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Tier 1 Practices Checklist for Teachers

A mirror, not a scorecard. Honest ratings are the useful ones.

A classroom self-assessment for the everyday practices that keep most students from ever needing Tier 2 — the ones that build belonging, prevent problems before they start, and respond to behavior with empathy.

Why this exists: most Tier 1 conversations happen at the system level — screeners, cut points, team meetings. This one happens at the classroom level, where a student either feels like they belong or doesn't. Areas of strength become chances to mentor a colleague; lower ratings point to where a little intentional effort will reach the most students.

1What's inside

Twenty-two practices across three areas, each rated 0 to 3 with room to note the evidence a colleague would actually see:

Relational practices (7). Belonging and connection — the trust you build before it's ever needed. Named welcomes, repair after a rough moment, peers lifting peers.
Proactive practices (9). A predictable, supportive environment that heads problems off early. Expectations taught and posted, pre-correction before transitions, a reset space offered without shame attached.
Responsive practices (6). Progressive, empathy-first responses when behavior needs your attention. Proximity as the first move, private prompts, restorative follow-up.

The last page tallies each area and turns the numbers into one concrete next step.

2How to use it

On your own. Rate honestly, based on how consistently each practice shows up in your room right now — not how you'd like it to.
With a team. Bring it to a PLC, grade-level team, or department meeting and compare ratings item by item.
As a coach. Use it to ground a classroom walkthrough or a reflective conversation, rather than arriving with a form the teacher hasn't seen.
This is a mirror, not a scorecard. It isn't an evaluation instrument and it shouldn't be used as one — the ratings are only useful if they're honest, and honesty disappears the moment the sheet is collected.

3Where it fits

If your screening data says the problem is bigger than a few students, the Tier 1 Assessment looks at the same question from the system side — four domains, scored and banded, for building leaders and whole teams.

This checklist is the classroom-level companion to that work. Most useful at the start of a year or semester, or after a walkthrough cycle when you're deciding what to grow next.

⬇ Download the checklist (PDF)
Five pages · 22 practices · No email required · Free to share

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The practices described here are drawn from widely used classroom management and multi-tiered support frameworks. They are not a certified evaluation instrument, and ratings on this checklist are not a measure of teaching quality. Adapt the items to your grade level, content area, and school context.