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Balance Best Practices with Sustainability

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Balance Best Practices with Sustainability

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How to Build and Use a Standard Treatment Protocol in Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

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A step-by-step guide to building a Standard Treatment Protocol for MTSS: map resources, vet interventions with teachers, and drive consistent Tier 1–3 results.

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What Progress Monitoring Assessments Are Appropriate for Secondary Students?

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What Progress Monitoring Assessments Are Appropriate for Secondary Students?

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As a professional development consultant for Branching Minds, I work with teachers and administrators from all over the country. A question I frequently get asked is how should progress monitoring look at the middle school and high school levels? If you are a secondary school teacher and are working under the practice of MTSS or the RTI process you have probably scratched your head over this question many times as well. Today you are in luck! In this post, I will discuss why you should be progress monitoring, what assessments are appropriate for progress monitoring, how these assessments are administered, and when you should progress monitor students. My hope is to give you practical steps and tools to put into practice, like Branching Minds, I aim to make the best practices actually practicable!

Why Progress Monitoring at the Secondary level?

Whether you are in a school setting working within a data-based individualization process (DBI), or an MTSS/RTI framework, progress monitoring is a key component. It is also a crucial piece in the Branching Minds problem-solving model approach.

While working with students in both middle and high schools you likely see many struggling learners who have significant deficits in academic skills. You have developed goals for your struggling students and have an intervention plan prepared to fill in gaps. Why should you periodically monitor those students? Simply put, you need to know if those students are on track to achieve the academic goal you developed and whether the intervention being delivered is effective toward reaching those goals.

In short, through progress monitoring you are able to:

Compare the effectiveness of interventions

See the student's rate of improvement (ROI) over time

Identify the student's lacking progress

Determine need for adjusting a student's plan

The reason for progress monitoring is simple: it gives you data to measure whether the intervention a student is receiving is actually helping them close gaps in their learning.

What Progress Monitoring Assessments Are Appropriate for Secondary Students?

I can already hear my secondary friends saying, "I don't know what to use," or "I don't have time." Let's look at some recommendations and options for you and your students.

CBMs - Curriculum-Based Measures:

A simple set of procedures for repeated measurement of student growth toward long-range instructional goals. (Deno, 1985). CBMs are inexpensive, easy-to-use, and allow you to continuously measure your students' growth in response to the goals you developed and the intervention being delivered.

A standard reading CBM for secondary schools would be the use of MAZE reading comprehension passages. This is a 3 min measure of a grade-level appropriate reading passage in which students choose from 3 choices to fill in missing information. University of Oregon DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy) and Acadience Reading both offer free MAZE measures up to 8th grade. Intervention Central has a MAZE passage generator that allows secondary teachers to create this progress monitoring measure quickly and easily.

A CBM for secondary students in Language Arts would be a simple 7-minute response to a narrative prompt. If the progress monitoring is taking place weekly, then a 5-minute response would be adequate. See Espin, Skare, Shin, Deno, Robinson, & Brenner, (2000). A CBM measure will allow you to gauge whether students are making progress in written expression.

A CBM can be created for other content areas using a 5-minute vocabulary matching requiring students to match terms and definitions; a good predictor of student progress.

There is a wealth of research and information in regards to utilizing CBMs, especially in secondary schools. The University of Minnesota has The Research Institute on Progress Monitoring . The suggestions provided above are based on their work. Dedicating 3-7 minutes every 2 or 3 weeks for progress monitoring will give you invaluable insight into the progress of your students! Even in the secondary school setting where every instructional minute is precious, that progress monitoring schedule is totally feasible. No more excuses!

In addition to CBMs, there are many progress monitoring "products" which can be purchased and there are sites that can help you sift through and narrow down your options according to research. The National Center on Intensive Intervention has a progress monitoring tools chart that rates tools according to: performance level standards, growth standards, and usability. Utilizing their filters you can drill down to only those instruments that apply to secondary schools. Some featured tools on this chart are: AimsWeb, Easy CBM, I-Ready, IStation, STAR, and M-Class.

How and When should these Assessments be Administered?

Now that you have some ideas about what progress monitoring instruments are available, it is time to plan the "how" and "when" of administering them. Here at Branching Minds we recommend that for students in need of Tier 2 support commonly classroom teachers monitor progress twice monthly, (more often as concern increases, may need multiple assessments for reliability), and for students in need of Tier 3 level of support commonly interventionists or classroom teachers monitor progress weekly. Your district may have different guidelines for the frequency of progress monitoring and it may vary depending on the instrument as well, but no matter how or when you progress monitor students' performance, it is crucial that you "Just Do It!"

Now What?

We have spent some time answering the questions of the "why," "what," "how," and "when" of progress monitoring students' growth in secondary schools. Where does that lead you? I hope straight into putting progress monitoring measures in place for your students in middle school and high school. I hope you are more informed regarding the need for progress monitoring and found a number of resources you can use. I hope you give students the opportunity to show growth over the time they spend in your classroom.

References:

https://www.progressmonitoring.org/ripmproducts2.html
https://charts.intensiveintervention.org/aprogressmonitoring
Deno, S. L. (1985). Curriculum-based measurement: The emerging alternative.

Espin, C.A., & Deno, S.L. (1995). Curriculum-based measures for secondary students: Utility and task specificity of text-based reading and vocabulary measures for predicting performance on content-area tasks

Espin, C.A., Skare, S., Shin, J., Deno, S.L., Robinson, S. & Brenner, B. (2000). Identifying indicators of growth in written expression for middle-school students.

Ready to build capacity for your educators, and deliver positive outcomes for all students?

Learn about the Branching Minds Infrastructure Coaching Series, that helps school and district leaders streamline and improve their RTI/MTSS practice at the systems-level, helping them to achieve consistent high-fidelity practice, build capacity for educators, and deliver positive outcomes for all students.

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Progress Monitoring for MTSS at the Secondary Level

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As a professional development consultant for Branching Minds, I work with teachers and administrators from all over the country. A question I frequently get asked is how should progress monitoring look at the middle school and high school levels?

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MTSS in Secondary Schools: Major Challenges, and How to Overcome Them

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MTSS in Secondary Schools: Major Challenges, and How to Overcome Them

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Secondary teachers and leaders often cite difficulties and frustrations when they are asked about their current RTI/MTSS practice or implementation. My own experience with this work started when a district-level administrator walked into my office (about 2 seconds into my first year as a high school Asst. Principal) and dropped off a thick binder titled MTSS (that used to be titled RTI) . Here you go. Run with this and see what you can do. MTSS? In high school? Why, how?

Some leaders don't see the point of MTSS in secondary schools and think of it as a framework that belongs in elementary schools. Others understand the importance of implementing a strong practice, but when they take steps towards establishing the structures and procedures they meet many challenges and quickly get frustrated, which was my experience almost immediately.

Though implementing MTSS at the secondary level can present unique considerations and complications not present at the elementary level, it is a worthy endeavor that will inevitably lead to improved student outcomes, including decreased behavior incidents, improved student achievement, and increased student graduation rates.

