Multi-Tiered Systems of
Support (MTSS)
NJCLD Meeting
June 15, 2015
Dr. George M. Batsche
Professor and Director
Institute for School Reform
University of South Florida
Discussion Points Today
• What is MTSS, really?
• Why is Tier 1 so important?
• What is its relationship between MTSS and
students with disabilities?
• Why is integrating Academic, Behavior and
UDL components SO important in an MTSS
system of schooling?
• Lesson Study: Integrating Academic,
Behavior and UDL Components into
Instruction.
• What is on the horizon?
“Change is hard
because people
overestimate the
value of what they
have and underestimate the
value of what
they may gain by
giving that up”
Belasco & Stayer, Flight of the Buffalo:
Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let
Employees Lead, 1994
3
What is MTSS, Really?
Response to Intervention
• RtI is the practice of (1) providing highquality instruction/intervention matched
to student needs and (2) using learning
rate over time and level of performance
to (3) make important educational
decisions.
(Batsche, et al., 2005)
• Problem-solving is the process that is
used to develop effective
instruction/interventions.
MTSS
• A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a term used
to describe an evidence-based model of schooling that uses
data-based problem-solving to integrate academic and
behavioral instruction and intervention.
• The integrated instruction and intervention is delivered to
students in varying intensities (multiple tiers) based on
student need.
• “Need-driven” decision-making seeks to ensure that
district resources reach the appropriate students (schools) at
the appropriate levels to accelerate the performance of all
students to achieve and/or exceed proficiency .
Critical Components of MTSS
Multiple Tiers
of Instruction
& Intervention
Leadership
Capacity
Building
Infrastructure
Problem
Solving
Process
Data
Evaluation
Communicatio
n&
Collaboration
MTSS is a framework to ensure successful education outcomes for ALL students by using a
data-based problem solving process to provide, and evaluate the effectiveness of multiple
tiers of integrated academic, behavior, and social-emotional instruction/intervention
supports matched to student need in alignment with educational standards.
Function of MTSS
What is MTSS?
What is MTSS not?
An overall integrated system of service A special education approach
delivery
Effective for all students including
those who are at risk for school failure
as well as students with disabilities
An eligibility system – a way of
reducing the number of students
placed into special education
An excellent opportunity to more
effectively align IDEA and NCLB
principles and practices with standards
drive instruction
A process designed to maximize
student achievement
Not limited to students with learning
disabilities
Focused on outcomes
A hoop to jump through to ensure
special education placement
About student progress
About labeling
A way to avoid special education
placement
Levels of Implementation
and Analysis
•
•
•
•
•
•
Student
Classroom
Grade
Subject Area
Building
District
Multi-tier model of
service delivery
Multiple Tiers of
Instruction &
Intervention
Problem Solving
Process
Data
Evaluation
Leadership
Capacity
Building
Infrastructure
Communication
& Collaboration
• Standards Based Instruction
• Assessments to inform instruction
• Enables efficient use of school resources
• Evidence-based programs and practice
• Focus on integration & alignment with core
(Academic & Behavior)
• Frequency & intensity of instruct/intervention
match to student need
Three Tiered Model of Student Supports
How would you summarize this graph?
+
=
.
Van R. Butler Elementary School
07-08 First Grade
Instructional Level by Ethnicity
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
20.0%
4.5%
10.2%
20.0%
90%
0.0%
80%
50.0%
70%
60%
100.0%
0.0%
100.0%
50%
80.0%
85.4%
80.0%
40%
30%
50.0%
20%
10%
0%
07-08 Asian-Islander
(1st)
07-08 Black (1st)
07-08 Hispanic (1st)
Intial
07-08 Multi-Racial
(1st)
Strategic
07-08 White
07-08 Unreported
Intensive
Van R. Butler Elementary School
08-09 Second Grade
Instructional Level by Ethnicity
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
100%
1.3%
3.6%
90%
7.2%
14.3%
80%
70%
60%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
50%
95.3%
78.6%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
07-08 Asian-Islander
(2nd)
08-09 Black (2nd)
08-09 Hispanic (2nd)
Intial
08-09 Multi-Racial
(2nd)
Strategic
08-09 White (2nd)
08-09 Unreported
(14)
Intensive
Tier
Tier312
Tier
For
GOAL:
approx.
