MTSS guides processes to ensure that students' needs are met based on data-driven decision making.  It is both an educational process and a systematic approach for addressing the needs of all learners.  Its primary purposes are to help all students achieve grade level proficiency and to revise the process by which we identify students with learning disabilities and emotional disturbances. 

A standards-based core curriculum implemented with research-based teaching and learning practices (e.g. pre-assessment, communicating the learning objective, direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, flexible grouping, formative assessment, explicit feedback, choice, etc.) ensures grade level proficiency for most students in Tier I.  However, other students often struggle with this curriculum when they do not have the prerequisite skills and knowledge expected at a given grade level. These students may require more frequent, intensive intervention, as outlined in Tiers 2 and 3. See the guidelines below for more information.