MTSS at both the elementary and the secondary level is a proactive and preventative framework that grounds all decisions on data. The main components are the same for both:

1. Core instruction should meet the needs of 80% of students.

2. Valid and reliable universal screeners should be administered to all students; enabling professionals to identify those at risk and provide differentiation to diverse learners.

3. Student support plans should be created based on data, key indicators of success and evidence-based strategies, programs and practices.

4. Consistent problem-solving meetings should be scheduled to review progress monitoring of student data and make adjustments to the intervention plan.

5. The work needs to be collaborative and aligned across all stakeholders.

MTSS Framework

Common Challenges Implementing MTSS at the Secondary Level and How to Overcome Them

1. In the absence of trained interventionists, teachers should be provided with research-based programs and trained in strategies to help students with elementary grade performance levels. Some examples of programs or strategies are Read 180, The challenge: Secondary school teachers see themselves as content experts and are not trained in teaching basic skills. Unlike elementary school teachers, secondary teachers become more specialized in their content areas. "I don't teach Reading, though, I teach Chemistry." How many times have you heard something similar from teachers? Bottom line is, though, that when students are missing basic math or literacy skills, they will not be successful in any content areas or courses. If a student has difficulty reading, that student will struggle in Chemistry and Government. Though teachers do not consider themselves reading teachers, they are not meeting their students' needs unless they address these basic reading skills.

The solution: Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention , Click or Clunk? , and Reciprocal Teaching. The assumption that teachers will be able to provide adequate support simply because they are educators is just not accurate. An hour of tutoring can be a complete waste of time if the tutor is not using the right strategies.

2. The challenge: Secondary students are often not engaged in their growth and learning. Students should be empowered to monitor their growth and be active participants in their own learning. This can be especially difficult for students who have experienced years of failure. Schools should always work on providing a culture of student motivation, engagement, and participation.

The solution: One common best practice is to provide students with a goal and progress monitor tracker, and to ensure these trackers become a part of their daily routines(*). As a high school administrator, I would often approach students and ask them their goals. They would pull out their tracker and show me their progress. Do they know their goals for their end-of-course exams? Do they know what credits they are missing for graduation? Do they know what learning objectives they need to focus on?

3. To meet graduation requirements, students need to earn specific credits. Different states will often offer several graduation plan options, college and career readiness programs, and student electives. Balancing all of this makes scheduling a nightmare.The challenge: Secondary school scheduling is incredibly complex.

The solution: District and school leaders need to be flexible and creative when planning intervention times. Some districts use homeroom or WYN (what you need) periods, some pull students out of electives, and others ask students to come in before or after school. These decisions will vary greatly, and there are many factors to consider in each district, but ensuring students have intervention time in their schedules is critical.

4. The challenge: Students are often so far behind, that interventions can feel pointless. As a young teacher working with at-risk high school students, I was guilty of this. My students had such large gaps that I often felt powerless. If I felt this after working with my students for just one year, imagine how frustrated these students felt after experiencing these frustrations and failures for so many years.

The solution: In addition to providing academic interventions, it is critical that we provide teachers with the skills to address student motivation after failure, and that we work on developing a growth mindset for these students. Small successes are incredibly powerful and easily achievable if we make the time to provide the support these students need.

The solutions needed to achieve effective MTSS at the secondary level will always vary as the factors that lead to success from campus to campus are complex and unique. However, having a strong implementation plan that considers these common challenges is a great place to start.

(*) C.A Farrington et. al., Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners. The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance: A Critical Literature Review (Chicago: University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, 2012), 10.

Ready to build capacity for your educators, and deliver positive outcomes for all students?

Learn about the Branching Minds Infrastructure Coaching Series, that helps school and district leaders streamline and improve their RTI/MTSS practice at the systems-level, helping them to achieve consistent high-fidelity practice, build capacity for educators, and deliver positive outcomes for all students.

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MTSS in Secondary Schools: Major Challenges, and How to Overcome Them

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Though implementing MTSS at the secondary level can present unique considerations and complications not present at the elementary level, it is a worthy endeavor that will inevitably lead to improved student outcomes

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Top Used Supports for High School Students in 2020

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Top Used Supports for High School Students in 2020

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This week we are summarizing our top 10 most commonly used interventions, supports, and strategies for high school students. When implementing MTSS district-wide, secondary students can sometimes fall through the cracks. However, supporting these students to ensure they develop the skills and competencies to graduate and be successful beyond high school is essential. If you are looking to support your secondary level students in 2021, here are some strategies and programs you can check out:

1) Pre-Teach New and Important Concepts

The most commonly used high school strategy in 2020 was pre-teaching new and important concepts. Pre-teaching is when key components or skills are taught prior to a lesson or unit. This is especially helpful when working with students who are struggling academically. The required skills for a given lesson can be previewed with certain students one-on-one, or in small groups, before introducing it to the entire class. Teaching these skills before the lesson will improve students' chances of success and reduce the amount of time teachers spend reteaching concepts. In other words, it is a proactive teaching strategy, rather than a reactive one.

To implement this strategy effectively first identify the specific skills or concepts that need to be taught or reviewed prior to teaching the lesson. Sometimes this can include reviewing skills or concepts that have been taught previously. In some cases the entire class may benefit from pre-teaching, while in others it only needs to be done with certain students who need additional support. This does require some planning and foresight on behalf of the teacher, but when used appropriately it will ultimately provide students with the foundational knowledge needed to understand the lesson.

2) Self-Monitoring Approach to Reading and Thinking (SMART)

Another popular high school strategy is the Self-Monitoring Approach to Reading and Thinking, also known as SMART. When using this strategy, students are prompted to monitor their own understanding of a reading passage. This process helps students focus on reading comprehension and identify areas within a text that they might be struggling to understand. It also promotes students' metacognitive skills, since they are essentially becoming more aware of their own thought processes and what they do and do not understand.

Teachers should first survey the reading assignment and identify several points in the section where students can stop to check for understanding. It's best to stop no more than every two pages to review and check for comprehension. As the students read the segment of the text they put a checkmark in the margin where they understood and a question mark where they did not. At the end of the section they explain in their own words what they read. They then return to the question marks to reread the section to see if it now makes sense. If it still does not make sense they determine what the problem is (e.g., unknown word or concept, difficult sentence or confusing language) and try a repair strategy (e.g., use a glossary, a picture, context clues, ask a teacher).

3) Mindfulness for Test Preparation

Mindfulness is a type of reflective meditation that can help students who are struggling with behavioral and executive functioning issues. This evidence-based strategy can be used with high school students in a variety of settings as well as when preparing for an assessment. Specifically, mindfulness can provide students with the skills to reduce stress and anxiety, maintain focus and concentration, decrease impulsivity, and promote higher order thinking.

Teachers should provide students with opportunities to practice mindfulness on a regular basis, so they are familiar and comfortable with the practice before using it prior to test taking. There are many different mindfulness techniques, but commonly they include a quiet period of time where students are invited to close their eyes and focus on their breath for a few minutes. In addition to the meditative practice, teachers should use the time before a test to review the material and provide positive support and encouragement. The mindfulness component should then be used to help students refocus and relax before the test is administered. It is critical that participation is voluntary and teachers have some knowledge and preferably training with the practice and it's implementation before using it with students. There are many available for teachers to help them develop their own mindfulness practices and suggestions for implementing the practice with students.