100%
20%
of of
For
Approx
5%
of
students
students
pass
Students
benchmark
Tier
assessments
Tier11Core
Core
++
Tier 1 effective if approx.
80% are meeting
Supplemental
Supplemental
benchmark assessments
with only access to Core.
+
…to pass benchmark
Intensive Individual
assessments.
Instruction
Tier 2 Effective if approx. 7080% of students in group
…to pass benchmark
improve performance
assessments.
(i.e., gap is closing)
Tier 3 Effective if there is
progress (i.e., gap closing).
Problem Solving Process
Identify the Goal
What Do We Want Students to Know,
Understand and Be Able to Do? (KUD) CCSS
Problem Analysis
WHY are they not doing
it?
Identify Variables that
Contribute to the Lack of
Desired Outcomes
Did It Work?
Response to
Intervention (RtI)
Implement Plan
Implement As Intended
Progress Monitor
Modify as Necessary
Family and Community
Engagement
Why is Tier 1 So Important?
MTSS
• A method to deliver educational services to
students, based on their needs, with the
appropriate intensity to accelerate
performance
• A method to allocate resources in such a say
as to ensure return on investment (ROI)
(students receive appropriate resources to be
successful)
• A method to budget accurately.
A High Tide Floats All Boats
• Students receiving special education
services did best in schools where all
children performed well. (Heller,
Holtzman and Messick, 1982)
• Recently, we looked at the same issue
in Florida and the data were the same
as in 1982!
Student Performance and
Resource Allocation
• If students are not successful in Tier 1
(Core Instruction), then additional
supports (Tier 2, 3, SDI) are needed.
• In most schools, 80% of the resources
(staff, space, busing, materials, etc) are
allocated to Tier 1 (Core)
District Example
Student Performance and
Resource Allocation
• If only 40% of students in Tier 1 are
proficient and 80% of the resources
exist in Tier 1
Then…..
• 20% of the resources are expected to
“fix” 60% of the students.
• This will not work no matter how
effective supplemental, intensive and
SDI might be.
So…….
• We must work to ensure that Tier 1
(Core instruction) is appropriate and
effective in order to best support the
success of students with disabilities.
• Unless we do, students with disabilities
will never succeed in an environment
that places ALL students at risk for
success.
That is why the following appeared in
IDEIA 2004/2006
•
(5) SPECIAL RULE FOR ELIBIGILITY DETERMINATION- In making a
determination of eligibility under paragraph (4)(A), a child shall not be
determined to be a child with a disability if the determinant factor for such
determination is—
(A) lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including in the
essential components of reading instruction (as defined in section
1208(3) of the ESEA of 1965);
(B) lack of appropriate instruction in math; or
(C) limited English proficiency.
A High Tide Floats All Boats
• As advocates for students with
disabilities, we must be as concerned
about the quality of Tier 1 instruction
and outcomes as the quality of special
education instruction.
• Most students with disabilities spend
more time in Tier 1 than in any other
level of instruction and support.
Data Used for Evaluation
Which Line Represents the
Greatest Growth?
Discovery Education Assessment Results: Math
70
60
Percent Correct
50
40
Mikenzi
Class Average
30
Grade Average
20
10
0
Test 1 (Sept. 2013)
Test 2 (Dec. 2013)
Test 3 (Feb. 2014)
Which Line Grew the Most?
How Do You Interpret Drop?
On-task Classroom Behavior
100
% of Time On-task (20 min.)
90
Baseline
80
70
60
Mikenzi
50
Peers
40
Goal Line
30
20
10
0
Aim Line
Trend Line
What is the relationship
between MTSS and students
with disabiltities?
What is the difference between a
student who is significantly
“behind” and one with a SLD?
Intensity vs. Severity
Intensity is measured by how far behind a student
is academically or how different the behavior is
from peers or norms.
Severity is degree to which the student does or does
not respond to evidence-based and well delivered
intervention.
A student could have an intense problem, but catch up
quickly. Not Severe
A student could have an intense problem, but NOT
respond to well delivered interventions. Severe
32
Decision Matrix
Intensity vs. Severity
An INTENSE problem is not necessarily a
severe problem.
