Boulder Valley School District: What Is MTSS?

Press release from the Boulder Valley School District:

October 29, 2021

Lately, there has been more and more talk in the Boulder Valley School District about Multi-Tiered Systems of Support or MTSS. We have heard from some of our families that they don’t know what it means. Here is a brief explanation.

Simply put, MTSS is a philosophy on how support is provided to students both academically and socially-emotionally. It ensures that all students receive universal instruction/support, but also that more flexible, individualized help is available when a student needs it.

RELATED: Academic and Emotional Support and MTSS

The three levels of support

MTSS is made up of Universal, Targeted and Intensive support. The goal through our curriculum and daily instruction is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to succeed.

Universal

The goal, as always, is to ensure that every student is first and foremost provided with high quality, universal instruction and social emotional support from preschool through 12th grade.

Targeted

If a student experiences trouble with a specific concept in math, reading, writing or perhaps they are having trouble with friends or experience a traumatic emotional event, we are ready and able to help them in that area, with targeted support. The goal is for this support to be very focused on the student’s specific needs for a measured period of time.

“When we identify when students are struggling – whether that be academically or behaviorally – all students have access to timely and flexible support,” said Assistant Superintendent of Student Access and Opportunity Nativity Miller.

Intensive

Occasionally, a student requires a more concentrated intervention that extends for a longer period of time.

A quick example from our daily lives

It is similar to our health and wellness. Annually we may visit our doctor for a preventative check-in and hear routine messages about eating healthy and exercise. This is Universal support.

In some cases they may spot something unusual that might need a specialist's assistance. This is Targeted support.

If we are involved in an accident – the urgent care or emergency room is there to help with more serious cases. This is Intensive support.

One size doesn’t fit all

We recognize that every child is different. They’ll learn differently, have different experiences, strengths and challenges.

The MTSS process is important because it allows us as educators to be flexible to meet the needs of every student.

In many cases extra support is temporary

All of us want our children to be supported, when needed, but we also want their experience to be as normal as possible – in the classroom with their friends without labels, if at all possible.

“MTSS should provide as much support as a student needs, as long as they need it, but we should also celebrate when they meet their goals – whenever possible,” Miller said. “[Engaging in MTSS] isn’t a life sentence and it most definitely is not a track to Special Education. It is a means to say, on this concept or this standard, the student is struggling – let’s get them caught up. And then there may be a new standard or concept or behavior that they might not be struggling with. I think it is this continuous process of monitoring our students’ progress and then reflecting and refining our practice to meet the needs of kids.”

Families should play a role

Miller says it is essential for families to be involved in their child’s education and part of that is keeping them aware whenever an educator has a concern about a student’s performance or behavior.

“We are trying to create a means for parents to be informed earlier, on the onset of a concern, so we can say, ‘it is in this area alone and here is what we are going to try to do to address the students' needs. Then, if what we implement works, we are going to keep using that strategy or intervention, and if it is not working we are going to try something else.’ It is essential that we involve and collaborate with the parents,” Miller said. “They know their kids better than we do.

Often they can give us insight into who their student is and how they respond, so that we can design support that is specific and targeted to the student as an individual.”

This press release was produced by the Boulder Valley School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.