MTSS Problem-Solving Team

The director of MTSS provides leadership and commitment to MTSS at all three tiers. Together with administrators, the director of MTSS leads implementation, participates on the MTSS team and provides relevant and focused professional development linked to MTSS, as well as supports to incorporate MTSS into the school improvement plans. Administrators also review universal screening data to ensure Tier 1 instruction is meeting the needs of a minimum of 80% of the school population. The director of MTSS and the MTSS Building Leadership team monitor the integrity of instruction at both the core and intervention levels.

Classroom teachers are the front line of MTSS. General education teachers have the best opportunity to enhance intervention and instruction in their classrooms by providing standards-based and differentiated core instruction for all students. Whether it is meeting the needs of students who are gifted, students who are learning English, or students who have IEPs, regular classroom teachers have the greatest daily impact on learning. Classroom teachers know and understand intervention plans for groups and individuals, allowing for follow-up and additional supports in the regular classroom. General education teachers and/or core subject teachers participate in data collection—both school-wide screening and progress monitoring. With this knowledge, these teachers are best able to change or adapt instructional strategies based upon information gained through the data collection process. Whether directly responsible for data collection or not, teachers review all their students’ data to understand performance levels and inform instruction.

Classroom teachers work with their MTSS team to identify and plan interventions for Tier 1 (in the classroom) and Tier 2. If a student demonstrates need for Tier 3 support, classroom teachers collaborate with the school’s MTSS Team.

Grade/Department-Level Teams (GLMs) serve a critical role in problem-solving at Tiers 1 and 2. They provide a collaborative learning environment to support effective differentiated instruction and classroom management strategies at all tiers. They plan for grouping, content, and delivery of instruction at Tiers 1 and 2. Professional Learning Committees (PLCs) review universal screening data and use this information to inform Tier 1 differentiated instruction.

Additionally, GLMs identify students who are not responding successfully to core instruction and supports, and utilize differentiated instruction to support them. GLMs make data-informed decisions to identify students in need of Tier 2 interventions. GLMs meet regularly for instructional planning, data review, intervention plan adjustment, paperwork completion and instructional decision-making (e.g., student movement between tiers). 

GLMs  work with the MTSS team to generate interventions based on individual problem-solving when students are considered for, or already receive, Tier 3 supports. MTSS teams review Tier 1 progress data to determine if Tier 3 targeted interventions are resulting in student success with core instruction and supports. Within an MTSS framework, it is recommended that classroom teachers manage students who are in Tier 1, while the MTSS team manage students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 (a teacher familiar with the student is generally a part of the MTSS team meeting).

Under the leadership and guidance of the site administrator, the MTSS team identifies key personnel to provide high-quality intervention and instruction, matches evidence-based instructional materials to student needs, and designs well-planned schedules to maximize the delivery of services within the three-tiered model. A critical resource in all schools is the highly-qualified support staff, who lend expertise to supporting student success.