Learn about our library of evidence-based interventions: Thousands of Evidence-Based Interventions and Accommodations for Reading, Writing, Math, Behavior, SEL & More. Learn more.

4) Book Clubs & Literature Circles

This strategy is a great way to increase high school students' engagement in reading and literature. The goal for students participating in book clubs and literature circles is to provide them with the opportunity to exchange ideas, deepen their understanding of text, and develop social skills with classmates. At the high school level students need to know how to articulate their knowledge and discuss themes and questions that emerge from their readings. During these discussions, students also need to be able to reconcile their own perspectives alongside differing perspectives of their classmates, which reinforces social awareness and communication skills- both critical social-emotional competencies.

Creating book clubs around interests, rather than reading levels, will ensure that struggling students have the opportunity to engage with ideas at a higher level than they might be able to read independently. Small groups of students can read the same book, or different books at their individual levels that share a common topic or theme. Students exchange ideas, deepen their understanding, and hone social skills. Book clubs can be a part of a reading workshop time and are generally student-run, especially in the older grades. Teachers can scaffold students by helping them plan and facilitate meetings and then gradually fade back support until students can hold meaningful discussions independently.

5) Question Generation

Question Generation is an evidence-based strategy that assists students with their comprehension of texts. When using this approach, students learn to formulate and respond to questions about situations, facts, and ideas while engaged in understanding a reading passage or story. The process of coming up with questions and finding the answers to them is also an effective way to prepare students for exams and tests. This strategy may be tailored to fit various types of information, and different skill-levels. Students may use this strategy with the help of a facilitator or they may generate questions on their own.

When working with high school students individually or in small groups, the teacher should begin by modeling the process of reading the text and then asking sample questions out loud. Questions to start off with can include: "What is the main idea of this reading?", "What does the author think is more important?", "Who are the main characters?", and "What might happen next?". Students should work towards developing these types of questions on their own and finding the answers on their own. They can then be prompted to generate questions that might appear on a test. When working with small groups, students can try to answer questions that their peers have developed as a method of test preparation. This strategy can also be used across topic areas to help students identify and learn key pieces of information.

6) Peer-Partner Teaching

This commonly used peer teaching strategy helps students learn from and with each other as they better understand and consolidate material or concepts by teaching the new information to someone else. This process helps students become aware of their own knowledge as well as consolidate and learn new material. In addition, having to articulate or explain an idea or concept to someone else forces the "teacher" to have a greater understanding of the concept and think through the steps required for the other person to learn it. This practice also promotes students' social and communication skills as well as their empathy and perspective-taking as they have to be aware of their peers' level of knowledge and understanding.

Teachers should group or pair up students who are struggling with similar concepts or skills. First explain to the students that they are going to take turns teaching to each other. Provide the students with a topic, concept, or skill and any material that would be helpful for teaching it; for example, a worksheet, manipulatives, or graphic organizers. Students should be given some time to prepare their mini lessons and teachers can help scaffold this process by providing some teaching examples. The first "teacher" partner should then provide the lesson to their "student" partner. Even if they understand the content, the "students" should ask questions and engage in the lesson. Sample questions can be provided by the teacher at first. The students should then switch roles so the second partner can teach their lesson. If students appear to be struggling, additional support and guidance may be needed from the classroom teacher. In addition, students can start off teaching very basic or simple lessons and then process to more in-depth ones.

7) Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention (STARI)

is a Tier 2 intervention for high school students who read two or more years below grade level. The program focuses on reading fluency, decoding, stamina, and basic comprehension, as well as deeper comprehension skills, such as perspective-taking and critical thinking. The program aims to actively engage students by using relevant texts and incorporating peer discussions and dialogues into lessons. The program's content is aligned to the Common Core and other 21st century standards and all of the materials and resources are available for free.

STARI embeds research-based practices into its curriculum, such as reciprocal teaching and guided reading. Each unit introduces students to both fiction and non-fiction texts and then implements a series of teaching strategies, such as partner work, guided reading, discussion and debate, building classroom culture, reciprocal reading, word study, and fluency practices. STARI is also an evidence-based program; experimental research has shown the STARI program to significantly improve decoding and comprehension skills among struggling readers.

8) REWARDS: Secondary

is another specialized program for adolescent students who struggle reading long multisyllabic words and comprehending content area text. This short-term intervention focuses on decoding complex words, identifying and understanding prefixes and suffixes, increasing word and passage reading fluency, building academic vocabulary, and deepening comprehension and reading confidence at the secondary level. REWARDS can be used with all struggling readers, including ELLs and students with learning disabilities.

The program also has a strong research base ; several high quality research studies have shown that the program can increase student fluency, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension skills. Importantly, students who received the program also showed improvements in their content-area classes. The program includes 20 lessons, which are 50-60 minutes each. Explicit and systematic support for teachers is also provided. While this program requires a paid subscription, it might be worth the investment for high schools with many struggling readers.

9) Combining Cognitive & Metacognitive Strategies

These cognitive and metacognitive strategies are often used among high school students who are struggling with math word problems. When students get used to implementing these types of approaches they will eventually be able to solve complex problems independently. The method helps students break down the specific steps involved in solving a problem and then employ cognitive or metacognitive skills to analyze the problem, select an appropriate strategy to solve the problem, and then self-monitor their own problem-solving process. The goal is for students to become more aware of the problem-solving process and the purpose of each step involved.

Cognitive strategies include having students read through the problem carefully, restating the problem in their own words, creating visual representations of the problem, and then deciding on a plan to solve the problem. Essentially, the student is breaking down the problem to ensure they understand what is required to solve it. Metacognitive strategies go a bit deeper by having students identify the purpose of each step involved and how each step will bring them closer to solving the problem. Students should also check each of their steps to make sure they were completed successfully. Although it may take students some time to work through problems initially, once they get used to the cognitive and metacognitive processes they will be able to solve problems more efficiently and with greater accuracy.

10) Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor students' independent reading practice. It can be used with students in grades 9 and 10 and aims to encourage reluctant readers. This online tool is especially useful when working with high school students remotely. It provides students with a sense of agency, since they select their own books, while also giving teachers immediate feedback on how the student is progressing through the book and their level of understanding. It can also help teachers identify students who may need additional reading support.

Students begin by selecting a book at their own level and they work through it at their own pace. When finished, the student takes a short quiz on a computer. Passing the quiz indicates that the student understood what was read. Additional feedback is provided for both students and teachers based on the quiz results. If the student does not do well on the quiz, the teacher can intervene by guiding the student towards a more appropriate book or checking in with the student before they take the quiz to ask probing questions and see if they understood the content. Students can also be paired up with peers and they can discuss the content together to help with their comprehension.

