How to Approach This Assignment
The three tiers, who delivers instruction at each level, which assessments to use, how to build your infographic, and what your 500-word reflection actually needs to say — here’s how to tackle both parts without getting lost.
Two deliverables. One infographic. One 500-word reflection. The infographic covers structure — tiers, time, people, programs, assessments, family communication. The reflection asks you to explain why those choices matter. If you’re treating this as one task instead of two separate arguments, you’ll underdeliver on at least one of them.
What This Guide Covers
Assignment Requirements at a Glance
Two parts, scored separately. Before building anything, list every bullet point from the rubric and confirm you’ve addressed it. The infographic has six required components. The reflection has seven. That’s thirteen distinct checkboxes — and most students miss two or three because the infographic section looked “done” once it looked visual.
Infographic Requirement Checklist
Reflection Requirement Checklist
Where RTI Sits Within MTSS
This matters for your reflection. RTI is not the same as MTSS — it’s a component of it. MTSS is the overarching framework. RTI specifically addresses academic learning needs. PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) addresses behavioral needs. Both operate within MTSS using the same tiered logic.
MTSS (The Framework)
The broader system that coordinates all support structures in a school. Includes academic intervention (RTI), behavioral support (PBIS), and social-emotional learning. Data-driven, school-wide, and involves all staff.
- Universal screening for all students
- Tiered support across academic and behavioral domains
- Collaborative decision-making teams
- Family and community involvement
RTI (Inside MTSS)
Focuses specifically on academic intervention. The same three-tier logic, but applied to reading, math, writing, and other content areas. RTI is where most classroom teachers spend their time.
- Evidence-based classroom instruction at Tier 1
- Targeted small-group intervention at Tier 2
- Intensive individualized support at Tier 3
- Progress monitoring drives all decisions
The IES Practice Guide: Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades is a free, peer-reviewed government publication from the Institute of Education Sciences. It gives research-backed recommendations for each tier and is appropriate as a scholarly source for this assignment. Bookmark it before you write anything.
Breaking Down the Three Tiers
This is the backbone of your infographic. Get the numbers right — frequency, duration, group size. These aren’t arbitrary. The research behind each recommendation is what your reflection needs to justify.
All Students, Every Day, Core Classroom
Tier 1 is the general education classroom. Every student receives high-quality, research-based instruction here. This is not intervention — it’s the core curriculum. If Tier 1 is solid, roughly 80% of students should not need additional support. If more than 20–25% of your class is struggling, that’s a Tier 1 problem, not a student problem.
What goes on your infographic: Duration: 90 minutes of reading instruction daily (or equivalent for your subject). Frequency: daily. Group size: whole class. Delivered by: general education teacher. Strategy: one named, evidence-based instructional approach (e.g., explicit phonics instruction, differentiated instruction). Assessment: universal screening 3x/year. Family communication: newsletters, curriculum nights, parent portal updates.Some Students, 3–5 Per Group, 30 Minutes Added Daily
Tier 2 is for students who didn’t meet benchmarks at Tier 1. They still receive all Tier 1 instruction — Tier 2 is additive, not a replacement. The group size matters: research points to 3–5 students as the sweet spot for targeted intervention. It’s small enough for differentiation, manageable enough for a teacher or interventionist to deliver consistently.
What goes on your infographic: Duration: 30 additional minutes per day. Frequency: 3–5 times per week. Group size: 3–5 students. Delivered by: classroom teacher or trained interventionist. Strategy: one named supplemental program (e.g., Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention, iReady, Read Naturally). Assessment: progress monitoring every 2 weeks. Family communication: bi-weekly progress reports, scheduled phone or email check-ins.Few Students, 1–3 Per Group, 60+ Minutes Daily
Tier 3 is the most intensive level of support. Groups of 1–3 students, longer daily sessions, more frequent data collection. At this tier, a specialist — reading interventionist, special education teacher, or similar — is typically delivering instruction. If a student doesn’t respond to Tier 3, the RTI team considers whether a special education evaluation is warranted.
