The Essential Building Blocks of Effective MTSS Teams

Where are you with your Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) implementation? Are you at the beginning and want to make sure you set up your school for success? Or have you started your MTSS program, but spend more time in meetings discussing problems rather than solutions for students?

According to experts during the edLeader Panel “How to Structure MTSS Teams for Better Student Outcomes: Collaboration, Action, and Accountability,” the key is your MTSS teams. The panelists shared their experiences with and strategies for developing productive teams for an effective implementation.

Watch the On-Demand Recording 👇

Start With Strong MTSS Team Structures

First, schools and districts should conduct an audit of their current MTSS team structure. If applicable, or for new programs, have self-reflections on how the teams should function. The goal is to create a solid infrastructure for communication, collaboration, and evidence-based instruction. In addition, they need knowledgeable and diverse leadership teams to push implementation that leads to school improvement. Thus, administrators should think carefully about who will serve on each team. (For smaller schools, some staff may serve on multiple teams.)

Then, they recommend creating designated teams for each level of MTSS oversight and support:

• District-level team: Meeting three times per year, this team focuses on evaluating and strengthening districtwide resources to support MTSS.
• School-level team: Also meeting a minimum of three times a year, they should come together after the universal screeners are scored. They look at whether or not it’s a healthy school according to MTSS guidelines—meeting the academic, behavioral, and SEL needs of 80% of the student body—and develop plans for improved support.
• Grade/content team: They create and review ongoing intervention plans and, if necessary, refer students who are not making adequate progress with Tier 2 interventions to the student support team. They should meet for at least one planning period per month.
• Individual student support team: This team problem solves and plans intensive supports for students with significant behavioral or learning needs. Depending on the size of the school’s Tier 3 population, they could meet weekly or biweekly.

Define Clear Roles and Keep Meetings Focused

Within each team, there are four key roles:

1. Meeting leader (organizer): They create the meeting agenda, determining what data will be reviewed, the goal or outcome of the review, and how the goal will be met.
2. Meeting facilitator: This person will review the agenda, make sure the meeting stays on topic, and move the meeting forward if participants get stuck.
3. Timekeeper: They will assist the facilitator with knowing how long each part of the meeting should take and keeping them on task.
4. Notetaker: Of course, there should be someone taking detailed notes, including decisions and action items.

As for making sure the meetings actually happen, the panelists suggested a few strategies. First, schedule all meetings before the beginning of the school year when setting administrative and staff calendars. Don’t leave scheduling until after a meeting happens. Second, put designated time in the day for the grade and individual support team meetings when the teachers don’t have any student responsibilities.

• Resource: MTSS Meetings Guide

Just as important as the people in the room for the meetings are the structures of the meetings themselves. The meetings are at the heart of the problem-solving cycle in MTSS, and when there’s a uniform structure that mirrors the problem-solving process, it leads to efficiencies. Every agenda should focus on five main areas:

1. Identify the need: What are we trying to improve? What learning or behavior is expected, and what is actually occurring?
2. Analyze the need: What patterns or possible causes do we find in the evidence that we have using all data sources at our disposal?
3. Create a plan: What are we going to do about it? What is the intervention plan?
4. Implement: How will the plan be carried out and monitored?
5. Evaluate: Was our plan successful? Was the plan delivered with fidelity, and what is the impact on closing the gap to an expected level of performance?

Use Data and Problem-Solving to Drive Results

Most importantly, everyone needs to understand how to collect, input, and analyze the data. MTSS is based on data-driven decision making, and all staff need to understand how the data is used to improve student outcomes. The panelists recommended having a program that provides you with a comprehensive collection and monitoring system, like Branching Minds, for example.

While there may be specific individuals assigned to enter data, all teachers should become familiar with the system and how the data is used. Moreover, schools should collect qualitative as well as quantitative data because personal student observations are just as critical to understanding student behavior and performance.

Finally, if there isn’t overall district support for MTSS, the panelists recommended starting with a small group of teachers and students who already buy into the process. Once other teachers and administrators see the progress, they will be on board as well.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, sponsored by Branching Minds, on How to Structure MTSS Teams for Better Student Outcomes: Collaboration, Action, and Accountability.

You can find the original version of this article on EdWeb, available here.