Students with disabilities exhibit BOTH
intensity AND severity
34
The Relationship Between
Severity, Intensity of Instruction
and Eligibility for SLD
Severity
• IF severity is defined as the degree to
which students do or do not respond to
increasingly intensified instruction
• THEN we must have a common
language/common understanding of
what is meant by intensified instruction
and how we deliver intensified
instruction
MTSS provides a systematic
way to intensify instruction.
Intensifying Instruction
• Time
– More time, more practice and rehearsal, more
opportunity for feedback
• Focus
– Narrowing the range of instruction
• Reading: 5 Big Ideas, SOME of the 5 Big Ideas
• Type
– More explicit, more frequent, errorless
Type of Instruction Needed:
Specially Designed or Intensified?
Intensive vs Specially Designed
• Intensive instruction:
– Most time we can provide
– Narrowest focus
– Designed to overcome barriers (e.g., loss of
opportunity, lack of sufficient instructional time,
background, language) that are not the result
of a disability
• Specially Designed Instruction
– Designed to reduce or eliminate the barriers
related to a disability
Characteristics of Specially
Designed Instruction
• Focus is to reduce or eliminate the impact of a
disability on academic and/or behavioral
progress
• Designed specifically for an individual student
following individual problem-solving
• Could be implemented in Tiers 1, 2 and/or 3
• Examples include: text to speech, unique
teaching strategies to teach a skill or
alternatives to a skill, feedback protocols
MTSS & the Problem-Solving
Process
ACADEMIC and BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS
Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized
Interventions & Supports.
The most intense (increased time, narrowed focus,
reduced group size) instruction and intervention
based upon individual student need provided in
addition to and aligned with Tier 1 & 2 academic
and behavior instruction and supports.
Tier 2: Targeted, Supplemental
Interventions & Supports.
More targeted instruction/intervention and
supplemental support in addition to and aligned
with the core academic and behavior curriculum.
Tier 1: Core, Universal
Instruction & Supports.
General academic and behavior instruction and
support provided to all students in all settings.
Revised 12/7/09
45
Integrating Academic,
Behavior and Universal
Design Components in a
MTSS
Integrated MTSS
Parallel System
Academic
Integrated System
“MTSS”
Behavior
47
Cycle of Academic and Behavioral
Failure: Aggressive Response
(McIntosh, 2008)
Teacher presents
student with grade
level academic task
So, which is it…
Academic problems
lead to behavior
Not sure…
problems?
Student engages
Student’s academic
Probably
a combination
of bothin problem
skills do not
improve
or
behavior
Behavior problems lead to academic
problems?
Student escapes
academic task
Teacher removes
academic task or
removes student
48
Highly Effective Practices:
Research
• High quality academic instruction (e.g., content matched to
student success level, frequent opportunity to respond,
frequent feedback) by itself can reduce problem behavior
(Filter & Horner, 2009; Preciado, Horner, Scott, & Baker, 2009,
Sanford, 2006)
• Implementation of school-wide positive behavior support leads
to increased academic engaged time and enhanced academic
outcomes (Algozzine & Algozzine, 2007; Horner et al., 2009;
Lassen, Steele, & Sailor, 2006)
• “Viewed as outcomes, achievement and behavior are related;
viewed as causes of the other, achievement and behavior are
unrelated. (Algozzine, et al., 2011)
• Children who fall behind academically will be more likely to find
academic work aversive and also find escape-maintained
problem behaviors reinforcing (McIntosh, 2008; McIntosh,
49
Sadler, & Brown, 2010)
School-wide Behavior & Reading
Support
The integration/combination of the two:
•are critical for school success
•utilize the three tiered prevention model
•incorporate a team approach at school level,
grade level, and individual level
•share the critical feature of data-based decision
making
•produce larger gains in literacy skills than the
reading-only model
–
(Stewart, Benner, Martella, & Marchand-Martella,
2007)
50
What Elements MUST Be Present to
Have and Integrated MTSS Model?
