The Branching Minds 2023 Virtual MTSS Summit

A multi-day virtual event packed with engaging sessions, insightful keynotes, and discussion about the most impactful practices in MTSS.

The Branching Minds MTSS Summit provides an opportunity for attendees to join a national community of practice, share resources and insights with other education leaders, and build inspiration and knowledge to take back to their teams and communities.

This year's event featured a half-day pre-conference (12/5), plus two half-days of professional learning (12/6 & 12/7), focused on empowering educators, streamlining MTSS systems, and supporting ALL students.

Check out the full schedule here. ➡️ ➡️

The Call for Proposals is OPEN!

Presenting at the Branching Minds 2023 Virtual MTSS Summit is a great opportunity to build your MTSS network, showcase best practices, and share stories of successful collaborations, lessons learned, and solutions to common MTSS challenges. Plus, selected presenters receive complimentary event registration!

Whether you are a first-time submitter/presenter or a veteran presenter, we welcome your submission. Please read the following details carefully before you begin your proposal, and be sure to submit it on or before July 13, 2023.

Steps to submit a proposal:

Confirm your availability on December 6 & 7, which are the main event days of the 2023 MTSS Summit.

Gather all details for your submission, including:

A proposed session title, 1-paragraph description, and 3-5 learning objectives
The target audience for your session (school/district leaders, MTSS Directors/Coordinators, interventionists, school psychologists, etc.)
With which track your proposed session best aligns:
- Empowering Educators
- Streamlining Systems
- Supporting Students
Whether you will have co-presenters, and who they will be (name, email, job title, school/district/organization name)

Submit your proposal on or before July 13, 2023. You will be emailed a copy of your submission for your records.

Acceptance notifications will be sent in late August 2023. Selected presenters will receive complimentary registration to this year's MTSS Summit.

Featured Speakers

Dr. George Batsche

Professor of School Psychology and Director Emeritus of the Institute for School Reform, University of South Florida

Dr. George M. Batsche is a Professor and Director Emeritus of the Institute for School Reform at the University of South Florida. He is Co-Director of the Florida Statewide Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention Project for the Florida Department of Education. In addition, Dr. Batsche co-directs the Student Support Services, Shared Services Network and Coordinated Student Health Projects for the Florida Department of Education.

In the past 15 years, Dr. Batsche has received more than $30 million dollars in grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Florida Department of Education and private foundations. The majority of his work has focused on systems of implementing academic and behavior interventions for at-risk students.

Dr. Batsche's experience includes work as a university professor and researcher, school psychologist, district-level administrator, building principal and consultant to school districts and state agencies regarding implementation of problem-solving/response to intervention. Dr. Batsche is a co-author of the book, Response to Intervention: Policy Considerations and Implementation (2005), "Response to Intervention: Competing Views" in the journal, Assessment for Effective Intervention (2006), and "Statewide Implementation of Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention: The Florida Initiative" in the book The Handbook of Response to Intervention: The Science and Practice of Assessment and Intervention (2007).

Dr. Sheldon Berman

Educational Leader and Author

On January 1, 2021, Dr. Sheldon H. Berman was appointed AASA’s Lead Superintendent for Social-Emotional Learning after serving 28 years as superintendent in four districts—Hudson, MA; Jefferson County (Louisville), KY; Eugene, OR; and Andover, MA. In this role, Dr. Berman is leading AASA’s SEL Cohort of school districts and providing direct consultation and support to districts intent on deepening their SEL implementation.

Prior to his work with AASA, he served as superintendent of the Andover Public Schools in Massachusetts from July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020. During his tenure in Andover, he launched a new strategic plan focused on innovation and authentic learning. The district instituted innovative programs in authentic learning such as capstone projects for 5^th, 8^th and 12^th graders, innovation labs and maker spaces, and a high school global network focused on the United Nations sustainability goals. Building on prior work in Hudson and Jefferson County, he and his staff continued the development an innovative elementary social studies program, One Community, One Nation, that integrates social studies, literacy and the arts and is focused on the themes of community, culture and civics K through 5. The district also pursued major initiatives in the areas of social-emotional learning, cultural proficiency, universal design for learning, and inquiry-based approaches to instruction. In addition, he initiated a major effort to address dyslexia and other reading challenges through early identification, progress monitoring, intervention programming, and comprehensive professional development in reading for all regular and special education teachers. This resulted in significant reading gains on the state assessment. He also initiated the development of a long-range facilities plan to address longstanding facilities issues that resulted in state collaboration in the replacement of an elementary school and a preschool.

