If progress monitoring shows minimal or no improvement despite Tier 2 interventions, what is the next recommended step?

• A. If progress monitoring shows minimal progress, increase the pacing of Tier 1.
• B. If progress monitoring shows substantial improvement, escalate to Tier 3.
• C. If progress monitoring shows inconsistent progress, ignore data.
• D. If progress monitoring shows minimal or no improvement despite Tier 2 interventions, escalate to Tier 3 and consider further evaluation.

Answer: (D)

Progress monitoring in MTSS/RTI is used to determine how well a student is responding to targeted interventions. When there is minimal or no improvement after Tier 2 supports, it signals that the current level of intensity is not sufficient for that learner. The appropriate next step is to escalate to Tier 3, which provides more intensive, and often individualized, interventions with closer progress monitoring to determine what works. At this point, it’s also appropriate to consider a comprehensive evaluation to assess for possible learning disabilities or other conditions that might require special education services. Increasing Tier 1 pacing would not address the specific student’s needs, and ignoring data or waiting for inconsistent progress would miss opportunities to provide needed support.