A Whole Child Lens: Integrating Academics with Behavior

Support the Whole Child with Branching Minds

Branching Minds makes MTSS easy, efficient, and effective by bringing together all of the components of MTSS so teachers can collaboratively problem-solve and support all students' holistic needs. Our system-level solution helps schools improve students' outcomes across academics, behavior, and SEL equitably

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Top Used Supports for High School Students in 2020

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This week we are summarizing our top 10 most commonly used interventions, supports, and strategies for high school students. When implementing MTSS district-wide, secondary students can sometimes fall through the cracks. However, supporting these students to ensure they develop the skills and competencies to graduate and be successful beyond high school is essential.

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Best Practices for a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

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Best Practices for a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

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Very concise!

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By Elizabeth Whitten, Ph.D., Kelli J. Esteves, Ed.D., and Alice Woodrow, Ed.D., coauthors of RTI Success: Proven Tools and Strategies for Schools and Classrooms (Revised & Updated Edition)

Multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is a framework schools use to meet the diverse needs of students. The two most commonly known examples under the MTSS umbrella are Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). RTI focuses on academic systems of support, while PBIS promotes positive behavior and social and emotional growth. All school personnel have a role in the implementation of MTSS, and the best practices offered in this article could be applied to both RTI and PBIS.

Here are best practices for MTSS.

1. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiation Among the Tiers

UDL and differentiation involve changing the pace, level, or type of instruction to meet diverse needs in the classroom. High-quality instruction uses student choice, multiple means of expression, and lessons that address the varied ways students learn to maximize student success. This is essential among all tiers, with special consideration to Tier I. Core instruction doesn't mean one-size-fits-all instruction, and differentiation that takes place at Tier I can minimize the number of students who need Tier II and III interventions.

2. Common Planning Time for Teachers

Common planning time allows teachers in the same grade or content area to plan for purposeful, flexible groups among the tiers. It also allows educators to analyze assessment data on a regular basis so they can change groups in a timely manner. Teachers can share what is working in their intervention groups and work through problems with one another. Specialists can meet with teachers during this common planning time to offer support and insight related to their area of expertise.

3. Universal Screening for All Students 2-3 Times a Year

Screening is a quick assessment of a student's understanding, and it gauges knowledge and abilities. It can help answer the question, Which of my students need extra assistance or further evaluation in a given area? It supports instruction by benchmarking where students are at a specific point in the school year and supports the creation of initial intervention groups (along with the use of additional data).

4. Purposeful Progress Monitoring

This type of assessment involves monitoring students on a regular basis to determine whether they are making progress on their goals. Monitoring is important because it allows educators to make data-based decisions about changing their strategy if the original intervention is not effective for the student.

5. Targeted Interventions That Match Student Need and Defined Goals

Interventions must align with the specific needs of individual students and help them reach their academic or behavioral goals. An intervention or strategy that does not match will not provide results in a timely or goal-oriented way. A best-practice approach we have seen for Tier II implementation is called WIN (What I Need) time. It is conducted schoolwide at the same time period, reinforcing an "all hands on deck" implementation philosophy. WIN time allows all school personnel to get involved to reduce the adult-to-student ratio and give students who need intervention more quality time with the teachers or specialists who are highly qualified in the areas in which students need intervention.

6. Evidence-Based Teaching at Each Tier

It is important that the instruction, academic or behavior interventions, and curriculum implemented at your school are grounded in research. We believe that educators are in the best position to determine which evidence-based practices will work for their students.

7. High-Quality Professional Development

High-quality professional development should be linked directly to the implementation goals of MTSS in your district. All school personnel should be able to voice their needs that are related to their success and struggles within MTSS. Ongoing professional development will be needed in order to continue to support educators and students.

A positive learning environment is needed for students to learn at high levels. By implementing a system of support that helps students thrive, you are showing them you value their different levels of academic readiness and social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Taking time to deliberately plan activities to understand the unique interests and attributes of your students creates a safe place to learn. It is essential for educators to emphasize, model, and practice the idea that "different" doesn't mean "wrong" and that our unique qualities can be our strengths. Establishing this philosophy in your inclusive classroom helps build a safe community, one where students are active in their learning and accepting of each other.

Elizabeth Whitten, Ph.D., is a professor of special education and literary studies at Western Michigan University. Prior to her 18 years in higher education, Elizabeth was a teacher and administrator.

Kelli J. Esteves, Ed.D., is an associate professor of education at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kelli has experience as a special education teacher and reading specialist in the Rockford (MI) Public Schools.

Alice Woodrow, Ed.D., is director of special education at Allegan Area Educational Service Agency in Allegan, Michigan. Alice has also served as the supervisor of special education in the Comstock (MI) Public Schools.

Elizabeth, Kelli, and Alice are coauthors of RTI Success: Proven Tools and Strategies for Schools and Classrooms

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Share your comments, stories, and ideas below, or All comments will be approved before posting, and are subject to our comment and privacy policies.

© 2019 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved. The view expressed in this post represent the opinion of the author and not necessarily Free Spirit Publishing.

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Best Practices for a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

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By Elizabeth Whitten, Ph.D., Kelli J. Esteves, Ed.D., and Alice Woodrow, Ed.D., coauthors of RTI Success: Proven Tools and Strategies for Schools and Classrooms (Revised & Updated Edition) Multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is a framework schools use to meet the diverse needs of students. The two most commonly known examples under the MTSS umbrella...

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-Accommodations that change the way information is presented to students

-Accommodations that change the way students complete assignments

-Accommodations that may help the student with scheduling, timing, and organization

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Multi-Tiered Systems of Support / MTSS Resources

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Accommodations that change the way information is presented to students -Accommodations that change the way students complete assignments -Accommodations that may help the student with scheduling, timing, and organization

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42 MTSS Intervention Strategies to Bring Back to Your Support Team

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42 MTSS Intervention Strategies to Bring Back to Your Support Team

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Every student comes into the classroom with their own experiences and needs. As educators, we can support students by choosing intervention strategies designed to help them succeed. A strong . Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) depends on individualized, evidence-based intervention strategies. Intervention plans must be relationship-informed as well as data-informed, building on what we know about our students and determining how best to support them. " Relationships don't support the learning, relationships are the learning," says Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services at Jordan School District (UT). Students need connection and support now more than ever, whether it be with academic learning recovery, behavior, or social-emotional learning. To help your MTSS teams choose the right strategies for your students, here's a (non-exhaustive) list of intervention ideas curated from our school and district partners and the Panorama Student Success intervention library

Table of Contents
Targeted Intervention Strategies for Individual Students Deep Dive on Three MTSS Intervention Strategies 2x10 Relationship Building Phone Call Home Homework Club

Key Takeaways:

Customized intervention strategies based on individual student needs and data are crucial within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

Building strong relationships with students is essential for their learning and overall success in school.

There are numerous intervention strategies available for educators to choose from, ensuring a comprehensive approach to student success.

Implementing simple yet consistent practices like the "2x10 Relationship Building" method or "Phone Call Home" can significantly enhance student engagement and support.

Regularly assessing student progress and adjusting intervention plans accordingly is key to ensuring effectiveness within an MTSS framework.

Want more strategies? Download our toolkit of 18 MTSS interventions.

