Tiered Intervention

The Madison Public Schools is committed to helping our students through the process of acquiring life skills that include the ability to recognize and use strategies to manage emotions, develop caring and concern for others, establish positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and handle challenging tasks effectively. This is best done through a comprehensive approach that honors child development theory in all facets of the system. 

In order to ensure this important work is done in alignment with the most current research, the district regularly convenes our Whole Child Wellness Team. This team’s primary responsibility is to serve as a clearing house for district efforts in the area of social-emotional supports. By conducting quality checks of all our social-emotional programming, the team helps to ensure that we are being proactive in our efforts to give each child a solid foundation of skills from which to pull from when the need arises. The team also examines and makes recommendations for services that support students in crisis. In all areas of the work, this team asks: “What is the ideal way to approach this? What would be best for kids?”

The members of this team have a strong background in child development and know the characteristics of the learners and age groups they work with. The team is comprised of over 40+ professionals:

  • classroom teachers
  • school administrators
  • central office administrators
  • school psychologists
  • school counselors
  • social workers
  • school nurses
  • representatives from Madison Youth and Family Services

The Whole Child Wellness Team meets bi-monthly to:

  • research best practices for social-emotional education
  • case study
  • conduct quality checks of current programming
  • conduct focus groups
  • secure professional development for staff in alignment with student needs
  • vet policy changes
  • receive training in both proactive and reactive supports and approaches
  • make recommendations to the Superintendent

A dedicated team, they are passionate about taking care of our students as children first. Educating the whole child is a calling for them, and we are lucky to have their guidance and expertise to pull from within our district.

Tiered Intervention

Academic success is inextricably tied to building social-emotional competencies. Therefore, we address the academic, social and emotional needs of all students in order to promote the development of well-rounded, life-long learners and productive citizens. Just like we support our students that have not yet mastered grade level expectations for language arts and math, so too do we provide supports for students in the area of social-emotional regulation and behavior. We use scientifically-researched based interventions (SRBI) to ensure that every child is learning the skills necessary to navigate childhood successfully. Our strong team of providers (teachers, counselors, school psychologists, social workers, Madison Youth and Family clinicians, etc.) offers a continuum of services, both within and outside of the classroom.

A three-tiered model for instruction and intervention expresses the concept that social emotional supports are initially provided at a core or universal level that is intended to effectively address the needs of all students in a school. This is referred to as Tier 1. However, not all students will respond to the same strategies. As a result, at Tier 2, some students with identified needs receive supplemental or more targeted instruction and/or intervention. Finally, at Tier 3, a few students with the most severe needs receive intensive and individualized social emotional support.

Tier I

  • 100% of Students
  • Takes place in the classroom
  • Occurs for all students
  • Differentiated instruction provided by classroom teacher, counselor, school psychologist or social worker
  • Researched based  instruction and interventions

Tier II

  • 5-15% of Students
  • Small group instruction for pro-social behaviors
  • Frequent progress monitoring
  • Adjustments as needed based upon student response
  • Researched based instruction and interventions

Tier III

  • 1-5% of Students
  • More intensive & more frequent interventions
  • Individualized instruction for pro-social behaviors
  • Frequent progress monitoring
  • Adjustments as needed based upon student response
  • Researched based  instruction and interventions

 

The Madison Public Schools seeks to acknowledge all facets of child development in everything we do.

In addition to tiered instruction and interventions, the following events and programs are a sampling of what our schools have put in place to foster a safe and positive school climate for all students. Research shows that when students feel a sense of belonging in their school environment that they are more likely to find success in both behavioral and academic standards.

  • Student Council Spirit Events and Awareness Days
  • After School Clubs and Sports
  • Two daily recesses for all students K-5
  • Middle School Teaming Model in Grade 6-8
  • School Wide Spirit Events
  • Advisory Groups in Grades 5-12
  • Parent and Team Meetings when concerns arise
  • New student lunches
  • Structured “Lunch Bunch’ Groups
  • Student  Leadership groups
  • Partnerships with Madison Youth and Family Services
    • Peer Allies, Peer Helpers, Peer Advocates
    • School Based Clinicians from Madison Youth Services in all Schools
  • Full Time School Security in all schools 

….and much more.