What goes on your infographic: Duration: 60+ minutes daily. Frequency: 5 days per week. Group size: 1–3 students. Delivered by: special education teacher, reading specialist, or trained interventionist. Strategy: one named intensive intervention program (e.g., Wilson Reading System, Orton-Gillingham, SPIRE). Assessment: progress monitoring weekly plus diagnostic assessment. Family communication: formal conferences, written progress reports, involvement in decision-making meetings.Assessments at Each Tier
The rubric asks for appropriate assessments and frequency at each tier. “Appropriate” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. A weekly progress monitoring assessment at Tier 1 would be unnecessary and burdensome. A tri-annual screen at Tier 3 would be dangerously infrequent. Match the intensity of assessment to the intensity of need.
| Tier | Assessment Type | Examples | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Universal Screening | AIMSweb Plus, DIBELS 8th Edition, FastBridge, mClass | 3x per year (fall, winter, spring) |
| Tier 2 | Progress Monitoring | AIMSweb CBM probes, DIBELS progress monitoring probes | Every 2 weeks |
| Tier 3 | Diagnostic + Intensive Progress Monitoring | CTOPP-2 (phonological processing), Woodcock Reading Mastery, curriculum-based measures | Weekly progress monitoring; diagnostic as needed |
Universal screening identifies who needs support. Progress monitoring tracks whether the intervention is working. Diagnostic assessment explains why a student is struggling and what specifically they need. Your infographic should use the right term for the right tier — and your reflection should explain the distinction clearly.
Family Communication Strategies
Every tier needs its own strategy. The level of communication intensity should match the level of student need. A generic mention of “keeping parents informed” won’t satisfy the rubric. Be specific about what communication looks like at each tier.
Broad, School-Wide
Monthly newsletters, curriculum night presentations, parent portal access to grades and attendance, universal screening results shared in plain language at fall parent conferences.
Targeted, Regular
Bi-weekly progress reports sent home, scheduled phone or email updates from the teacher or interventionist, invitation to observe intervention sessions, intervention plan shared and signed by parents.
Intensive, Collaborative
Formal RTI team meetings with parent participation, written progress summaries at each meeting, parents given copies of data graphs, ongoing dialogue about next steps including potential evaluation.
Research consistently shows that family engagement improves student outcomes across all tiers. Your reflection needs to say this explicitly — and connect it to your own future practice. Don’t treat this bullet point as a throwaway. It’s in the rubric because MTSS frameworks treat the family as a member of the support team, not a passive recipient of information.
The RTI Team: Who Does What
Your reflection asks you to describe the RTI team — members and their roles. This section trips up students who list people without explaining what those people actually do in the process. The team isn’t just a list of names. Each person has a specific function.
Classroom Teacher
The most important person in RTI. Delivers Tier 1 instruction, identifies students for screening, implements Tier 2 supports when assigned, and collects ongoing classroom data. Also the primary relationship with the family at Tier 1.
- Universal instruction for all students
- First-line data collection and observation
- Participates in RTI team meetings
- Implements classroom-level accommodations
Reading Specialist / Instructional Coach
Delivers Tier 2 and sometimes Tier 3 intervention. Also supports the classroom teacher in selecting and implementing evidence-based strategies. May facilitate RTI team meetings and analyze progress monitoring data.
- Leads targeted and intensive reading interventions
- Coaches teachers on differentiation
- Analyzes data trends across students
School Psychologist
Conducts diagnostic assessments, particularly when students are not responding to Tier 3 and a special education evaluation may be needed. Also advises on behavioral and socio-emotional factors that may affect learning.
- Administers diagnostic and psychoeducational assessments
- Advises team on evaluation timelines and eligibility
- Supports PBIS integration within MTSS
Special Education Teacher
Delivers intensive Tier 3 intervention for students with IEPs or suspected disabilities. Connects RTI data to IEP goals and ensures that Tier 3 instruction is consistent with any existing special education services.
- Intensive, individualized academic intervention
- IEP goal alignment with RTI data
- Collaboration with general education teacher
Administrator / Building Principal
Provides systemic support — scheduling, resource allocation, staff professional development, and fidelity monitoring. The principal’s buy-in is essential for RTI to function school-wide. They set the conditions, not the instruction.
- Allocates time and resources for interventions
- Monitors implementation fidelity
- Facilitates collaboration across staff
Family Members
The family is considered part of the RTI team — not just informed recipients. At Tier 2 and Tier 3 especially, families are invited into decision-making conversations. Their observations of the child at home are legitimate data points.
- Share observations and context about the child
- Support learning at home
- Participate in planning meetings
Building the Infographic
The prompt says “one-page digital infographic.” That means visual, scannable, and organized — not a wall of text dressed up with a border. New teachers should be able to look at your infographic and understand the RTI model in under two minutes.
Choose Your Tool First
Canva has free RTI and pyramid infographic templates that work well. Google Slides can also work if you use the tier structure deliberately. PowerPoint is fine. Whatever you use, export as a PDF or PNG unless the rubric specifies a format — check that before you start designing.
Use the Pyramid Structure
RTI is almost always represented visually as a triangle or pyramid — widest at the base (Tier 1, all students) narrowing toward the top (Tier 3, few students). This visual metaphor is standard in the field. Using it signals you understand the model, not just the content.