Targeted Intervention Strategies for Individual Students

1. Phone call home

2. Home visit

3. Classroom observation

4. Pre-correction conversation

5. Preventative problem-solving plan

6. Student and/or parent meeting with Support Team

7. WOOP (student goal-setting)

8. Review cumulative folder

9. 2x10 relationship building

10. Two Word Check-In

11. Enroll in a positive activity

12. Student self-advocacy email to teachers

13. Binder or locker organization session

14. Buddy student

15. Substance abuse counseling

16. Weekly academic check-in

17. Homework club

18. Before/after school meetings

19. Lunch Bunch

20. "Rose, Bud, Thorn" journaling

21. Working lunch (make-up work)

22. Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) plan

23. Match with a role model/mentor

24. Small group SEL lessons (social skills)

25. Peer tutor

26. Schedule/class change

27. Behavior contracts

28. Class passes

29. Self-monitoring

30. Talk ticket

31. Accelerated Reader (Literacy)

32. Corrective Reading (Literacy)

33. Fast ForWard (Literacy)

34. Lexia PowerUp (Literacy)

35. Reading Horizons Elevate (Literacy)

36. Wilson Reading (Literacy)

37. Accelerated Math

38. ALEKS (Math)

39. Bridges (Math)

40. Exact Path (Math)

41. Voyager Math

42. Study Island

If you use Panorama: You can select from our full library of strategies when creating an intervention plan for a student. Monitor the student's progress over time by logging notes. Everything will be saved to the student's profile and visible to other educators with access to Panorama.

Example of a student intervention plan in Panorama (mock data pictured)

Deep Dive on Three MTSS Intervention Strategies

Description: Spend two minutes for 10 consecutive school days developing a positive relationship with one student. Provide positive attention through encouragement and recognition of the student's strengths and interests.

Goal: To connect with a student and to ensure that the student feels safe coming to you for help.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"I first came across this strategy and was inspired by the article, "The Two-Minute Relationship Builder" published by ASCD. Originally presented by Grace Dearborn, an educator and consultant, this "Two-By-Ten" approach has worked for me as quick, two-minute conversations that are done consistently over 10 days.

It doesn't always have to be a formal scheduled meeting with the student. Instead, I try to make an effort to walk around the building, drop in where the student might be, and then engage them in brief conversations to see what they're up to and ask how they're doing.

For example, when my student comes in the library in the mornings, I'll reach out and ask questions like, "How are things going?" and "How have your grades been in this class?" and "Anything I can do to help?"

I will also connect with the student through impromptu interactions in other settings, such as attending their extracurricular events or classroom presentations. This can be just as powerful because you are showing the student that you care about their interests both in school and outside of school. It shows that you are there for them and want to support them."

-Lucy Clerkin, Library Teacher at McDevitt Middle School

Phone Call Home

Description: Call the student's home to share an update with their family. When possible, identify something positive about the student's behavior or school performance to share with the family member. Leave a message if they don't answer and encourage them to call you back.

Goal: Toengage a student's family as partners in the student's success. Parents and guardians can play a key role in student progress when provided regular updates and information about their child.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"When calling a student's parent or guardian, I usually follow this conversation template:

1. Share one positive thing about the student's behavior or academic performance
2. Share areas of concern about the student, such as recent attendance issues, failing grades, or missing assignments
3. Reiterate why it's important to address the student's academic, attendance, behavioral, or social-emotional issues
4. Ask the parent or guardian why the student might be experiencing challenges at school
5. Ask the parent or guardian if there are specific things the school or class could do better
6. Discuss ideas and action steps for working together to get the student back on track
7. Share more about yourself and your experiences to build trust with the family

Once you've established an initial connection with a student's parents or guardians, you might call or text them on a weekly basis to check-in and share the student's recent progress. When the student does a good job on a project or shows positive behavior, you could even tell the student that you can't wait to let his or her family know about it!

These small, consistent interactions create a cycle of positive reinforcement between the student, the family, and their experience with school."
-Nick Freehling, Special Education Teacher at McDevitt Middle School
Homework Club

Description: Invite students to complete homework during a designated time outside of school hours.

Goal: To improve academic performance by setting aside time for students to finish homework assignments or make up missed work in a controlled environment.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"For our school, Homework Club is a 60-minute period after school where students complete their work and have access to educators or other students for extra support.

When inviting the student to attend, consider framing Homework Club as an opportunity to get homework done so that they have more free time to spend at home or in extracurricular activities. This way, the student doesn't view Homework Club as a punishment or negative consequence.

I do require that students attend Homework Club if I'm noticing that their low grades are due to incomplete classwork or not doing homework. If the student reacts negatively by skipping or refusing to attend Homework Club, consider getting their parents or guardians involved to talk about the consequences of skipping mandatory school events."
-Margaret Simeone, ELA Teacher at McDevitt Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How can educators ensure that intervention strategies are culturally responsive and inclusive?

Culturally responsive intervention strategies acknowledge and respect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students. Educators should strive to incorporate culturally relevant content, perspectives, and examples into their interventions. Additionally, seeking input from students, families, and community members can help ensure that interventions are inclusive and respectful of cultural differences.

2. What role do families play in supporting intervention efforts?

Families are critical partners in supporting student success through interventions. Educators should communicate regularly with families, provide them with information about intervention strategies and progress, and involve them in decision-making processes. Collaborating with families can help ensure that interventions are consistent across home and school settings and that students receive the support they need to thrive.

3. How can educators monitor the effectiveness of intervention strategies and make adjustments as needed?

Educators can monitor the effectiveness of intervention strategies by collecting and analyzing data on student progress. This may include academic performance, behavior observations, and feedback from students and families. Based on this data, educators can identify trends, make adjustments to interventions as needed, and determine when additional support may be necessary. Regular communication and collaboration among intervention team members are also essential for ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Download the toolkit of 18 research-based interventions for your MTSS.

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42 MTSS Intervention Strategies for Your Student Support Team

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Explore effective MTSS intervention strategies for supporting students across academics, behavior, and social emotional learning.

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Academic Interventions for Struggling Learners

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Academic Interventions for Struggling Learners

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Emphasis on culturally sustaining practices

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In nearly every classroom, students come with a range of strengths a nd weakness, each of which provide unique challenges for even the most skilled teachers. Often times, the learning needs of struggling learners require additional academic support that is not offered to the average student through the general education cu rriculum. While they may be perceived as such, these struggling learners are not learning disabled, but rather, they require specialized interventions to help them to achieve at the same level and pace as their peers. The challenge thus lies i n the ability of a teacher or team of educators to identify the best and most effective interventions to help those struggling learners prior to any referrals to special education .

The Purpose of the Instructional Support Teams and Early Interventions

Instructional Support Teams (IST) - sometimes referred to as pre - referral intervention teams (PIT), Teaching Assistance Teams (TAT) , or Ins tructional Consultation Teams (ICT) - are problem - solving mechanisms to help teachers meet the educational needs of struggling learner within the classroom. Their purpose is to identify the instructional needs of teachers to help them create more ef fective learning environments and, if need ed , identify additional supports necessary to address these needs . They utilize a multidisciplinary team of teachers to determine the research - based early interventions aligned with need and provide teachers additional support, resources, and guidance on teaching students with different learning needs and evaluating student growth. As such, instructional support teams provide teachers with valuable resources and support in their classrooms, helping to ensure that all students achieve success in the general education setting (Kovaleski, 1994). The basic conceptual framework of these support systems has remained relatively stable since the 1980s and includes similar features (Buck, et al.,2003).

