Mission and Definitions

MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS/MTSS DEFINITION

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a systematic, continuous-improvement framework in which data-based problem solving and decision-making is practiced across all levels of the educational system for supporting students.

• High-quality instruction and research-based tiered interventions aligned with identified individual needs based on student data.

• Frequent monitoring of student progress to enable results-based academic and/or behavioral decisions.

• Use of student response data in making important educational decisions, such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies.

The instructional approaches within the general education setting should result in academic and/or behavioral progress for the majority of the students (80%). Struggling students are identified using data-based progress monitoring and are provided intensive instruction. The use of a High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), as well as instructional methods expected in an MTSS model, that leads to school improvement.

MTSS is the system of providing high-quality instruction and intervention matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about change in instructional goals, and applying the student’s response data for important educational decisions.

The primary focus of MTSS is early intervention to prevent long-term academic failure.

• MTSS meets the goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) legislation by helping with early identification of struggling learners and by providing immediate intervention using scientifically research-based instruction, High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), and teaching methods in order to improve educational outcomes.

• MTSS is a prevention approach used to intervene early when students show signs of not meeting grade level standards.

• MTSS generates high-quality instruction/interventions matched to student needs. MTSS uses the student’s learning rate over time and level of performance to make educational decisions.

• MTSS can be used to make referral decisions for those students who do not respond to intensive intervention in the general education setting.

• MTSS provides data that can be used in the identification of students with specific learning disabilities, as opposed to the traditional discrepancy model used to determine eligibility for special education services.

• MTSS meets the educational needs of all students by providing direct, focused instruction to address the academic and/or behavioral needs.

MAJOR MTSS COMPONENTS AND DEFINITIONS

Data-Based Decision Making ­– Critical educational decisions are based on assessment results. Data are carefully analyzed to determine why academic or behavioral problems exist.

Universal Screening – Universal screening is the 1st step in identifying the students who are at risk for learning difficulties. Its main purpose is to evaluate academic and behavioral skills at the respective grade level and identify students whose performance is not consistent with that of their peers. Universal screeners are administered to all students three times per year (beginning, middle, and end) to determine as early as possible which students are not progressing in the core curriculum at the expected rate.

An effective and practical universal screener should be brief and simple so that it does not take a lot of instructional time and quickly identifies students who are lagging behind their peers. These assessments should also be simple enough to administer on a wide scale, and easy to grade and analyze without any specialized training.

Trends in universal screening data are analyzed to determine if core curriculum and instructional practices are meeting the needs of the majority of the students (80-90%). Students whose scores on the screening fall below a predetermined level/cut score (typically below 15%) are provided additional support and carefully monitored by the MTSS team.

Progress Monitoring – Progress monitoring is a scientifically research-based data collection process that illustrates student growth over time in the core curriculum and intervention.

After interventions are provided to identify students, frequent progress monitoring occurs. Data is collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of interventions, to make changes as needed, and to support decisions regarding moving students from tier to tier.

The data from progress monitoring provides a picture of the student’s academic growth rate is used to make instructional and intervention changes to promote student proficiency of targeted skills.

Progress monitoring occurs at the student’s instructional level in a brief (2-3 minutes for reading and 5-7 minutes for math), repeatable, reliable, and scientifically valid manner. Progress Monitoring occurs over an extended period of time (minimum of six data points) and data must be evaluated and charted.

Interventions – Any process that has the effect of increasing learning or modifying student’s behavior. The strategies that have been documented to produce positive results when used with fidelity by highly qualified teachers will be implemented. A plan for intervention identifies strategies/programs to be used, probes to be administered, and a time line to ascertain if a student is making academic progress.

Fidelity of Implementation – Fidelity of implementation is the delivery of instruction in the manner in which it was designed to be. Fidelity must also address the integrity with which screening and progress monitoring procedures are completed.

Tiered Model of Delivery – The MTSS process incorporates a tiered model of delivery of instruction. The tiers reflect increasing modification of interventions to meet the individual needs of students.

Parental Notice and Consent

Although it is best to share data with parents, universal screening is not considered to be an individual evaluation and, therefore, does not require prior parent notice or consent. Parents are to be informed of any interventions that occur beyond the core curriculum. Further, parents are to be notified in the planning of any individual interventions.