AJ Crabill

Conservator, DeSoto ISD; Director of Governance, Council of the Great City Schools

Improving student outcomes is airick journey crabill’s relentless focus. His passion to improve student outcomes is rooted in his past: bounced in and out of foster care, he attended eleven different schools as a child. Guided by the idea that student outcomes don’t change until adult behaviors change and drawing on his intimate familiarity with the triumphs and terrors of America’s safety nets for children, he has devoted much of his adult life to advocating for the well-being of the United States' most vulnerable youth. He currently serves as the Conservator at DeSoto (TX) Independent School District. During his guidance, DeSoto made double digit literacy gains and improved from having F ratings in areas of academics, finance, and governance to the district earning B ratings. He’s also Education Faculty at the Leadership Institute of Nevada where he trains cohorts of aspiring principals and superintendents; Collaborator with the Effective School Boards Initiative, a nationwide school board research consortium; and National Director of Governance at the Council of the Great City Schools in Washington, DC where he leads school board supports for the nation’s largest urban school systems.

He served as Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency and he spearheaded reforms as board chair of Kansas City (MO) Public Schools that doubled the percentage of students who are literate and numerate and, eventually, led KCPS to full accreditation for the first time in decades. Crabill received the Education Commission of the State's James Bryant Conant Award, which recognizes extraordinary individual contributions to education. A former tech entrepreneur, when not providing education leadership and coaching across the nation, he still enjoys coding, training high schoolers in student-led restorative practices, experimenting with flavorful recipes, serving as a CASA volunteer, and zooming around on his electric unicycle. Crabill has helped raise five young people.

Dr. Judy Elliott

Education Consultant, EduLead, LLC

Judy Elliott is the former Chief Academic Officer of the Los Angeles Unified School District where she was responsible for curriculum and instruction early childhood through adult education, professional development, innovation, accountability and assessment, and programs for all students including English language learners, Standard English learners, students with disabilities, and gifted.

Before that she was the Chief of Teaching and Learning in the Portland Oregon Public Schools; and prior to that an Assistant Superintendent of Long Beach Unified School District in CA. Judy also was a Senior Researcher at the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota. She started her career as a classroom teacher and then school psychologist.

Judy continues to assist districts, national organizations, state departments of education in their efforts to update and realign curriculum frameworks, instruction, and assessment, and accountability that include all students. Her research interests focus on systems change and reform, effective instruction for all students, and data-based decision making for accountability and accelerated student achievement.

She has trained thousands of staff, teachers, and administrators in the U.S. and abroad in areas of integrated service delivery systems, leadership, effective use of data, inclusive schooling that include linking assessment to classroom intervention, strategies and tactics for effective instruction, curriculum adaptation, collaborative teaching and behavior management. She has published over 51 articles, book chapters, technical/research reports and books. Judy sits on editorial boards for professional journals and is active in many professional organizations. She is nationally known for her work in Response to Instruction and Intervention and has led many successful initiatives and projects around that effort.

Dr. Paul LeMahieu

Senior Advisor to the President, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Paul G. LeMahieu is Senior Advisor to the President at the Carnegie Foundation and
graduate faculty in the College of Education, University of Hawai‘i – Mānoa. LeMahieu
served as Superintendent of Education for the State of Hawai‘i, the chief educational and
executive officer of the only state system that is a unitary school district, serving 190,000
students; prior to that he was Undersecretary of Educational Policy and Research for the
State of Delaware. He has been President of the National Association of Test Directors
and Vice President of the American Educational Research Association. He served on the National Academy of Sciences' Board on International Comparative Studies in
Education, Mathematical Sciences Board, National Board on Testing Policy, and the
National Board on Professional Teaching Standards. His current professional interests
focus on the adaptation of improvement science methodologies for application in
networks in education. He is a co-author of the book Learning to improve: How
America’s schools can get better at getting better (2015), and lead author of the volume
Working to improve: Seven approaches to quality improvement in education (2017). He
is currently working on a book on Practical Measurement for Improvement. Paul has a
Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.Ed. from Harvard University, and an A.B.
from Yale College.