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Academic Interventions for Struggling Learners

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In nearly every classroom, students come with a range of strengths a nd weakness, each of which provide unique challenges for even the most skilled teachers. Often times, the learning needs of struggling learners require additional academic support that is not offered to the average student through the general education cu rriculum.

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Intervention for Failing Students: What Matters Most?

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Intervention for Failing Students: What Matters Most?

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Intervention for Failing Students: What Matters Most?

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People, not programs, matter most when it comes to intervention for struggling students.

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Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Strategy Guide

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Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Strategy Guide

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Colorado Department of Education

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You are here

Pause on 2020-21 and 2021-22 State Accountability System Due to COVID-19

A second year of Accountability Pause (2021-2022) has been authorized by the Colorado legislature. The state's accountability system has been paused for 2020-21 and 2021-22. More details on the implications of a pause in accountability are available in the links below.

Introduction of Strategy

CDE defines CO-MTSS as a prevention-based framework of team-driven data-based problem solving for improving outcomes of every student through family, school, and community partnering and a layered continuum of evidence-based practices applied at the classroom, school, district, region, and state level. Leveraging the Implementation Science Active Implementation Frameworks (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005), CO-MTSS aims for effective collaboration of adults to align district systems with school-based implementation.

The following components are derived from various articles and research and have been adopted by Colorado as the foundation for creating a sustainable system of supports and it includes:

1. Team-driven shared leadership

2. Data-based problem solving and decision making

3. Family, school, and community partnering

4. Layered continuum of supports

5. Evidence-based practices

Evidence Base

ESSA defines levels of research based on the quality of the study (Levels 1-4). CDE requires that schools and districts identify the research base for strategies that they select for their Unified Improvement Plans, and for applications for school improvement funds in the EASI application.

The research on MTSS that is cited here meets the definition of Level 1 research. The research cited focused on the impact on student behavior and achievement when all MTSS components were implemented.

Leonard, K. M., Coyne, M. D., Oldham, A. C., Burns, D., & Gillis, M. B. (2019). Implementing MTSS in Beginning Reading: Tools and Systems to Support Schools and Teachers. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice: A Publication of the Division for Learning Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, 34(2), 110-117.

Scott, T. M., Gage, N. A., Hirn, R. G., Lingo, A. S., & Burt, J. (2019). An examination of the association between MTSS implementation fidelity measures and student outcomes. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 63(4), 308-316.

Gruman, L. (2018). Effects of a Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) on Student Achievement, Course Enrollments, Tracking, and Equality of Educational Opportunity in a Midwest Suburban School District (M. Imber (ed.)) [Ed.D., University of Kansas]. https://search-proquest-com.eres.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/docview/2070498626/45FB3FF792D46C8PQ/1?accountid=27140

Hester, P. J. (2019). Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support to Increase Student Success [Ed.D., East Carolina University]. https://search-proquest-com.eres.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/docview/2390781203/fulltextPDF/2A898CF8C2C44A28PQ/1?accountid=27140

Considerations

Possible Root Causes include inadequate, inconsistent or ineffective...

Attendance and engagement systems

Student support services

Math instruction

Reading instruction

Intake process

Is this strategy a good fit for your district/school?

Does this major improvement strategy focus on a priority performance challenge and associated root cause(s)?

Are the expected outcomes of this major improvement strategy highly valued?

Do key leaders support this major improvement strategy? Do key leaders have the capacity to lead the strategy ongoing?

What are the skills and competencies needed to implement this major improvement strategy with fidelity? What support/professional development do staff members need to implement this strategy effectively?

Are the time, effort and resources needed for implementation feasible for the staff involved?

Considerations for Strategy Implementation

Will teaming structures and expectations distribute responsibility and shared decision-making across school, district, and community members (e.g. students, families, generalists, specialists, district administrators, etc.) to organize coordinated systems of training, coaching, resources, implementation, and evaluation for adult activities?

Will a consistent process be used by stakeholder teams across multiple levels to analyze and evaluate relevant information to plan, develop, implement, and measure strategies that support and sustain improved student and system outcomes?

Will there be a collaboration of families, schools, and communities as active partners in improving learner, classroom, school, district, and state outcomes?

How will you ensure that every student receives equitable academic and behavioral support that is culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate, and matched to need, , through layers that increase in intensity from universal (every student) to targeted (some students) to intensive (few students)?

How will the school select instruction, intervention, and assessment that have been proven effective through research indicating improved outcomes for students?

Implementation Guide

Create an inclusive culture

Facilitate opportunities for families and educational staff to mutually collaborate with

community partners (e.g., businesses, organizations, institutions of higher education) to

connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.

Dedicate necessary resources

Collaborate with every stakeholder group to ensure clear policies, documents, and

procedures have been adopted to support Family, School, and Community Partnering (FSCP).

Provide guidance for implementation

Provide guidance guidance for school implementation of practices across a layered

continuum. A prevention focus is prioritized.

Plan and Conduct Professional Development

Train and coach every stakeholder on the adoption and implementation of each evidence-based practice, including its core features, how delivery occurs, supporting research, and fidelity and impact measures

Determine Measurable Results

Determine and put into action measurable results of instruction, intervention, and assessment

practices to demonstrate direct relationships to improved student outcomes in the identified area(s) of need.

Resources

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Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Strategy Guide

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A second year of Accountability Pause (2021-2022) has been authorized by the Colorado legislature. The state's accountability system has been paused for 2020-21 and 2021-22. More details on the implications of a pause in accountability are available in the links below.

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California Department of Education

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In California, MTSS core components work together to create an integrated, comprehensive framework that focus on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), core instruction, differentiated learning, student-centered learning, individualized student needs, and the alignment of systems necessary for academic, behavior, and social success. MTSS offers the potential to create needed systematic change through intentional design and redesign of services and supports that quickly identify and match the needs of all students in general education contexts.

The following core components are key aspects of MTSS frameworks:

1. High-quality, differentiated classroom instruction. All students receive high-quality, standards- based (with a focus on CCSS), culturally-and linguistically-relevant instruction in their general education classroom settings by highly qualified teachers, who have high academic and behavioral expectations, attained through differentiated learning instructional strategies in, such as Universal Design for Learning.

2. Systemic and sustainable change. MTSS principles promote continuous improvement processes at all levels of the system (district, school site, and grade/course levels). Collaborative restructuring efforts made to align RtI², CCSS, identify key initiatives, collect, analyze, review data, implement supports and strategies based on data are then refined as necessary to sustain effective processes.

3. Integrated data system. District and site staff collaborate to create an Integrated data collection system that includes assessments such as state tests, universal screening, diagnostics, progress monitoring, and teacher observations at the site to inform decisions about tiered support placement, as well as data collection methods such as parent surveys for continuous systemic improvement.