• Academic Skills and Academic Behaviors are
identified for all students (Skill Integration)
• The data are presented in a way that reflects the
relationship between academic skills and behaviors
(Data Integration)
• The instruction provided in Tiers 2 and 3 integrates
Tier 1 instruction (materials, performance
expectations.) (Tier Integration)
• The instruction provided in Tier 1 integrates the
effective instructional strategies and performance
expectations from Tiers 2 and 3 (Tier Integration)
Student Achievement
Student Performance
• Academic Skills
– Goal setting tied to state/district standards
– Common Core State Standards
– Developmental Standards
• Academic Behaviors-Student Engagement
– Behaviors associated with successful completion of the
academic skills
– On-task, listening, following-directions, ignoring distractions,
self-monitoring, goal setting, content of private speech
– Productivity
• Inter-/Intra-Personal Behaviors
– Behaviors that support social skills
– Social/emotional development
Which Line Represents the
Greatest Growth?
Discovery Education Assessment Results: Math
70
60
Percent Correct
50
40
Mikenzi
Class Average
30
Grade Average
20
10
0
Test 1 (Sept. 2013)
Test 2 (Dec. 2013)
Test 3 (Feb. 2014)
Which Line Grew the Most?
How Do You Interpret Drop?
On-task Classroom Behavior
100
% of Time On-task (20 min.)
90
Baseline
80
70
60
Mikenzi
50
Peers
40
Goal Line
30
20
10
0
Aim Line
Trend Line
Lesson Study
The strength of MTSS to
“differentiate and intensify”
instruction will turn into a
weakness unless we can
integrate our instruction with
Tier 1.
How do we do that?
Lesson Study!!
A High Tide Floats All Boats
Lesson Study
• Method to integrate academic and
behavior instruction/intervention into a
single system
• Integrate learning goals, instructional
strategies, student engagement factors
and performance criteria
• Identify problem behaviors that would
interfere with learning and address
those behaviors
Good Teaching is a
Product of Good Planning
Athletic Games are Won and
Lost on the Practice Field
Characteristics of
Effective Planning-Tier 1
• All providers of instruction and support
are in attendance at the lesson studygeneral education, remedial education,
special education and appropriate
related services
– Question: at YOUR grade level lesson
planning meetings, do ALL providers of
instruction attend or just the general
education teachers?
Lesson Study
Tiers 2/3/SDI
Characteristics of
Effective Planning-Tiers 2/3/SDI
• Tier 2/3 providers meet separately to lesson
plan their instruction within the context of the
Tier 1 lesson study meeting
• Instructional strategies, engagement
behaviors, behavior supports, instructional
materials that support student success in Tier
1 are identified.
Characteristics of
Effective Planning-Tier 2/3/SDI
• If the student is receiving instruction at multiple tiers (2/3), the
providers can parcel out their instructional goals and strategies
• Aligning instruction across tiers to the common lesson
goal(s) provides the student(s) with additional exposure
and integrated practice
• Using teaching strategies aligned with Tier 1 tasks and
standards is critical
Characteristics of
Effective Planning-Tier 2/3/SDI
• Alignment with the scope and
sequence/pacing chart for Tier 1 is always a
priority when identifying the focus of
instruction on a weekly basis
• This alignment permits a strategic focus for
issues such as vocabulary, background
knowledge, pre-teaching/review/re-teaching,
etc. that results in “just in time” readiness for
students to integrate what they have learned
into Tier 1
Characteristics of
Effective Planning-Tier 2/3/SDI
• Assessments in Tier 2/3 incorporate
characteristics of assessments in Tier 1
• The goal here is to not only ensure that
students strengthen needed skills and
accelerate their growth BUT ALSO to ensure
that the students can explicitly identify how
the instruction in Tiers 2/3 relates to their
work in Tier 1
In Need of Attention….
Emerging Directions
• Early warning systems for students with
disabilities.
• Universal Design for Learning principles
to increase the effectiveness of
transition plans
• Increased use of technology to engage
students more fully
• Teaching students problem-solving
skills to increase their capacity to
In Need of Attention
• COEs embracing MTSS at the pre-service
level and integrating academic, behavior and
UDL components in the planning and delivery
of instruction/interventions across core,
supplemental/intensive and SDI
• Improved use of problem-solving to guide
instructional decision making
• More explicit inclusion of parents/care givers
and students in the planning, delivery and
evaluation of instructional services