When I think of the word "culture," I equate it with traditions and success that live on forever through generations, celebrated, embodied, embraced, and most definitely something to be proud of. A standard definition of "cultured" is to be characterized by refined taste, manners, and good education.
Consequently, the same thoughts and equations come to mind when I imagine Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Culture in a school and a school community being MTSS Cultured. I have coined MTSS Culture and MTSS Cultured as terms that explain what must exist in schools for success to be evident in students and educators outside of test scores and data.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Defined |
As a former administrator and MTSS coordinator, I worked vigorously to ensure that my programs and school community clearly understood what MTSS was and how impactful MTSS is when implemented with fidelity. I created an environment where silos were non-existent because unity through collaboration and strategic planning became the norm. I believe this process led to an acceptance of MTSS, and subsequently, an MTSS Culture was established.
On my campuses, stakeholders began celebrating teachers, staff, students, and parents when they made strides within MTSS. All stakeholders felt accountable for success and failure, and most importantly, those who needed support were identified and quickly helped to succeed by their teams because silos were non-existent.
This was not an easy process; it took time before MTSS culture was evident on my campuses. Once it was apparent that my staff embraced MTSS Culture, it became very noticeable. Some examples:
When I witnessed all this, I realized that I had genuinely observed MTSS Cultured individuals working collaboratively to support students.
If school community stakeholders take advantage of MTSS and work to create an MTSS Culture that produces MTSS Cultured students, educators, parents/families, and community members; it will result in the following:
After I share my above thoughts, most school leaders are inspired but immediately ask me: “How do we develop MTSS Cultured students and school community members?” So, I gladly present four guiding tips to get you started.
I particularly love “starting tips” because they are essential instructions for beginning a particular activity or process for the first time to complete it successfully. My work with educators seeking to support students through MTSS always ends with me giving them the essential items and instructions to accomplish their goals. Below, please find four guiding tips for starting and establishing an MTSS Culture.
A clear plan for all stakeholders to follow, guide, and refer back to is crucial to building anMTSS culture. All stakeholders develop the MTSS handbook, and once it is established and approved, the handbook should NOT change year to year, outside of any needed staff changes or resources to be added or removed.
The handbook is most potent when it is memorialized for years to come and allows teachers to become familiar and comfortable with it, and that is a game changer. Confusion, frustration, chaos, and exclusion are muted, and collaboration, unity, inclusion, and success are amplified.
MTSS Handbook Quick Tip Takeaways:
Resources for your MTSS handbook:
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Protecting time for these components to happen consistently and efficiently builds capacity within all stakeholders to form positive habits that lead to effective implementation of MTSS practices/processes.
Meetings should include all internal stakeholders, and some meetings must include parents and guardians. This inclusion builds the habit and expectation of all stakeholders being involved in the educational process because everyone's input is valuable and essential. The meeting should also include celebrations.
Branching Minds has a meeting guide that walks educators—at every step of the MTSS process—through what is required of them and their peers to have successful meetings that lead to student success.
Building MTSS Meeting Guides and Consistent Habits Takeaways:
Resources you may find helpful: |
There should be multi-places on your campus that exhibit and celebrate student and educator success with MTSS and all the other wonderful things happening daily on your campus.
Build and Establish Traditions and Celebrations Quick Tip Takeaways:
Resources you may find helpful: |
We can all agree it is beyond tiring, unproductive, and not a culture anyone aspires. Instead, change that narrative and build a productive MTSS culture by having one platform that meets all of your school community’s MTSS needs.
Have an MTSS Platform Quick Tip Takeaway:
A resource you may find helpful: |
Creating an MTSS Culture takes time, attention, consistency, and dedication. It's not an easy task and requires hard work, but it is nevertheless worthwhile. Use these four guiding tips to begin developing your MTSS culture and keep moving towards completing it. You will know you are successful when MTSS cultured individuals and groups are thriving within your school community!
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