Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Fact Sheet

 

MTSSOverview: From the MTSS website:
MTSS frameworks integrate data and instruction within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and support students’ social, emotional, and behavior needs from a strengths-based perspective.

 

Main Tenets:

MTSS is a whole school approach to individual student support. It begins with screening and moves into a highly comprehensive tiered framework to reach students on all levels of need. MTSS provides equity to the school by providing a system that reaches all students, but delineates data about the students to be able to respond to student needs on different levels.

The tiered MTSS system aims to help school staff respond to these student needs quickly, while also continuing to reach all students at a base level. As students move up the tiered system, based on their monitored at-risk signifiers, live data, and trauma experience, the responses and interventions increase in intensity.  

Social and emotional learning is a large part of MTSS from the ground up. It is considered a “universal” activity (Tier 1), which should be provided to all students. By collecting data through student needs assessments and school climate surveys, SEL is then broken down to respond to specific areas. The Framework is set up to follow and support these students and adjust their tier as needed. 

 

How Respectful Ways works with your Instructional Tiers

Respectful Ways SEL is designed for all students,
in Tier 1, 2 and 3 environments.

Through professional development, resources, and a beginning-to-end SEL curriculum -- Respectful Ways is a well organized program that is easily delivered throughout the school.  Respectful Ways is perfect to embed in any tiered system of support, including Course Materials that give an educational background on the target need and social-emotional topic covered. These specific modules target MTSS Specialist and Counselors.

 

Specific Activities: 

Through the MTSS framework, schools utilize the following in a tiered system of support to equitably reach all students in their school:

  • Screening and needs assessments
  • Increased support plans for varying levels of student need
  • Integrated SEL for all students
  • School-wide approaches to support
  • Professional Development
  • Efforts for family involvement

 

You will find that the Respectful Ways lessons are consistent in format, all-inclusive, and incorporate these supports throughout the course of a module. Curriculum can be used as a universal SEL delivery system, while also being broken down to partial lessons to target small groups and one-on-one interventions. Furthermore, RW provides subsidiary and supportive resources for staff education and professional development and family contact.

 

Alignment with Respectful Ways:

The hallmark of MTSS is the tiered system it uses to determine if a student needs additional interventions with their individual needs. The first tier benefits everyone. This provides a baseline, so that if a student continues to struggle (academically or emotionally), they can be considered moving to the next tier where the supports are more pointed to what they need. 

Respectful Ways nestles perfectly into the tiered MTSS framework. Not only does the school receive a beginning-to-end character development program for all students, they receive supporting resources that will aid teachers and staff for an equitable response to students who have greater needs.


Tier 1- Whole class/whole school, ALL students 

RW is a data-proven SEL program that focuses on character development and aligns with American School Counseling and  academic standards. It is Produced to provide the school everything their teachers need to deliver thoughtful lessons on SEL and developmental topics. All students can view the modules in tandem to create a whole-school campaign, and the modules each include projects, writing challenges, engaging activities, and thoughtful discussions. 

 

Tier 2- Grouped students with like needs, SOME students

RW modules include consistent activities to provide a dependable model the students can anticipate and build trust in. This being, when students have an identified trait that needs strengthening, modules can then easily be pulled to be broken down into sessions for small group counseling.  

Tier 3- Small group/individual students, FEW students

RW’s lesson modules are filled with activities ranging from one-on-one to shoulder partner discussions. The modules are so organized that it is easy to pick the SEL aspect needed for an individual student and then utilize an activity when working with them one-on-one. Additionally, the informational resources provided for staff can ensure that all members of the team helping any student is well-versed and educated in the target areas the student needs.