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The Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM)  in conjunction with Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL)  provides schools and districts with a well-coordinated, seamless design for providing intervention services to struggling readers. The CIM employs a systemic approach to reverse the reading failures of struggling readers through layered interventions, including differentiated classroom instruction and supplemental interventions in small groups or one-to-one. The interventions are delivered in two waves of literacy defense:  the first wave is K-3  and the second wave is 4-12 . The goal of Wave 1 is to increase the overall literacy achievement by the end of third grade and to reduce the number of children identified with learning disabilities within 1.5% or less of the general population. In Wave 2 (4-12 grades), interventions focus on research-based strategies for reading and writing in the content areas.

The CIM is a systemic approach to literacy improvement. Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders  and Literacy Coaches  are viewed as agents of system change. Within the CIM, Reading Recovery teacher leaders provide specialized training and ongoing professional development for intervention teachers, who work with struggling readers in K-3 grades, including Reading Recovery  in first grade. Literacy Coaches provide training and support for classroom teachers who work with intervention groups in the classrooms. At the intermediate and middle school levels, literacy coaches spend up to 40% of their time working with small groups of struggling readers daily.

The system goal of the CIM is to change the achievement profile of a school by providing:  a) research-based interventions that increase the literacy levels of low-performing children, and b) training and professional development for teachers that increase their knowledge and expertise in teaching the lowest children.