One Column Per Tier, Six Rows Per Requirement
A simple grid layout works well: three columns for the three tiers, with rows for each required component (duration/frequency/group size, who delivers, program/strategy, assessment, family communication, content areas). That grid makes it easy to confirm you’ve hit every rubric bullet.
Label Everything Explicitly
Don’t assume the reader will infer. If a section covers assessments, label it “Assessments.” The infographic is for new teachers — assume they need every section to be clearly named. Rubric-aligned labels also make it obvious to your instructor that you’ve addressed each requirement.
Include the Content-Area Component Somewhere Prominent
The requirement to show how RTI supports all content areas is easy to forget because it doesn’t fit neatly into the three-tier columns. Add a separate note or footer section stating that RTI applies to reading, math, writing, science, and social studies — not just one subject. One or two sentences is enough, but it has to be visible.
Writing the 500-Word Reflection
Five hundred words is not much. You have seven rubric items. That’s roughly 70 words per item. You can’t ramble. Every sentence needs to do work.
Open with a sentence or two on why RTI matters — then move straight to your seven points in order. Don’t write a formal introduction or conclusion. At 500 words, those cost you space you don’t have. End with the professional practice paragraph since that’s the most personal and usually the easiest to write quickly.
The reflection isn’t asking you to repeat what’s on the infographic. It’s asking you to justify it. “I chose groups of 3–5 for Tier 2 because research shows small-group instruction improves targeted skill acquisition” is a justification. “Tier 2 uses small groups” is just a restatement. The difference between those two sentences is the difference between full marks and partial marks on that rubric item.
The reflection requires 2–3 scholarly sources. Your infographic choices need a research basis — so your reflection citations should support those specific choices. Don’t find three random education articles. Find sources that directly support the programs, group sizes, assessment frequencies, or communication strategies you included. The IES Practice Guide linked above is one. Your course textbook may count as another if it cites peer-reviewed research. A peer-reviewed journal article from ERIC, PsycINFO, or Google Scholar rounds out your list.
Mistakes That Get Points Deducted
Treating Tier 2 and Tier 3 Group Sizes as Interchangeable
Writing “small groups” without specifying that Tier 2 is 3–5 students and Tier 3 is 1–3. The rubric specifically says to include group sizes for both tiers. Vague language loses the point.
Use Specific Numbers for Each Tier
Tier 2: 3–5 students, 30 additional minutes, 3–5x per week. Tier 3: 1–3 students, 60+ minutes, 5x per week. These numbers are specific, research-backed, and directly answer the rubric.
Same Family Communication Strategy for All Three Tiers
“Communicate with parents regularly” at every tier. Families at Tier 3 need formal meetings and data access — not the same newsletter as Tier 1 families. The communication should escalate with the tier.
Differentiate Communication Strategies by Tier
Tier 1: newsletters, parent portal. Tier 2: bi-weekly reports, phone check-ins. Tier 3: formal RTI meetings with parents present, signed intervention plans, data graphs shared directly.
Reflection That Restates Instead of Justifies
Writing “I chose CBT for Tier 2 because it is evidence-based” without explaining what makes it evidence-based or how it addresses diverse learners. That’s a statement, not a justification.
Cite a Source That Supports the Choice
“Research supports the use of [named intervention] for students struggling with [specific skill], demonstrating significant gains over [timeframe] (Author, Year). This approach addresses diverse learners by…” That’s a justification with evidence.
Leaving Out the Content-Area Component
Focusing entirely on reading and never mentioning math, writing, or other subjects. The rubric explicitly asks how RTI supports learning in all content areas. If it’s not on the infographic, it’s a missing component.
Add a Cross-Curricular Note to the Infographic
A footer or sidebar that says: “RTI applies across reading, math, writing, science, and social studies. The tiered framework supports all learners regardless of content area.” Short, visible, and addresses the requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
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From RTI infographics and MTSS reflections to lesson plans and case studies — our education writing team works across teacher preparation and graduate education programs.
Education Assignment Help Get StartedStart With the Rubric, Not the Design
A lot of students open Canva first. That’s backwards. Open the rubric first, make a checklist of every required element, then design around that list. A beautiful infographic that’s missing the assessment frequency component earns partial credit. A plain but complete infographic earns full marks.
The reflection is where students lose the most points — not because they don’t know the content, but because they restate instead of justify. Every sentence in that reflection should answer a “why” or “how.” Why this group size? How does this assessment type fit this tier? Why does family communication at Tier 3 look different from Tier 1?
Get your scholarly sources before you start writing the reflection, not after. Find the IES Practice Guide. Find one peer-reviewed article that supports a specific intervention or assessment choice you’ve already made. Then write your reflection toward those sources, not the other way around.