4. Positive behavioral support. District and school staff collaboratively select and implement schoolwide, classroom, and research-based positive behavioral supports for achieving important social and learning outcomes. A strong focus on integrating instructional and intervention strategies supports systemic changes based on strong, predictable, and consistent classroom management structures across the entire system.

Return to Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) home page
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, February 21, 2023

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In California, MTSS core components work together to create an integrated, comprehensive framework that focus on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), core instruction, differentiated learning, student-centered learning, individualized student needs, and the alignment of systems necessary for academic, behavior, and social success.

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Using a Multi-Tiered System of Supports: See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student.

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Using a Multi-Tiered System of Supports: See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student.

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Edutopia

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Differentiated Instruction

See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student.

P.K. Yonge's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is the framework used to meet the needs of every student, from elementary school through high school.

At the secondary level, MTSS is a relatively new framework that is still being worked out by schools across the country. P.K. Yonge began with implementing the framework successfully at the primary grade levels, and since 2009, have developed a "work-in-progress" model at the secondary level. MTSS looks different at the secondary level, because the focus for students is on content and a wide variety of classes.

The grade-level Student Success Team (SST) is a cross-functional team that plans for, monitors, and evaluates both the academic and behavioral needs of each student. Together, the teachers and support staff collaborate to analyze student data and make action plans. Those in need of additional academic or behavioral support are identified, and interventions are planned and monitored.

Within the MTSS framework, every student receives core instruction, known as Tier One. Some students need supplemental instruction, which is referred to as Tier Two, and a small cohort of students receive the most intensive intervention and supports, known as Tier Three. This tiered system is used for both academic and social and emotional supports.

MTSS is a school-wide practice at this K-12 school. See how P.K. Yonge uses MTSS at the elementary school level.

The Student Success Team

At the high school level, P.K. Yonge continues to use Student Success Teams (SST) to make all decisions about tiered instruction. The team is made up of the K-12 MTSS Support Specialist, the Learning Community leader, all of the core teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, speech and language pathologists and sometimes occupational therapists. Additional people are brought in on an as-needed basis, and parents are consulted on all decisions. The SST meets every four and a half weeks across K-12.

Learning Community Leader's Role

The Learning Community (LC) leader is a role created by P.K. Yonge, usually someone with an expertise in education, school psychology, or special education. At the secondary level, there are 3 LC leaders, one each for 6-7th, 8-9th, and 10-12th grades. Once data is collected and analyzed, the LC leader identifies classes where there is a cohort of students needing support and interventions.

Because at the secondary level students are focused on a large variety of content, the LC Leader essentially "goes back to school" and immerses him/herself in specific content areas, whether that is 10th grade English, Biology, or Geometry. The LC Leader then works closely with the students and teachers in those classes by either pushing into those classes or meeting with students in afterschool help sessions.

Pushing into the Classroom

At the high school level, Tier 1 is universal, core instruction for all students, is delivered by the classroom teachers. For Tiers 2 and 3, students are not pulled out of the classroom to form small groups like at the elementary level, since they would be missing crucial content in their classes. Instead, teachers and the LC leader push-in to the classroom to work with students after the core lesson is delivered. Much of the work is around helping students with organizational, study and life skills, as well as strategies to help them understand the subject material.

Afterschool Help Sessions

In addition to pushing-in for Tier 2 and 3 support, P.K. Yonge has established afterschool help sessions for all high school students. Students who need the extra support sign a help session commitment letter and are required to go to help sessions on specific days and times. In addition, any student who would like some additional support from their core teacher, are also welcome to attend. These help sessions have become a comfortable place for all students to complete homework, ask questions, and collaborate with classmates and friends.

Grades K-12 | Gainesville, FL

Enrollment

1144 | Public, Urban

Per Pupil Expenditures

Free / Reduced Lunch

24%

Data is from the 2013-14 academic year.

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Differentiated Instruction See how one high school meets the academic and social-emotional needs of every student. P.K. Yonge's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is the framework used to meet the needs of every student, from elementary school through high school.

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The “Who” and “How” of MTSS in Secondary Schools 

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The “Who” and “How” of MTSS in Secondary Schools 

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By Mark R. Shinn, Ph.D.

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By Mark R. Shinn, Ph.D., MTSS/RTI Expert, Author*

It is no surprise to secondary educators that implementation of Multi-Tier Systems of Supports (MTSS), still known in some places as Response to Intervention (RTI), lags behind their elementary counterparts. I would attribute this lag to the lack of a clearly articulated model of Who we serve in secondary MTSS, especially at the high school level. It is difficult to determine How you serve students until you determine Who you serve.

In my recent webinar, I argued that the Who we serve is directed to those middle and high school students with severe basic skills discrepancies, and those students who lack Minimum Basic Skills Proficiency (MBSP). Once we clearly establish the Who, we can then focus our attention on How we serve them: by providing the most powerful, direct and explicit instruction using research-based basic skills intervention(s).

To flesh out our secondary MTSS implementation, we would begin with identifying a scientifically sound, time and cost efficient basic skills test to identify those students with MBSP discrepancies (i.e., screening) and to enable us to monitor their progress toward reducing these achievement gaps. Because motivation is one of the five areas of adolescent literacy (Marchand-Martella, Martella, Modderman, Petersen, & Pan, 2013), I also would prefer a test that is authentic, one that requires the tester to observe students' actual reading to discern if they are giving any effort. Therefore, my secondary screening and progress monitoring test is a short sample of oral reading, Reading Curriculum-Based Measurement (R-CBM) with a long history of research and practice (Jenkins & Fuchs, 2012).

Unlike elementary MTSS where all students are routinely tested multiple times per year in Benchmark Assessment (Shinn, 2010) for progress monitoring, screening at the secondary level occurs less frequently. By high school, we shift to a case x case screening approach. Using R-CBM, I can screen a student for MBSP in reading in less than 10 minutes. I can monitor progress frequently toward reducing the MBSP discrepancy in less than 2 minutes per week. Another advantage to the R-CBM test is that it is a more holistic approach, which becomes useful for students with multiple problem areas.

However, one of the big barriers to using R-CBM at the secondary level is a misunderstanding of what R-CBM measures. Too many people label the test a "fluency" test. As the research knowledge expanded, however, it was clear that this oral reading test measures general reading ability.

It is true that R-CBM scores are less predictive of comprehension as students get older. That's because reading is necessary, but not sufficient for comprehension, especially as one encounters more complex/informational text. I have graduate students who struggle with some of their content reading - not because of their general reading skills - but because they don't understand much of what they are reading! And that's due to the factors that impact comprehension (e.g., language skills, vocabulary and idioms, knowledge, school psychology practice, life experience, and meta-cognitive skills like motivation and engagement.)

It is clear that a simple R-CBM screening of an individual student can enable a professional to discern if there is a severe basic skill reading deficit that requires treatment or intervention, or if the student is a low-performing reader who needs s upport in content areas courses. It is equally clear that I can monitor the impact of intervention in a simple and seamless way.

