Step 02
Problem Analysis
Why is the problem or gap occurring?
What happens in this step?
This step is about understanding why the student's area of need exists. Your team gathers additional information, analyzes possible contributing factors, and determines the most likely reason the student is not meeting expectations.
Goal: Identify and validate the most likely cause of the student's area of need before designing an intervention.
Analyze Contributing Factors
Consider whether instruction (how we teach), curriculum (what we teach), environment (where we teach), or learner characteristics (who we teach) are contributing to the concern.
Develop a Hypothesis
Use the available information to identify the most likely reason the student is not meeting expectations. See hypothesis for what makes a strong one.
Select Diagnostic Assessments
Choose assessments, observations, or other diagnostic information needed to confirm or rule out the hypothesis.
Validate Hypothesis
Review the diagnostic results to determine whether the evidence supports your hypothesis. See hypothesis validation for how this decision is made.
Key Output
A validated, data-based hypothesis that identifies the most likely cause of the student's area of need and provides the foundation for intervention planning.
Once you have a validated hypothesis, your team can begin designing a targeted intervention plan. If additional information is needed, continue the problem analysis process until the hypothesis has been validated.