MTSS Framework – How Schools Support Students Through Problem Solving – Educators, Teachers, Schools

The MTSS framework is a series of evidence-based practices implemented across a system of learning to meet the varying needs of all students. Broader than a problem-solving process alone, it establishes a foundation of support focused on professional development, leadership, and empowering teachers to effectively assess and instruct. The MTSS process also consists of four essential problem-solving steps, which include:

1.  Defining the problem—The first step of MTSS involves determining the areas in which core instruction needs to be adjusted to meet the needs of at least 80% of the population. After core is analyzed and strengthened, PLCs (professional learning communities) should identify which students have gaps beyond what is being addressed in core instruction.  PLCs involved should determine what gaps exist and the services in which they have resources to provide.  It’s important early on to address any issues involving poor attendance, behavior, or other health barriers.

2.  Analyzing the data—MTSS is driven by data, so after defining the problem, data should be reviewed to solidify the cause. This cause could be a gap in certain domains of learning or a specific skill deficit. All relevant information and data should be gathered to determine any barriers that could inhibit progress towards the goal.

3.  Implementing an intervention plan—After identifying the issue and analyzing all relevant data, an intervention plan appropriate for the student’s unique needs should be designed and implemented. These interventions should be evidence-based and implemented to fidelity.

4.  Evaluating the intervention—It is critical that educators spend time with the intervention effectiveness evaluation. Educators should consider whether the intervention was successful and if the student responded effectively to the strategic or intensive instruction. If data showcases adequate progress of the group (tier 2) or individual (tier 3), the intervention can continue, but if the data does not indicate success, the PLC should carefully problem solve why desired results were not achieved.

This is a cyclical process that continues over a period of time until educators have created a system of support that positively impacts the students’ level of needs.

MTSS Professional Development – The MTSS Process and Decision Making for Educators, Teachers, Schools

 At i-LEADR, Inc., we often receive questions from teachers and district administrators about our MTSS professional development and what the process involves. Here are some of the questions we get asked most frequently and their answers.

Does MTSS have an impact on all students?

An essential component of every MTSS framework involves a universal screening of all students. One aspect of an effective MTSS framework is a core curriculum where every student receives high-quality, differentiated core instruction backed by evidence and engaging instructional strategies. As a result, a student’s need for intensive intervention or a special education evaluation is ideally not related to poor classroom instruction. In a properly implemented system, the strong differentiated core would provide students who are not struggling with extension opportunities to take their learning deeper.  Students who need catch-up support also have access to differentiated core as well as appropriately designed intervention systems.  In a recent meta-analysis study, John Hattie found that Response to Instruction has an effect rate of 1.29.  “Hattie found that the average effect size of all the interventions he studied was 0.40. Therefore, he decided to judge the success of influences relative to this ‘hinge point’, in order to find an answer to the question ‘What works best in education?’”

What does a universal screening involve?

A universal screening should be a brief assessment that provides valid, reliable, and accurate results for determining which students may develop behavioral or learning problems. All students are screened to determine who is at risk of academic problems, so intervention strategies can be identified and enacted as early as possible.

How do teachers monitor student progress?

Progress monitoring is an important aspect of any RTI decision making process, as it measures the performance of all students, both in general and special education classrooms. The methods used must present reliable strategies for helping teachers cater their instruction to be more effective, and they should be enacted at least every month, or more frequently depending on the student need. Regular progress monitoring can also help educators identify students not exhibiting adequate progress, compare the effectiveness of different instruction forms, and design more individualized instruction forms.

MTSS Framework for Educators, Teachers, School Districts – Common Misconceptions

As an educator or parent, you may have heard the trending buzzword in education, MTSS (Mult-tiered System of Support).  While you may have some basic knowledge about what it is, you may not fully grasp its purpose. In its simplest form, an MTSS framework helps teachers, schools, and districts identify struggling students, so they can implement strong core instruction and an early intervention program. Despite its importance, many misconceptions still exist about the MTSS process today, including the following:

1.  MTSS is a curriculum or program—The MTSS framework is a total school improvement process.  It is not a curriculum that teachers adopt and follow in their classroom. Rather, it is a proactive process that involves several elements, such as screening students early on in the school year, using evidence-based strategies during core instruction and interventions, providing staff with professional development, involving families in student-level problem solving and more.

2.  MTSS and special education are separate—The inclusive MTSS framework and special education programs are separate supports that feed into one another. All students who qualify for special education are still served a majority of the day in the general education classroom, where they also receive layered MTSS supports.  Rate of progress is determined after students receive appropriate levels of support, including differentiated core instruction and strategic (tier 2) and intensive (tier 3) interventions. If implemented to fidelity and a student is still exhibiting academic or behavior gaps, the team may decide to pursue a Special Education evaluation.  If the student is found eligible by the IEP team, data collected from the MTSS process is essential to determine student academic and behavioral goals and objectives while developing an IEP.

3.  All students are placed into interventions—The MTSS framework uses three tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3), and every student is involved. More specifically, teachers use methods to teach their students that are backed by research, and every student undergoes screening to determine who is responding to these evidence-based strategies and who is not. At the earliest point, students may be divided into small groups to account for varying areas of need and strengths.