Hatching Tier Two and Three Interventions in Your Secondary School Counseling Program

Whitney Triplett is a vision-driven leader committed to advancing equity, access, and the success of all students through highly intentional, comprehensive school counseling programs. As Vice President at Hatching Results, she leads the Partner Services department, setting vision, strategy, and impact goals with a focus on change management and implementation fidelity across districtwide school counseling systems.Whitney is the co-author of the bestselling texts Hatching Results for Secondary School Counseling: Implementing Core Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, and Other Tier One Activities (Hatch, Triplett, Duarte, & Gomez, 2019) and Hatching Tier 2 and 3 Interventions in Your Elementary School Counseling Program (Hatch, Kruger, Pablo, & Triplett, 2019). She brings deep expertise in facilitating professional learning and providing strategic thought partnership to school counselors, site administrators, district leaders, and state education agencies, thereby strengthening student outcomes in measurable and meaningful ways.Before joining Hatching Results, Whitney served in the central office of Chicago Public Schools, where she supported more than 800 school counselors and college and career coaches. During this time, she also served on the board of the Illinois School Counselor Association and chaired its statewide task force to update the Illinois School Counseling Model. For this work, she was recognized as the 2018 Illinois School Counseling Advocate of the Year.Earlier in her career as a high school counselor, Whitney earned RAMP recognition in 2011 and received an Oppenheimer Recognition Award for her collaborative efforts to raise her school’s Freshman On Track rate by developing innovative progress-monitoring tools for student achievement, attendance, and behavior. An Education Pioneers alum, Whitney remains passionate about transforming schools so that every student in the nation has equitable access to a high-quality education—including a comprehensive school counseling program.Vanessa Gomez, Ed.D., is a passionate change agent with three decades of service in education, including 23 years as a school counselor across all levels, from elementary to alternative education. She currently serves as the Director of Equity & Access for San Jacinto Unified School District, where she leads the implementation of the district’s Equity and Access Plan.A recognized leader in school counseling, Vanessa has led award-winning teams and specializes in developing and implementing comprehensive school counseling programs grounded in a Multi-Tiered Multi-Domain System of Support. She has expertise in crisis response, suicide prevention protocol development, and professional development training in social-emotional wellness, cultural proficiency, and trauma-informed practices.Vanessa served as an adjunct faculty member in the School Counseling and School Psychology department at San Diego State University, where she was honored with the Most Influential Faculty Award. During her career as a school counselor, she was named one of the Top 10 School Counselors in the American School Counselor Association. Vanessa earned her doctorate from San Diego State University, where her dissertation focused on implementing trauma-informed approaches in schools.In addition to her leadership role, she has been a Lead Professional Learning Specialist for Hatching Results and co-author of Hatching Results for Secondary School Counselors: Implementing Core Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, and Other Tier One Activities (Hatch, Triplett, Duarte, & Gomez, 2019). In 2024, she was recognized as Advocate of the Year by the California Association of School Counselors. Earlier in her career as a high school counselor, Whitney earned RAMP recognition in 2011 and received an Oppenheimer Recognition Award for her collaborative efforts to raise her school’s Freshman On Track rate by developing innovative progress-monitoring tools for student achievement, attendance, and behavior. An Education Pioneers alum, Whitney remains passionate about transforming schools so that every student in the nation has equitable access to a high-quality education—including a comprehensive school counseling program.Danielle Duarte, Ed.L.D. is passionate about supporting students’ academic success, college and career readiness, and social-emotional development while using data to demonstrate the impact of comprehensive school counseling programs. A former school counselor, counseling grant project director, and adjunct faculty member, Danielle now serves as President of Hatching Results, where she leads national efforts to strengthen data-driven school counseling systems.She earned her doctorate in Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her doctoral capstone focused on increasing racial equity in advanced coursework within a large, diverse school district.Earlier in her career, Danielle successfully wrote and directed a $1.1 million Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program Grant for her district – hiring, training, and supporting school counselors in the development of comprehensive programs. She also taught future school counselors as an adjunct professor at San Diego State University and the University of San Francisco. Over the past decade, she has trained thousands of educators nationwide and co-authored two books: Hatching Results for Elementary (2017) and Secondary (2019) School Counseling.Danielle has served on the Board of Directors for the California Association of School Counselors, including as President, and on the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (UC Davis) Board. She is also a certified Harvard Data Wise Coach and AVID Staff Developer.Featured in San Diego Magazine’s “17 Big Ideas for 2017: Let’s Implement More School Counseling Programs,” Danielle believes every student can succeed with the right systems of support and well-trained school counselors leading the way. Trish Hatch, Ph.D. is a nationally recognized leader in school counseling, known for her work bridging research, practice, and policy. A former school counselor, administrator, and district leader, she joined the faculty at San Diego State University (SDSU), where she directed the School Counseling Program from 2004 to 2015 and was later named Professor Emeritus upon her retirement. As Founder and Board Chair of Hatching Results, Inc., she continues to provide governance leadership while the company delivers nationwide training and consultation on data-driven, evidence-based practicesDr. Hatch is the best-selling author of The Use of Data in School Counseling: Hatching Results for Students, Programs, and the Profession (2014) and co-author, with Julie Hartline, of the Second Edition (2023). She co-authored Evidence-Based School Counseling: Making a Difference With Data-Driven Practices (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007) and The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (ASCA, 2003, 2005). This seminal document redefined the role of school counselors nationwide.Additional textsin the Hatching Results series include Hatching Results for Elementary School Counseling: Implementing Core Curriculum and Other Tier One Activities (Hatch, Duarte, & De Gregorio, 2018); Hatching Results for Secondary School Counseling: Implementing Core Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, and Other Tier One Activities (Hatch, Triplett, Duarte, & Gomez, 2019); and Hatching Tier Two and Three Interventions in Your Elementary School Counseling Program (Hatch, Kruger, Pablo Roman, & colleagues, 2019)Known for her dynamic leadership, passionate advocacy, and unwavering commitment to the profession, Dr. Hatch served as an expert consultant on school counseling for the Obama administration at the White House and the U.S. Department of Education. She also co-led the 2014 White House Convening on School Counseling at SDSU in partnership with the Office of the First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative.A former ASCA Vice President and state association president, Dr. Hatch has received numerous honors, including the ASCA Administrator of the Year Award, the Mary Gehrke Lifetime Achievement Award, induction into the H.B. McDaniel Hall of Fame at Stanford University, the NACAC Excellence in Education Award, and recognition by the California Association of School Counselors (CASC) as both School Counselor Educator of the Year and recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award.

"This book is a powerful and timely contribution to the field of school counseling. It clearly demonstrates that Tier 2 and 3 services are most effective when they are intentional, structured, and grounded in both evidence and the real-world demands of schools. The authors provide practical, usable strategies and tools that counselors can implement immediately to support students who need targeted intervention.What makes this work especially compelling is its deep respect for the complexity of students’ lives and the realities counselors face. The Tier 2 and 3 framework presented here bridges research and practice, empowering school counselors to move from reactive support to purposeful, data-informed action. This book affirms that when Tier 2 and 3 services are thoughtfully designed within an MTMDSS framework, they can be transformative—strengthening student outcomes, promoting equity, and reinforcing the critical role of school counselors as leaders, advocates, and change agents.This is simply a must-read and must-use book."