Dr. Claudia Rinaldi

The Joan Weiler Arnow ’49 Professor of Education & Program Chair of Education, Lasell University

Professor Claudia Rinaldi focuses her work and research on the implementation of comprehensive school reform efforts using evidenced-based models including Response to Intervention, Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports, and Multi-Tier System of Support. Her experience engages educators on how to improve systems and instructional practices for students with reading difficulties who may be at-risk for failure, or those who are English language learners and who may have mild and moderate disabilities.

Rinaldi serves as member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Board of Directors, as a member of the Advisory Board for the Response to Intervention (RTI) Action Network at the National Center of Learning Disabilities, and as a reviewer for the National Center on Response to Intervention and the National Center of Intensive Interventions.

She is author and co-author of several publications on Response to Intervention (RTI), behavior disorders, learning disabilities, and issues related to English language learners. Her most recent articles appear in the Journal of Education, the Journal of Multiculturalism in Education, Teaching Exceptional Children, Intervention in School and Clinic, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, and has a book called Practical Ways to Engage all Struggling Learners: A Multi-tier Instructional Approach to Using Hi-Lo Books by Saddleback Publishing, San Diego, CA.

Before joining Lasell University, Rinaldi was an Assistant Director at the Urban Special Educational Leadership Collaborative at Education Development Center, Inc., Assistant Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education and Teacher Education Program at Boston College and, before that, in the Department of Special Education at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.

MTSS Summit Agenda At-A-Glance

All sessions will be virtual. Schedule subject to change.

Tuesday, Dec. 5 [Pre-Conference]
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Pre-Conference Keynote with Dr. Sheldon Berman
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET	Pre-Conference Workshops
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM ET	Break
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET	Branching Minds MTSS Platform Deep Dive
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET	Optional networking, virtual exhibitor hall open
Wednesday, Dec. 6 [Main Event Day 1]
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Opening Keynote with AJ Crabill
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET	Session block 1
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET	Break
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET	Live Podcast Conversation with Dr. George Batsche and Dr. Judy Elliott
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM ET	Break
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM ET	Session block 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM ET	Optional networking, virtual exhibitor hall open
Thursday, Dec. 7 [Main Event Day 2]
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Morning Keynote with Dr. Paul LeMahieu
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET	Session block 3
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET	Optional networking, virtual exhibitor hall open
1:30 PM - 1:45 PM ET	Break
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM ET	Session block 4
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET	Break
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET	Closing Keynote with Dr. Claudia Rinaldi

MTSS Summit Agenda At-A-Glance

Tuesday, December 5	Pre-Conference
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Opening Keynote Lecture
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET	Workshops
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM ET	Break
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM ET	Product Session
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM ET	Optional networking, exhibitor area open
Wednesday, December 6	Main Event [Day 1]
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Opening Keynote Lecture
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET	Session block 1
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET	Break
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET	Live Podcast Conversation
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM ET	Break
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM ET	Session block 2
3:45 - 4:00 PM ET	Optional networking, exhibitor area open OR Ignite closing lecture
Thursday, December 7	Main Event [Day 2]
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET	Keynote Lecture
12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET	Break
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM ET	Session block 3
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET	Break
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET	Session block 4
2:30 PM - 2:45 PM ET	Break
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM ET	Closing Keynote Lecture
3:45 - 4:00 PM ET	Optional networking, exhibitor area open

2023 Virtual MTSS Summit

Empowering Educators. Streamlining Systems. Supporting Students.

December 5 - 7, 2023

A multi-day virtual event packed with engaging sessions, insightful keynotes, and discussion about the most impactful practices in MTSS.

The Branching Minds MTSS Summit provides an opportunity for attendees to join a national community of practice, share resources and insights with other education leaders, and build inspiration and knowledge to take back to their teams and communities.

This year's event featured a half-day pre-conference (12/5), plus two half-days of professional learning (12/6 & 12/7), focused on empowering educators, streamlining MTSS systems, and supporting ALL students.

Check out the full schedule here. ➡️ ➡️

Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals is OPEN!

The 2023 MTSS Summit in Numbers