The Three Tiers of Prevention and Intervention

At RALLY we believe that each student needs different kinds of personal attention. Some may need intensive one-on-one work each week, while others may benefit from occasional check-ins or from participation in after-school activities. We have found it helpful to adopt a public health model that groups students into "tiers" based on the degree of supports and intervention efforts that each child needs. These tiers are fluid and will change as a child's needs change.

Tier Three...

...is the inclusive level, and includes all of the young people in the classroom, since we believe that all young people can benefit from opportunities to connect with other people and get support.

Activities include...

  • "Lunch bunch" - informal group lunch
  • Whole classroom activities
  • Student self-assessments
  • Leadership opportunities
  • Afterschool and summer referrals
  • Crisis intervention
  • Periodic check-ins

Tier Two...

...students are young people who may struggle more than some of the other students in the classroom and may benefit from a little more attention and more focused services.

Activities include...

  • Specialized referrals (e.g., counseling or assessment)
  • Support groups
  • Academic groups
  • Classroom help
  • Regular check-ins
  • All other activities from tier three

Tier One...

...students we generally think of as being the most "at risk" and in need of more intensive interventions.

Activities include...

  • 1:1 Mentoring
  • 1:1 Academic Support
  • All other activities from tiers two and three

Related Links: Harvard University - McLean Hospital - PEAR

© 2009 Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency