Multitiered Systems of Support

RTI is a model or framework for identifying and addressing the specific academic needs of students. MTSS is a broader system that is much broader than RTI. It is a comprehensive school improvement framework that includes a continuum of evidence-based academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports and services to meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities.

As noted in the article, Infrastructural Alignment for MTSS, alignment is key to ensuring effective MTSS implementation. MTSS describes what we do for all students, what we do for some students with specific needs, and what we do for a few students with very significant needs. That means making purposeful connections with school-based professionals across other settings is important to helping students stay on track with their school-day learning. To do that, OST staff and school-day staff need to share resources and professional learning around effective interventions; it’s equally important for them to share screening information to help students move into and among appropriate tiers of support.

Mental health promotion services and supports (Tier 1) are mental health-promoting activities that are designed to support the well-being of all students, regardless of whether they are at risk for mental health problems. These activities might include efforts to support a positive school climate and staff well-being. They can be implemented schoolwide, at the grade level, and/or at the classroom level. Examples include schoolwide curricular lessons and grade-level or classroom presentations for all students, regardless of whether they are at risk for mental health problems.

Early intervention services and supports (Tier 2) to address mental health concerns are provided for students who have been identified through needs assessments, screening, referral, or other processes as experiencing mild distress or functional impairment or being at risk for a given problem or concern. When problems are identified early and supports put in place, positive youth development is promoted, and problems can be eliminated or reduced. Examples include small-group interventions for students identified with similar needs (e.g., students with asthma), brief individualized interventions (e.g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving), mentoring, and/or low-intensity classroom-based supports such as a daily report card or daily teacher check-in.

Treatment services and supports (Tier 3) to address mental health concerns are provided for students who need individualized interventions for the significant distress and functional impairment they are experiencing. Examples include individual, group, or family therapy for students who have been identified, and often diagnosed, with social, emotional, and/or behavioral needs.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) focuses on teaching children positive behavior through modifying their thinking, while behavior interventions, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), focus on preventing disruptive behavior in classrooms and schools. It can be said that PBIS is more like a framework, whereas SEL is oriented around a set of skills. Both are focused on different aspects of student development, PBIS aims to change the environment (e.g., implementing systems), while SEL aims to change individuals (e.g., supporting students).

Not at all! Implementing MTSS is a team approach and collaboration and communication with the school-based professional will be key in understanding and implementing the process. As needed, request training, development, consistent meetings to check in, and resources to support the implementation in OST.

Using a problem-solving lens and/or data protocols, in partnership with the school-based professionals, will support the identification and analysis of the data/problem. An example is shown below: the problem-solving process incorporates at least the following four steps in a cyclical, recurring model to address prevention, early intervention, and intensive intervention:

Step 1: Problem Identification: What is the problem? How does the student’s performance compare to the benchmark level of performance and peers’ level of performance?

Step 2: Problem Analysis: Why is the problem occurring? What would happen if______ would occur? Can we validate our ideas?

Step 3: Intervention Design: What are we going to do about the problem? What will we teach? How will we teach it? Is instruction matched to the problem we identified?

Step 4: Response to Intervention: Is the instruction/intervention working? How do we know? Is academic and/or behavioral performance improved? Are outcomes for all students equitable? Is the group’s/student’s response good, questionable, or poor? What are the next steps?

As a starting point, meet and collaborate with the school-based professional who supports the MTSS process during the school day. Next, consider the following:

1. Set a vision for what MTSS will look like in the OST setting and document it.
2. Build human systems to support the vision.
3. Create or invest in data systems to track and monitor implementation progress.

Early and frequent communication with families is important. Using the guidance below, help families understand that they are a partner and critical part of the process.

If your child is identified as being at risk for learning, behavioral or social difficulties, you can be involved by:

• Communicating regularly with your child’s teacher.
•  Asking what interventions, matched to your child’s needs, are being used to address academic, behavioral, or social concerns.
• Using the same strategies or interventions at home, when possible.
• Asking the school about the formal guidelines they use for progress monitoring.
• Asking the school to provide you with regular progress monitoring reports.
• Attending meetings of the individualized problem-solving team if your child is getting more individualized Tier 3 interventions. Remember, you are the expert regarding your child!
• Praising your child for any progress or general improvement in the area(s) of concern.
• Making suggestions for strategies or interventions based on what you know works well at home, when possible.
• Always asking questions when things are not clear!

To ensure the fidelity of interventions and programs, collaborating and planning for barriers to implementation is key. Consider how your resources, schedule, or staffing may shift when challenges arise.