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What is Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS)?
At Dows Lane Elementary School, MTSS is our approach/ framework to provide targeted instruction and offer every student what they need. Our goal is to fill learning gaps and intervene early, so students catch up with their peers. We monitor all students’ progress throughout the year, and provide additional instructional and social emotional support to students. MTSS is how we provide an equitable and successful education for all students.
At Dows Lane, our MTSS intervention model focuses on:
- Academics: literacy and math
- Behavior and SEL (social emotional learning)
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech and Language articulation
All kindergarten-3rd grade students are screened three times a year in literacy, math, and social emotional learning, to identify those students who are considered at-risk of not learning the necessary skills at their grade level. We use multiple measures to understand a child's level of proficiency. Measures such as Aimsweb, Fountas & Pinnell independent reading levels, math module assessments, Wilson Fundations assessments, classwork, writing samples, teacher observations, and progress monitoring data.
Families of students who are identified as being at-risk will be notified before the student receives additional support. Identified students will receive support based on their level of need. Students who receive MTSS services will be progress monitored to determine whether the specific support is working and to provide information to the student’s teachers on how to adjust instruction to meet the student’s needs.
Families of students receiving MTSS support services will be provided with progress reports throughout the school year, that describe the student’s MTSS intervention, goal, and MTSS services. Progress is also shared by teachers and interventionists at parent/family- teacher conferences and throughout the year.
Literacy Interventionists: Karissa Conefry, Nicole Kratka, Danielle Fitzsimmons
karissa.conefry@irvingtonschools.org
nicole.kratka@irvingtonschools.org
danielle.fitzsimmons@irvingtonschools.org
K-5 Instructional Literacy Coach: Nancy Deakin
Nancy.beck-deakin@irvingtonschools.org
Math Interventionists: Krista Shortino, Georgia Tasigiannis
krista.shortino@irvingtonschools.org
georgia.tasigiannis@irvingtonschols.org
K-5 Instructional Math and Science Coach: Molly Stern
Molly.Stern@Irvingtonschools.org
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports): A Quick Reference Guide
Screening
At Dows Lane, we screen all students (kindergarten-3rd grade) three times each year to determine who will receive MTSS services.
Data-Based Decision-Making
Our Data Team and teachers use the information from the screening and progress monitoring assessments to make decisions about instruction. We want to make sure each student is getting the right instruction at the right tier (level) to be successful. Teachers, MTSS providers, Related Service Providers, and Administrators meet weekly to discuss students and their academic and social emotional needs. We partner with families and teachers communicate about all plans to best meet their child's learning and behavior needs.
Multi-Level Tier Intervention System
We have three tiers of MTSS services.
Tier 1
Tier 1 has two meanings- it is our excellent core instruction, which all students receive in the classroom. And, Tier 1 can also be a targeted intervention plan for an individual student in the classroom, provided by the classroom teacher. All students are taught using instructional methods that research has shown to be effective. Instruction is differentiated by skill levels and learning styles. Individualized tier 1 intervention plans generally take place in the classroom and are carried out by the classroom teacher.
Tier 2
Students who are identified for being at-risk receive additional targeted instruction in small groups. Tier 2 support is generally provided by an interventionist, Related Service Provider, or a special education teacher in a pull-out location.
Tier 3
Students in tier 3 receive more frequent and/or more intensive additional instruction in a small group and/or 1:1 model. Tier 3 support is generally provided outside the classroom by someone other than the classroom teacher.
Progress Monitoring
Classroom teachers and MTSS Related Service Providers monitor the progress of students to see what changes, if any, need to be made to the MTSS services that the student receives. We use valid and reliable tools to assess student performance. The progress monitoring data is used to inform instruction and best support the student. We partner with families to share progress monitoring information and the growth and challenges of each child.
