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There is a learning curve for all educators working through the Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) to help identify students’ needs. As a former school psychologist, I often made recommendations on effective ways to support students in school and on following MTSS processes.
I’ve heard it said many school psychologists, case managers, and other student support team members have fallen into the position of reviewing student interventions that were tried but not “evidence-based.” Or perhaps, having to explain to a colleague that there wasn’t sufficient data to qualify moving a student between tiers, much less qualify for special education.
In my experience, I found that MTSS processes ensured that before a student is ever evaluated for special education, the continuum of support based upon the student's identified needs has already been provided, documented, and it was already determined if the prior interventions were working.
That being said, it may not be easy for any school team member to remind a colleague to follow a process. Reiterating to my colleagues the critical need to follow the MTSS processes was one of the essential parts of my role. This discussion provided the opportunity for me to help teachers understand the process for supporting growth and meeting the needs of all students.
The Power of MTSS
What makes MTSS so powerful is that it’s a flexible, collaborative system, and most importantly, it allows us to support students thoughtfully and intentionally. MTSS is grounded in thoughtful analysis of available data and intentional decision-making using the problem-solving process.
The challenge for me was not to define MTSS to teachers one at a time. Instead, I found that discussing MTSS processes was a great way to build internal relationships and support my colleagues. When a robust and meaningful MTSS process is more transparent and user-friendly to all teachers, the culture and success of the school improve, and it’s far more effective when the school system works in the same direction by utilizing consistent procedures and common language.
MTSS Intervention Process Flowchart
We have developed a flowchart outlining MTSS processes that many teachers and school teams have found helpful. Although the flowchart is universally written and should work in most settings, we understand that each school is unique and has its own language and systems.
As schools adopt MTSS processes similar to those outlined in this flowchart, many teachers will find comfort knowing what to expect. Not only can they expect high-quality support for students at all tiers, but they can also rely on meaningful collaboration with their colleagues at all phases of the process.
MTSS truly relies on school teams working together and sharing ownership of student needs. There is tremendous evidence supporting the power of an effective MTSS system to improve student outcomes for struggling learners and improve student outcomes for ALL learners.
Key MTSS TermsMTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports): A multi-tiered support foundation that wraps around a school’s entire student body. Data is gathered and utilized to address academic and non-academic needs, such as attendance and social-emotional concerns, ensuring a holistic approach to support. Core Instruction: The instructional strategies used routinely with all students in a general education setting are considered “core instruction.” Differentiation: Tailoring instruction for ALL students' readiness levels, interests, strengths, and learning preferences. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): The curriculum and/or strategies taught are specifically designed to develop the skillset for understanding and managing emotions, building resilience, problem-solving, and developing healthy relationships. Students learn from explicit instruction as well as from the actions and behaviors they are observing from others. Intervention/Support: Intervention is a program or set of steps to help students improve in a specific area of need. Intervention can provide support with academic, behavioral, and/or social-emotional needs. The interventions provided to students should be research-based, explicitly matched to students’ needs, set for a certain number of weeks, and then frequently reviewed for progress. Universal Screening: When Universal Screeners are used three times a year, they provide valuable information about each student's areas of strength and need and can offer a snapshot of progress over time. The data from universally screening students helps educators keep abreast of any changes in student learning. Tiers: MTSS, as a foundation, provides academic, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions organized into tiers (or levels) of support.
Progress Monitoring: Progress Monitoring is used frequently (weekly/bi-weekly, depending on support) to assess a student’s progress to determine the effectiveness of support provided to a student. |
Citation
Tomlinson, C., & Moon, T. R. (2013, September). Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom, Chapter 1. Differentiation: An overview. Retrieved May 13, 2021, http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108028/chapters/Differentiation@-An-Overview.aspx Make Your MTSS Vision a Reality
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