Refining tier 1 should be treated as serious instructional work, not a cleanup task after the first draft. The point is to move from a broad collection of staff ideas to a smaller set of practices that are clear, consistent, and grounded in research.
Schools often begin with a messy first pass. That is expected. The value comes from what happens next: identifying the practices that belong across classrooms, checking whether they are actually high impact, and making sure staff can explain what each practice looks like in daily work.
Why refining tier 1 matters
A continuum of supports exists to help a school articulate how it responds to student needs in specific focus areas. It connects directly to school improvement because it turns planning into action. Tier 1 is where the school decides what every student should experience, in every classroom, across the building.
That means tier 1 cannot be a collection of vague good ideas. It needs to be specific enough to guide practice and strong enough to support consistent implementation.
Start broad, then narrow
The process begins with expansion. Staff contribute ideas, often through a sticky-note activity, around a focus area such as literacy, numeracy, wellness, relationships, or executive functioning. The goal is to surface what people actually do in classrooms to meet student needs.
From there, the work shifts into refinement:
- Group related strategies into broader categories
- Reduce the list to a small set of core practices
- Bring the draft back to staff for feedback
- Revise again until the list feels clear and usable
This is not a one-time event. Strong continuums are refined over time and often go through multiple iterations.
Research should shape the final version
Once a school has identified its small set of tier 1 practices, the next step is to look for research behind them. That can happen in different ways:
- Working groups review research articles tied to the focus area
- Leaders link citations directly to the statements in the continuum
- Experts in the area review the draft and identify gaps or confirm strengths
- Additional resources are added so staff can understand the why behind each practice
This matters because a practice should not stay on the continuum simply because it feels helpful. The school should be able to explain why it belongs there and what evidence supports it.
Make tier 1 visible and usable
Refining tier 1 is also about clarity. When a school says it has six to eight core practices, those practices should be easy to understand and easy to find. Some schools support this by posting the practices publicly, using QR codes, or linking each practice to a document that defines it, gives examples, and explains the research base.
That level of visibility helps normalize conversations about practice. It also makes the continuum more than a shared file. It becomes a living document that reflects what the school actually values.
Ownership has to stay broad
Small groups can help with refinement, but they should not take ownership away from the larger staff team. A strong continuum works because people see their practice reflected in it. Staff need to recognize that this document describes what the school does to support students.
That is why the process should keep moving back and forth between broader staff input and focused refinement. The aim is collective ownership, not a finished product that sits untouched.
What strong tier 1 practice looks like
Schools that do this well do not treat tier 1 as static. They continue to narrow, clarify, and document what they expect to see in every classroom. They also use the continuum in supervision and walkthroughs, so the work stays connected to classroom practice rather than remaining an abstract framework.
In that sense, refining tier 1 is about building a common language for instruction and support. It is about defining the big rocks, making them research-based, and ensuring every child has access to consistent, effective practice across the school.
The bottom line
If a school wants its continuum of supports to matter, tier 1 must keep evolving. Expand first. Refine with staff. Check the research. Define the practices clearly. Then keep revisiting the document as the school learns more.
That is how tier 1 becomes more than a list. It becomes a shared, defensible statement of what the school stands for in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of a continuum of supports?
It helps a school articulate how it responds to student needs in specific focus areas.
How should schools refine tier 1 practices?
Start broad with staff input, narrow to a few core practices, then verify those practices against research and revise over time.
Why link research to tier 1 practices?
To show that the practices are grounded in evidence, not just included because they seem helpful or familiar.
How many tier 1 practices are suggested as a target?
The discussion suggests somewhere between five and ten, with six to eight described as a sweet spot.
For more context, listen to the original episode of Leading Collaborative Response: Summer Replay #3 – Aligning Tier 1 with Research Based Practice.