Many students learn in many different ways, including having done so remotely for a long time. Some are independent learners while others need regular guidance and monitoring. One instructional approach that educators find effective in certain situations is a multi-tiered system of support (or MTSS). A multi-tiered system of support is an instructional framework with three different tiers. Students receive instruction and support on a general scale in the first tier and it increases in personalization as needed. Educators then use that data and assessment to make informed decisions about what each student needs at each phase—phases that include research-based instruction, targeted intervention, and intensive intervention.
MTSS Best Practices and Getting to Know It
Unless MTSS models are active in your school or district, you might not know exactly what it is. An MTSS model is typically used in intervention for a student or group of students, though it is different from typical response to intervention (RtI) protocols. Some state education leaders have developed MTSS requirements and guidelines over the last few years—something that helps provide quality instruction to students who need it in all tiers. An MTSS is a bit more comprehensive than RtI since it emphasizes in-depth instruction at multiple levels. It may even involve both students who are excelling and those who are struggling. It’s also typically a general education initiative that helps educators align support at the classroom, school, and district levels.
In implementing an MTSS model, there is a natural collaboration between general education and special education teachers. They typically work closely to identify students who might need to transition to a special education program and those who should be okay in general education settings. This is often based on how they respond to multi-tiered instruction. It begins with general education teachers learning to differentiate and scaffold instruction to accommodate different types of students. Then, paraprofessionals, reading specialists, or special educators provide more personalized supplemental support in Tier 2. This additional support is geared towards students who struggled in Tier 1 and includes more explicit instruction and guided practice.
MTSS programs are common in the early grades to help educators determine if students need special intervention. They often use comprehension, vocabulary, and writing activities as formative assessments in guiding their instructional decisions as well as whether or not to offer special attention. For a struggling student, an MTSS may include significant intervention time with small group instruction that’s more personal and self-paced. If a student has certain weaknesses, they might receive additional support to directly address them or transition to smaller classes. For students with grade level abilities, they could still receive grade level instruction embedded in their typical lessons. Those who are above grade level receive more challenging content embedded in instruction. And, this is what allows teachers to determine where students are and how to help them move forward.
Components of an MTSS System
Educators use MTSS strategies for many reasons, including helping students who struggle academically and those with behavioral challenges. There will also be students who struggle with both of these and that creates a tougher challenge for teachers, who are then put in the position of finding a way to respond to both issues without interfering in the student’s learning. An MTSS helps educators identify these students early and create both academic and behavioral strategies for keeping them on track. Whereas most of the original Response to Intervention programs helped teachers support special education students, MTSS programs help them support students of all abilities.
Previously, teachers would implement RtI programs only once necessary—once a student already displayed signs of academic or behavioral shortcomings. Conversely, MTSS initiatives are much more proactive and put in place so teachers can identify those students earlier on. It’s the early assessment features of an MTSS approach that help educators know when to intervene, which helps students catch up to their peers more quickly. MTSS efforts often involve educators leveraging data to assess student needs and understand which kinds of intervention they need within each tier. Since that intervention happens regardless of student progress, it often breaks down to the majority of students (75-90%) in Tier 1, small groups of students (10-25%) in Tier 2, and individual students (less than 10%) in Tier 3.
The most important component of an MTSS system is screening students for academic and behavioral characteristics universally—regardless of prior examples of needing intervention. When necessary, teacher responses are then broken down by tier to provide the proper support. Also, educators continuously rely on data provided by students in analyzing their needs on an ongoing basis. MTSS programs also typically involve a schoolwide approach, which allows school leaders to offer input based on their own experiences. Finally, teachers sometimes involve parents in MTSS programs, which helps them learn more about reasons behind why students are acting in certain ways. With all of these elements (or some), educators can create effective MTSS programs to get students back on track.
Breaking Down the Three Tiers
Since there are multiple tiers in this teaching process, each one must offer a certain benefit or certain features, right? Yes, that is correct. Tier 1 is viable with the majority of students and serves as the foundation for the entire MTSS framework. In Tier 1, teachers use their core instructional practices and mix in basic interventions for any students as needed. This is the largest tier in terms of active students and this helps students and teachers build positive relationships. It’s important that educators are proactive in cases like this and that the classroom management strategies they use help create a supportive atmosphere. It becomes fairly apparent which students respond to these interventions and which others need Tier 2 support.
