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Families are vital partners in the MTSS process, playing an important role in supporting their child’s success. The MTSS framework emphasizes proactive and continuous communication between home and school, moving beyond traditional “parent involvement” to genuine “family engagement.” Families are seen as valuable sources of information about their child’s strengths, needs, and learning styles, providing unique insights that help educators tailor interventions and supports.

Kinds of help students can receive as a result of their schools’ MTSS process:

• Consistent and punctual school attendance.
• Understanding grade-level curriculum.
• Developing and strengthening interpersonal relationships within the school community.
• Enhancing social and emotional skills.
• Receiving targeted academic support.
• Promoting overall health and wellness.
• Ensuring your child’s voice is heard and valued.

FAQs

The School District of Philadelphia utilizes a comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to empower every student to thrive. Integrating a problem-solving framework, MTSS provides targeted academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support, directly addressing student needs to cultivate their learning and growth.

What is MTSS?
MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. It is a framework that provides increasingly intensive levels of support to students based on their academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. MTSS integrates assessment and intervention to maximize the success of all students. It’s a shift from a “wait-to-fail” approach to one of early identification and prevention.

Who does MTSS support?
MTSS supports all students, not just those who are struggling or have identified disabilities. It ensures that every student receives high-quality, differentiated instruction in Tier 1 and provides additional support (Tiers 2 and 3) for students who need it, whether for academic intervention or enrichment.

MTSS is a universal system of support where all students, including those with IEPs or who are gifted, receive the appropriate level of support to meet their diverse learning needs.

What are the key components of MTSS?

• Common Core Standards-Aligned High-Quality Core Instruction: Implementing instructional strategies and interventions that have been proven effective through research.
• Positive School-wide Climate Programming and Social-Emotional Learning: Providing the evidence-based behavioral framework and practices within the multi-tiered structure of MTSS to support all students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
• Universal Screening: Assessing all students to identify those at risk or needing additional support. This usually happens a few times per year.
• Shared Ownership: Ensuring communication and teamwork among educators, support staff, and families.
• Data-Based Decision Making: Using data from screenings, progress monitoring, and other assessments to make informed decisions about instruction and interventions.
• Multi-Tiered System of Intervention: Providing a continuum of supports, typically organized into three tiers of increasing intensity.
• Family Engagement: Involving parents and families in the MTSS process.
• Professional Learning: Equipping educators with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement all tiers of MTSS, ensuring fidelity and positive student outcomes.

What are the different tiers in MTSS?

• Tier 1 (Universal Support): High-quality, research-based core instruction provided to all students in the general education classroom.
• Tier 2 (Targeted Support): Supplemental interventions and supports are provided to small groups of students who need additional help in specific areas. These students require more targeted instruction in addition to Tier 1.
• Tier 3 (Intensive Support): Highly individualized and intensive interventions for students with significant and persistent learning or behavioral needs who have not responded adequately to Tier 2 supports. This tier involves smaller groups or individual support. Also provided in addition to Tier 1.

How are students identified for MTSS interventions?
Students are identified through universal screenings, classroom assessments, teacher observations, and sometimes parent or staff referrals. Data from these sources help determine which students may need additional support in Tier 2 or Tier 3.

How is progress monitored in MTSS?
Progress monitoring involves the regular and systematic assessment of a student’s performance on specific skills or behaviors. This data is collected frequently (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) to track their response to interventions and determine if adjustments are needed.

Is MTSS the same as Special Education?
No, MTSS is not special education. MTSS is a general education framework designed to support all students. While data from the MTSS process can sometimes contribute to the special education referral and evaluation process, MTSS focuses on providing support within the general education setting to prevent the need for more intensive services.

How are parents involved in the MTSS process?
Parents are critical partners in MTSS. They should be informed about their child’s progress, any interventions being implemented, and how they can support their child at home. Schools often share universal screening results with parents and communicate when a student is receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 support. Parent input is also valuable in understanding a student’s needs and developing effective interventions.

What are the benefits of implementing MTSS?

• Early identification and intervention for students who need support.
• Reduced need for special education referrals by addressing needs proactively.
• Improved academic and behavioral outcomes for all students.
• More efficient use of school resources by targeting support effectively.
• Enhanced collaboration among staff and with families.
• Data-driven decision-making that leads to more effective instruction and interventions.
• A more equitable educational system that provides support based on need.