• FOREWORDACKNOWLEDGMENTSABOUT THE EDITORSCONTRIBUTING AUTHORSLEARNING TARGETSCHAPTER 1: MULTI-TIERED, MULTI-DOMAIN SYSTEM OF SUPPORTSA Framework for Tier 2An Introduction to MTSS in EducationBeginnings in RTI and PBISMTSS 101MTSS and School CounselingConnecting MTSS to School Counseling Domains: MTMDSSMulti-Tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports (MTMDSS)Tier 1: Universal Support—For All Students (100%)Tier 2: Supplemental Support—For Some Students (~15%–20%)Tier 3: Intensified Support—For a Few Students (~5%–10%)MTMDSS Alignment to TextAligning MTMDSS With the ASCA National ModelAligning MTMDSS With the ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and CompetenciesAligning MTMDSS With the ASCA Ethical StandardsAligning MTMDSS With the ASCA Position StatementsMTMDSS AssessmentCHAPTER 2: NEW APPROACHES TO TIER 2: SHIFTING PARADIGMS AND PDSAShifting ParadigmsGuidance Versus School CounselingData-Driven Versus Referral-DrivenEffective Referral Systems and FormsRole Clarification and AlignmentDistrictwide AlignmentFrom Random Interventions to a Systemic ApproachPlan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA): A Continuous Improvement CycleThe Four Steps in PDSAPDSA and School CounselingStep 1: Plan—Start With Data and Root Cause AnalysisStep 2: Do—Deliver the Intervention With FidelityStep 3: Study—Analyze Results and ReflectStep 4: Act—Decide What to Do NextWhy PDSA Matters for School CounselingCHAPTER 3: USING DATA AND WRITING GOALSData Basics for School CounselorsProcess DataPerception DataOutcome DataHatching Results Conceptual Diagram“Buckets” for Identifying Tier 2 Needs Through DataDemonstrated NeedsMissed OpportunitiesStudent GroupsWord Choices MatterFishnet ApproachFocusing Our Attention on School and District PrioritiesDisaggregating DataUtilizing Imperfect Data PlatformsTool for Using Data to Identify Students in Need of Tier 2 SupportGetting Started With the Planning ToolBucket and Data IndicatorSpecific Data Cut PointsTargeted Students or Student GroupsTime Frame/Frequency for Reviewing DataWriting Effective Goals to Drive Equitable Student OutcomesDeveloping Inclusive, Equitable SMARTIE GoalsInclusive GoalsEquitable GoalsAligning Goals With School and District PrioritiesCHAPTER 4: DETERMINING ROOT CAUSES AND SELECTING INTERVENTIONSDetermining Root CausesIdentifying the “Why”How to Conduct a Root Cause AnalysisThe 5 Whys TechniquePre-Intervention SurveysMinute MeetingsEmpathy InterviewsAdditional Ways to Get to the Root of the ProblemAcquisition Needs, Performance Concerns, and Systemic IssuesSelecting Interventions: Matching Support to the Root CauseDon’t Just Treat the Visible SymptomBest Practices for Matching the Root Cause to the InterventionCHAPTER 5: TYPES OF TIER 2 INTERVENTIONSDirect Tier 2 Supports and InterventionsSmall-Group CounselingWorkshops or SeminarsIndividual CounselingPost-Discipline or Post-Suspension CounselingRestorative Practices and MeetingsConflict MediationCheck-In/Check-Out (CICO)Other Innovative, Direct Tier 2 ProgrammingIndirect Tier 2 Supports and InterventionsConsultation and CollaborationTeacher and Staff EducationTargeted Caregiver Support and EducationReferral to In-School and Outside ResourcesTier 2 Services Based on a Demographic Indicator“Closing the Gap” InterventionsIntervening to Change the SystemCHAPTER 6: PLANNING FOR INTERVENTIONSBeginning a Plan of Action for Tier 2 InterventionsHow to Complete a Tier 2 Action Plan: Utilizing a Chapter Case StudyTarget Group and SMARTIE GoalTitle/Type of Tier 2 Activity and Content (Process Data)Materials and Resources Needed (Process Data)When and For How Long? (Process Data)Number of Students (Process Data)ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors (Perception Data)Attitudes, Knowledge, and Skills to Be Measured (Perception Data)Achievement-Related and Achievement Data (Outcome Data)Continuing With the Chapter Case Study for More Intervention PlanningPlan Phase, Part 2: Steps 5–7Step 5: Select Standards and Write Measurable ObjectivesStep 6: Develop a Pre- and Post-Test to Measure Student LearningStep 7: Write Lesson Plans for the Interventions and Plan for LogisticsEvidence-Based School Counseling and Tier 2 InterventionsEBSC and Research-Based Curriculum/ProgramsCollaboration to Create Tier 2 InterventionsThe Art and Science of Tier 2 School Counseling InterventionsPutting It All Together: Evidence, Reflection, and ImpactCHAPTER 7: PLANNING FOR SMALL GROUPSWhy Small Groups MatterPlanning for LogisticsGroup