Create Student Success with MTSS: Identify, Plan, & Support

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is an all-inclusive framework to support the student’s “whole self”, including the student’s academic, behavioral, social and emotional aspects through individually developed plans. In order to create success for students, the structure and execution of the district’s MTSS framework needs to be successful and provide flexibility for each student to move from tier to tier.

Below are quick questions districts can use to identify, plan, and support MTSS students as they navigate through their academic progression. 

Identify: What should the student be able to achieve?

• Identify the goal
• What will the student need to achieve?
• What will be measured to know the goal has been achieved?
• Can the student reach the goal?
• What is the timeline for achieving the goal?

If you are able to answer each of these questions, then you’ve written a SMART goal! A SMART goal is one that is Strategic, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Example goal: Within 36 instructional weeks, the student will read 100 wpm at a 3.0 reading level with 80% accuracy.

Plan: How do we close the gap in current and expected achievement?

• Implement the plan
• Does the plan have a targeted instructional focus?
• Does the specific intervention match the student’s need and focus?
• Is there a set schedule to monitor the progress of the goal?

If you’ve answered yes, then you have a great plan!

Example plan: To increase reading fluency, the student will be provided a fluency intervention of Read Naturally 3 times a week for 30 minutes each session. Progress will be monitored weekly using DIBELS.

Support: How can we help this student succeed? 

• Reflect and Adjust
• Are we actively monitoring the student?
• Is there enough data to analyze and graph?
• Does the student need different or additional intervention support?

A quality MTSS process will identify struggling students and deliver targeted support as soon as possible to improve academic, social, behavioral, or health outcomes!