Tier 2 involves a little bit of extra assistance to ensure they meet learning objectives and understand important concepts. Students in this group may be there due to either academic or social issues—or a combination of both. There's a bit of a connection between social-emotional learning and MTSS and teachers can leverage intervention to help ensure students develop SEL skills as well. Students typically receive these Tier 2 interventions in small-group environments. This allows teachers to provide targeted instruction for each student, ultimately helping them catch up with their classmates. Since about 10-25 percent of students comprise this group, educators can work more closely with them than they typically would.
Then, we have the final tier—Tier 3. Students who don't respond in Tier 2 move on to this stage in an attempt to overcome more significant challenges. In Tier 3, students may receive one-on-one support or, at the very least, more personal attention than in Tier 2. This is largely because less than 10 percent of students typically require Tier 3 intervention. That personal assistance, however, is very important in getting them back on track. Teachers may also lean on outside support from counselors or family members in Tier 3, doing whatever's needed to help. By breaking down student needs based on each tier, school leaders can understand more about how intense the intervention should be and help them respond appropriately to students with the assistance they need.
The 6 Elements of the MTSS Framework
There are six elements typically associated with MTSS interventions and, as you may know, each contributes to the overall process. As teachers work with students to progress through these steps and help them get them back on track academically or socially, they’re often met with various challenges, like maybe rebuilding relationships following a year of remote learning. MTSS interventions, however, are still routine for plenty of teachers and students, though they've likely seen adaptations. More so than ever, we’re seeing that, while it may not be perfect, educators can adapt MTSS interventions to not only fit the needs of students but also the environments in which they’re learning.
The first element that’s usually part of these types of interventions is a distinction of those multiple tiers of instruction. It typically involves clearly defining learning standards and the behavioral expectations of students. Once they start to get used to it, teachers can increase the intensity with which they deliver it. There is also a clear problem-solving process put in place, which includes team-based decision making. This often happens among teachers and the collaborative nature helps pinpoint students who might need more intervention. It also helps them zero in on they types of intervention that could work best. Also, MTSS interventions usually involve a good amount of data analysis. When educators interpret this data, it helps clarify student progress and potential next steps based on where they started.
Communication is also a key component of the MTSS process—both among teachers and between teachers and students. Educators also use certain data points to figure out what to address when speaking with students and this helps them build relationships throughout the process. By then, there should be a blueprint for MTSS interventions and teachers should know what works and what does not. Professional development may also help many teachers, especially if learning directly from other educators who have done it before. Finally, successful MTSS programs require active leadership and administrator involvement. By involving educators students are comfortable with, including classroom teachers or the principal, they may feel better about that extra attention and, ultimately refocus in the classroom.
The Impacts of MTSS Programs
Of course, the main objective of implementing MTSS in schools is to create more positive learning and social experiences for students who are part of them—especially those who are a part of Tier 2 or Tier 3. The effects of MTSS efforts, however, often have a further impact than on students alone. A successful MTSS initiative tends to impact the entire climate of the school, including the students directly involved, the teachers or counselors leading the way, and even other students, teachers, and administrators. It creates a bit of a ripple effect brought on by one person or small group committing to positivity. Beyond that, research shows (and plenty of educators agree) that, when the school climate is generally more positive, things like academic achievement, teacher retention, and number of student discipline cases all improve.
While MTSS interventions should help students improve academically, one other key outcome is relationship building. By appealing to their emotional side, educators are often able to develop deeper relationships with their students. In turn, this helps them focus better and achieve greater success in the classroom. With greater school-wide support, students also tend to stay motivated when it comes to catching up to their peers. When they see that a particular approach works well, they may become more comfortable being in that kind of program. Teachers can also incorporate what they talk about with students in one-on-one interventions into class-wide discussions so that it creates more continuity and helps students maintain their progress.
It’s also important to distinguish that MTSS programs, tiers, and results will likely look different in different schools. That’s because each child is obviously unique and teacher interventions will undoubtedly incorporate their individual personalities. Typically, however, an MTSS approach should enable educators to focus on meeting the overall needs of the students taking part. An interesting nugget is that, while a particular intervention in one school might constitute a Tier 1 effort, that same intervention might be seen as a Tier 2 effort in another. It all depends on the students and resources that educators and school leaders have from school to school. Each MTSS leader, however, can and should develop an MTSS plan for their particular school—based on those resources and students—and make sure that it’s adhered to or adjusted if necessary for the good of the students.
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