CompositionGender-Specific Groups Versus Mixed-Gender GroupsFamily/Caregiver NotificationInformed Consent and AssentActive ConsentPassive ConsentCreating Student Information System Queries to Support Tier 2 GroupsScheduling GroupsFlex Periods: An Ideal OptionOptions for Traditional or Block SchedulesUtilizing Lunch and Break Times: Proceed With CautionCalendaring Small Groups at the Beginning of the School YearSmall-Group Counseling ToolboxKnowledge of the Developmental Phases of GroupsBasic Counseling Skills in Small GroupsCultural ConsiderationsCreating StructureEffective ScreeningSetting the Tone and ExpectationsClarifying the Group’s PurposeEstablishing Group NormsCreating and Following RoutinesUse of Lesson Plan TemplatesEngagement StrategiesUsing Movement and MusicGames and CompetitionsPeer teachingVideo Recording as an Engagement StrategyYouth Participatory Action ResearchPeer Teaching Through VideosManagement StrategiesEffective Use of SpacePositive Language to Redirect BehaviorsReinforcements and IncentivesOther ConsiderationsBalancing Facilitation and LeadershipResponding to Difficult BehaviorsCollaborating With Educational PartnersAllowing for FlexibilityRecognizing When Some Students May Need MoreConclusionCHAPTER 8: TIER 3 INTENSIFIED SUPPORTFrom Crisis to SystemsWhat Is Tier 3?Aligning Tier 3 With the PDSA CycleThree Domains in Tier 3Efficient Use of Time for Tier 3 InterventionsShort-Term SupportAppropriate Use of Time for Tier 3 InterventionsIdentifying Students in Need of Tier 3 SupportsLack of Progress in Tier 2Targeted Data Identifying a Need for Intensified InterventionNew Student With Tier 3 Data NeedsExamples of Tier 3 Data Indicators for New StudentsReferral (Self, Peer, Staff, etc.) Requiring Immediate ActionCrisis Event (Academic, College/Career, Social/Emotional) That Triggers a Tier 3 ResponseTier 3 Support Spans All Three DomainsSocial/Emotional CrisisAcademic CrisisCollege and Career CrisesDirect Services in Tier 3Individual CounselingCheck-In/Check-Out (Tier 3 Version)Small-Group CounselingAlternative Placement Reentry CounselingIntensified Post-Suspension Reentry MeetingRestorative Counseling and CirclesStudent Intent-to-Register MeetingsIntensified Summer Melt SupportStudent Study Team MeetingsIEPs and 504 PlansProtocols and Assessments at Tier 3Child Protective Services (CPS)Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention ProtocolsSuicide Prevention ProtocolThreat-to-Others ProtocolsCrisis Response Protocols and PREPaREIndirect Tier 3 ServicesStudent-Centered MeetingsFamily/Caregiver MeetingsAcademic Intervention ProgramsMulti-Tiered System of Supports MeetingsAlternative PlacementCollege Bridge ProgramsCase ManagementReferral to Outside ResourcesEvidence-Based Tier 3 Curriculum and ProgramsDeveloping Trusting Educational PartnershipsCollaboration Within the School SystemCollaboration With the Local Educational AgencyCollaboration Outside the School SystemFamily PartnershipsTrusting Community PartnersMemoranda of Understanding and Releases of InformationResource MappingClosing Reflection: Leading Beyond the InterventionSummaryCHAPTER 9: PROGRESS MONITORING AND INTERVENTION EVALUATIONProgress Monitoring at Tiers 2 and 3Impact MonitoringGathering Meaningful Baseline DataFidelity MonitoringAdditional Progress Monitoring ToolsCollecting the Three Types of Data When Progress MonitoringEvaluating the InterventionDecision About the Intervention: Adopt, Adapt, or Abandon?Tool for Evaluating Intervention EffectivenessClosing: Do What Works—And Let Go of What Doesn’tCHAPTER 10: SHARING RESULTSSharing Results Is EssentialTurning Data Into a StorySharing Results: An Ethical and Professional ObligationTaking Ownership of Results With ProfessionalismMaking Results Visible: Going Beyond Spreadsheets and Results ReportsBringing Data to Life With GraphsTips for Creating Charts and GraphsSharing Results: Meaningful Ways to Inform and Engage Educational PartnersEasy-Ish Lifts (Minimal Prep, Big Visibility)Medium-Ish Lifts (Takes a Little More Time)Reach-Fors (High-Impact, Strategic Visibility)Flashlight Presentations for Tier 2 InterventionsThe Flashlight Presentation TemplateA Flashlight Presentation One-PagerASCA Achievement Gap Plan and Data ReportWhen to Share ResultsPresenting at Professional Venues (Board Meetings and Professional Conferences)Using National School Counseling Week and Other Opportunities to Share Counseling Program ResultsMarketing, Advocacy, and Systemic ChangeConclusion: Continuing the WorkINDEX