel like youโre on trial.
Hereโs the typical setup:
โ Your childโs teacher
โ A building administrator (usually the principal)
โ An Intervention Specialist
โ A School Counselor
โ Possibly a School Psychologist or Mental Health Specialistย (if applicable)
Thatโs a lot of people.ย And it can feel intimidating.ย But rememberโyou are your childโs advocate.ย And everyone at the table cares about your childโs success.
Whatโs in a Building-Level Intervention Plan?ย ๐๏ธ
The goalย of this meeting? To create a Building-Level Intervention Plan.
๐จ The problem? Many school districts are wildly inconsistent in how they execute these plans.
So what shouldย a good plan include? Hereโs your checklist:
โ Clearly identified skill deficitsย (behavioral or academic)
โ Evidence-based interventionย the school will use (not just โextra helpโ)
โ Whoย is providing the intervention, how often, and where
โ Baseline dataย to establish a measurable starting point
โ A clear goalย that can be tracked (not just โimprove readingโ but โincrease reading fluency from 50 to 90 words per minuteโ)
โ A timeframeย for when the goal should be met
โ Defined responsibilitiesย for the school, parent, and student
โ How progress will be monitoredย (what data will be collected and when)
This is notย a vague plan. You want details.ย The more specific, the better.
Accommodations vs. Interventions: Know the Differenceย ๐
๐จ Important:ย Accommodations are NOT interventions!ย ๐จ
Many schools try to onlyย provide accommodations at this stage. But accommodations donโt teach skillsโthey only change the learning environment.
Examples:
๐ Accommodation:ย Preferential seating (so a student is closer to the board and less distracted).๐ Intervention:ย Small-group instruction for explicit phonics instruction.
Accommodations help level the playing field, but they donโt teach missing skills.ย If your child is behind, you need interventionsโnot just accommodations.
Advocate for specific, evidence-based interventionsย to help your child actually catch upโnot just cope.
Next Week: Section 504 Plans & Formal Accommodations
๐ Need help advocating for your child? Weโre here for you.
๐ Call or text: 614-470-4466
๐ง Email: admin@achievepsychology.org
๐ Visit: www.achievepsychology.org

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