Tiered Supports / Local Case Management

What is MTSS?

Tiered Supports Is . . .

A process designed to maximize student achievement
A method to deliver effective interventions earlier and efficiently
Focused on outcomes
About student progress

Student & Family Resources Homepage

Intervention Finder

Critical Components of Tiered Supports

Problem-Solving Process
Structure and Membership
Documentation
Evidenced-based Practices
Data Collection

Problem-Solving Process

Problem-solving process

In order for evidence-based practices to have the desired effect on students, they must be implemented as intended. "Students cannot benefit from interventions they do not receive" (Fixsen, Blase, Horner, Sugai, 2009). For this reason, it is important to use effective implementation practices to ensure instructional and intervention strategies are implemented appropriately and sustained over time. The National Implementation Research Network has identified the key drivers to sustained implementation. One critical practice of implementation is having teams that use data to...

1. What is the Problem - Identify a problem

2. Why is it happening - Use data to analyze the problem

3. What should be done - Identify and select appropriate interventions

4. Did it work - Review and measure the implementation and effects of those interventions

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Structure and Membership

Team representation

Grade levels, departments, expertise

Frequency / Schedule of meetings

Student-focused meetings
- 2-4 meetings/month
School-wide focus
- 1+ meeting/month

Documentation

Documentation is necessary but insufficient by itself. The information should be intentionally escalated to the right people.

Evidenced-based Practices

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

A multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is a framework for providing appropriate instruction and intervention for all students in a school system. Schools implementing MTSS utilize a problem-solving process to address problems at various levels including whole-school, grade- or department-level, classroom, or individual student problems. MTSS includes three levels, or tiers, of support that represent increasing intensity and individualization in the instruction and intervention provided. It is a framework that applies to academic areas (e.g., literacy, math) as well as behavior. When applied to behavior, it is typically known as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

PBIS

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) includes four pillars:

Establish expectations (school-wide as well as classroom level expectations)
Explicitly teach expectations to all students and staff
Reinforce students for following expectations
Correct (including reteaching) students for misbehaviors

All schools in Utah are required by law (R277-609) to have a plan in place to implement practices in line with these pillars of PBIS to promote good behavior and provide appropriate supports for students who misbehave.

PBIS World

PBIS.ORG

Intervention Finder

Data Collection

The school team’s use of data is also an important factor and an essential part of sustaining effective implementation practices. These data represent both fidelity of implementation data and outcome data, which are used to make adaptations to practices in order to “make them more relevant, efficient, and effective, as well as building the capacity of school personnel to implement and adapt the practice effectively” (McIntosh, et al., 2013). Components of effective use of data include: regular and systematic review, use of systems and procedures to change practices based on data, and frequent reports to staff and stakeholders (McIntosh, et al., 2009).

McIntosh, K., Mercer, S. H., Hume, A. E., Frank., J. L., Turri, M. G., & Mathews, S. (2013). Factors Related to Sustained Implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support. Council for Exceptional Children, 79(3), 293-311.

McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., & Sugai, G. (2009). Sustainability of systems-level evidence-based practices in schools: Current knowledge and future directions. In W. Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R. H. Horner (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 327-352). New York, NY: Springer

Observation Tools

DSD Data Collection Methods

Free Behavior Tracking Forms and Charts -

ABC Observation Form

ABC Observation Checklist

Behavior Observation Form 1

Behavior Observation Form 2

Duration Observation Form

Latency Observation Form

Interval Observation Form

Interval Observation Instructions

Anecdotal Observation Instructions

Can't Do/Won't Do

Can't Do/Won't Do Assessment

Can't Do/Won't Do Assessment Reading Instructions

Can't Do/Won't Do Assessment Math Instructions

Can't Do/Won't Do Assessment research article

Progress Monitoring Tools

PMfocus.org - A free web-based tool for monitoring student progress in behavioral and academic areas. Accessible on computers and tablets.

CBM Focus - Excel spreadsheet that allows for easy management of data in screening and progress monitoring of students in academic and behavior areas.

-Why do we need a pre-referral process?

…all students with disabilities residing within the jurisdiction of the LEA, and who are in need of special education and related services, are identified, located, and evaluated.

--(see IDEA 2004, 20 U.S.C. § 1412(a)(3) and 34 C.F.R. § 300.111)