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Building-Level Intervention Plans & Informal Accommodations: What Parents Need to Know ๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ“š

Writer's picture: Sophia WhitehouseSophia Whitehouse

Updated: Feb 7

So, What Happens When Classroom Interventions Arenโ€™t Enough?ย ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ

Youโ€™ve talked with your childโ€™s teacher.ย Theyโ€™ve tried some in-class interventions.ย But despite their best efforts, your child is still struggling.


Now what?


At this point, youโ€™re likely writing a letter to the teacher or principalย asking for additional support. That request usually triggers a meetingโ€”which can go by many names,ย depending on your school district:

๐Ÿ“Œ MTSSย - Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

๐Ÿ“Œ IATย - Intervention Assistance Team

๐Ÿ“Œ RTIย - Response-to-Intervention

๐Ÿ“Œ SSTย - Student Success Team

๐Ÿ“Œ Any other mysterious acronym your school throws at you!


What to Expect at This Meetingย ๐Ÿ“

Even well-informedย parents are often caught off guard when they walk into this meeting. Why? Because it can feel like youโ€™re on trial.


Hereโ€™s the typical setup:

โœ” Your childโ€™s teacher

โœ” A building administrator (usually the principal)

โœ” An Intervention Specialist

โœ” A School Counselor

โœ” Possibly a School Psychologist or Mental Health Specialistย (if applicable)


Thatโ€™s a lot of people.ย And it can feel intimidating.ย But rememberโ€”you are your childโ€™s advocate.ย And everyone at the table cares about your childโ€™s success.


Whatโ€™s in a Building-Level Intervention Plan?ย ๐Ÿ—๏ธ

The goalย of this meeting? To create a Building-Level Intervention Plan.


๐Ÿšจ The problem? Many school districts are wildly inconsistent in how they execute these plans.


So what shouldย a good plan include? Hereโ€™s your checklist:

โœ” Clearly identified skill deficitsย (behavioral or academic)

โœ” Evidence-based interventionย the school will use (not just โ€œextra helpโ€)

โœ” Whoย is providing the intervention, how often, and where

โœ” Baseline dataย to establish a measurable starting point

โœ” A clear goalย that can be tracked (not just โ€œimprove readingโ€ but โ€œincrease reading fluency from 50 to 90 words per minuteโ€)

โœ” A timeframeย for when the goal should be met

โœ” Defined responsibilitiesย for the school, parent, and student

โœ” 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 ๐Ÿ”„

๐Ÿšจ Important:ย Accommodations are NOT interventions!ย ๐Ÿšจ

Many schools try to onlyย provide accommodations at this stage. But accommodations donโ€™t teach skillsโ€”they only change the learning environment.


Examples:

๐Ÿ“Œ Accommodation:ย Preferential seating (so a student is closer to the board and less distracted).๐Ÿ“Œ Intervention:ย Small-group instruction for explicit phonics instruction.


Accommodations help level the playing field, but they donโ€™t teach missing skills.ย If your child is behind, you need interventionsโ€”not just accommodations.


Advocate for specific, evidence-based interventionsย to help your child actually catch upโ€”not just cope.


Next Week: Section 504 Plans & Formal Accommodations


๐Ÿ’š Need help advocating for your child? Weโ€™re here for you.

๐Ÿ“ž Call or text: 614-470-4466

๐Ÿ“ง Email: admin@achievepsychology.org

๐ŸŒ Visit: www.achievepsychology.org



Three people in a meeting room, focused on discussion. Papers on the table. Woman in foreground looks thoughtful. Warm, wooden background.



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