Introduction

              The mission of the AMA Educational Service District is “to serve and support student achievement.” To this end, this document has been provided by the ESD to support districts in their efforts to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient MTSS framework with the cornerstone of using data to guide decisions within a problem-solving process.

A growing body of research supports the implementation of MTSS in academics and behavior to foster student engagement, positive social interactions, and academic achievement for all students (Brown-Chidsey & Steege, 2010). A problem-solving process is imperative for successful implementation of an MTSS framework. Because rapid response is a critical component of MTSS and effective intervention, we must have efficient methods for collecting and analyzing multiple sources of data, at all levels of operation, to make decisions within a problem-solving model. 

Ultimately, this guide provides schools and districts within the AMA ESD with detailed information on the problem-solving process at each tier. It provides tools that can be used or adapted at the individual student, small group, classroom, and grade level. It is the goal of the AMA ESD to develop guiding documents for school and district level problem-solving as well. As a result, this guide will continue to be revised and updated to better meet the needs of districts and schools.