What is MTSS?
In Dr. Lind's Back-to-School email, she mentioned our district's commitment to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, or MTSS. But what does that mean?
MTSS is a framework schools use to make sure every student gets the right level of academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support.
Tier 1: The foundation - this is what all students get (curriculum, teaching strategies, school-wide expectations). When this is strong and personalized to the needs of the school, about 80% of kids thrive here.
Tier 2: Small group help - for kids who need a little more (extra reading/math groups, social skills "lunch bunches"). About 15% of students need this level of support.
Tier 3: Individualized support - for students who need more than Tiers 1 or 2 can provide (1:1 pull out support for academics, individual therapy, behavioral interventions). Ideally, this is about 5% of students.
Why does MTSS matter? Without this framework, schools sometimes jump straight from Tier 1 to Tier 3. That overloads the system with costly, intensive services and leaves kids waiting for help. With MTSS, schools can adjust their Tier 1 and Tier 2 strategies based on data so that all kids get what they need -- early, effectively, and at a lower cost to the district.