Mark R. Shinn, Ph.D., has provided staff development and MTSS/RtI implementation support to schools, school districts, and state departments of education in 43 states. Mark joined National Louis University in 2003 after 19 years at the University of Oregon where he directed the School Psychology Program. From 1999-2003, he was a professor of Special Education at Oregon. Mark has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (School Psychology) from the University of Minnesota, with a BA in Psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College. Mark received the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Minnesota School Psychology Program (2013); is an Elected Member, Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP; 2013); received the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 16 (School Psychology) Jack Bardon Award for Distinguished Service (2003); and is a member of the National Advisory Board, Consortium on Reaching Excellence (CORE) since 2002. Mark's work on progress monitoring and screening using Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM), and its use in a Problem-Solving, MTSS model has resulted in more than 100 book chapters and journal articles.

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The "Who" and "How" of MTSS in Secondary Schools

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It is no surprise to secondary educators that implementation of Multi-Tier Systems of Supports (MTSS), still known in some places as Response to Intervention (RTI), lags behind their elementary counterparts. I would attribute this lag to the lack of a clearly articulated model of Who we serve in secondary MTSS, especially at the high school level.

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Response to Intervention in Secondary Schools: Is It on Your Radar Screen? 

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Response to Intervention in Secondary Schools: Is It on Your Radar Screen? 

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by Barbara J. Ehren, Ed.D.,

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Ehren, B. J., Lenz, B. K., & Deshler, D. D. (2004). Enhancing literacy proficiency in adolescents and young adults. In A. Stone, E. Silliman, B. Ehren, & K. Apel (Eds.),

Additional Articles

Additional Resources

If you are a secondary educator or a parent of a teenager and you have heard of Response to Intervention (RTI), it has likely been in reference to activities in early elementary school, not in your middle, junior, or high school. There are exceptions, of course; you might be in the throes of figuring out how to implement it at your school. However, up to this point, the RTI focus has been on the primary grades. Across the country, educators are beginning to expand RTI to secondary schools; so, whether or not your school is presently implementing RTI, you will want to have it on your radar screen. The purpose of this article is to provide an orientation to RTI in secondary settings, rather than a detailed description of RTI. For in-depth descriptions, examples, and research about RTI, visit the Learn About RTI section.

The following definition of RTI sets the stage:

The RTI process is a multi-step approach to providing services and interventions to students who struggle with learning at increasing levels of intensity. The progress students make at each stage of intervention is closely monitored. Results of this monitoring are used to make decisions about the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, in special education, or both.
(National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2006, p. 1)

This article is structured around the following questions:

How does the rationale for RTI relate to secondary education?

What myths have to be dispelled to make RTI viable at secondary levels?

What opportunities does RTI afford middle, junior, and high schools?

What challenges exist with RTI at secondary levels?

What questions should you be asking?

How Does the Rationale for RTI Relate to Secondary Education?

RTI began as a new way to look at learning disabilities (LD) from two standpoints: a) preventing students who struggle with reading from being labeled as students with disabilities when the difficulties they are facing could be resolved by different or more intense instruction and b) providing an alternative to discrepancy formulas (achievement in comparison to IQ) for identifying students as having LD who instead need "specialized instruction" as required by federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 [IDEA 2004]). In the latter case, the notion is that students who continue to have difficulty learning even after having received scientifically based instruction and supplemental intervention may have LD. (We should note that although reading problems provided the impetus for creating RTI approaches, in many places the approach has been expanded to include other academic and behavioral problems.)

It might seem odd to refer to prevention in secondary education, because by the time some students get to middle school, they already have a history of academic failure that often worsens in high school. Prevention has been a term typically used to address activities with younger children at risk for school failure. However, there are different ways to think about prevention with adolescents. One way is with respect to literacy. Because literacy is a key to academic success in secondary settings, difficulty in this area bodes ill for students learning academic subjects. By focusing on proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, educators can help students access content, thereby avoiding more global school failure.

Another way to think about prevention relates to avoidance of negative consequences of poor academic achievement, including failure to earn a diploma and dropping out of school. Other undesirable outcomes have more to do with personal and social consequences, such as low self-esteem, alienation, and antisocial behavior, including criminal activity. When construed in these ways, prevention, indeed, is germane to the education of adolescents.

What about the second aspect of RTI-the alternative to discrepancy formulas for identifying students as having LD? Partly because of the long-standing use of discrepancy formulas in schools, educators are likely to encounter struggling students in middle, junior, and high schools who have fallen through the cracks, that is, students who did not meet discrepancy criteria for LD identification in elementary school and who are now having serious problems in a secondary setting. In an RTI approach, such students who need more than good, scientifically based instruction might be sufficiently assisted with interventions in general education and not need special education. However, in the event that this is not enough, data documenting lack of sufficient progress in interventions outside of special education (i.e., lack of responsiveness to intervention) would provide evidence along with other evaluation data to support identification of such students as having LD.

In fact, this aspect of RTI is especially important at the secondary levels. Especially if students have had some help over the years, they may not evidence the kind of discrepancy needed for traditional eligibility requirements. A frustrating circumstance frequently reported by parents is that in an effort to help their children succeed, they seek outside tutoring that may insufficiently ameliorate academic problems but may be just effective enough to prevent them from meeting discrepancy eligibility criteria for special education.

What Myths Have to Be Dispelled to Make RTI Viable at Secondary Levels?

Middle, junior, and high schools are very different places from elementary schools and, in fact, are different from each other. To facilitate the development of beliefs, values, and a culture supporting RTI adoption, common myths have to be dispelled. Several myths related to adolescent literacy discussed by Ehren, Lenz, and Deshler (2004) can be adapted to the larger context of RTI:

Myth #1: It is fruitless to spend time and money on struggling adolescents because they have passed the point at which instruction or intervention can make a real difference.

Secondary educators may be less than enthusiastic about RTI implementation because they may be pessimistic about what can be accomplished with older students. They may think that struggling adolescents are beyond help and that significant problems, especially with literacy, should have been taken care of in elementary school. Surely, we would all love to see problems identified and ameliorated earlier than middle, junior, or high school. However, RTI at the elementary level is just now being implemented, often inconsistently, across the country, so it should not be surprising to find students in secondary schools who are struggling with literacy. Not only would it be unconscionable to give up on older students, but it would also be ill-informed. Evidence exists that intervention with them can be effective. (For example, see O'Connor & Bell, 2004; Scammacca, et al., 2007; Schumaker & Deshler, 1992; Vaughn, Klingner, & Bryant, 2001).

Myth #2: Instruction that works with young children will be equally effective for older students.

For secondary schools charting an RTI course, it would be a mistake to import wholesale the models, programs, and techniques from elementary school. We should not assume that instruction validated at the elementary school level will be effective in middle, junior, and high schools. For example, although we have learned much in recent years about emergent literacy intervention with young children, the same practices may or may not be effective with older students at beginning literacy levels. The unique learner and setting characteristics have to be considered in designing appropriate assessment and instructional approaches at secondary levels. Adolescents are not just bigger primary grade children, even though they may be reading at similar levels. Furthermore, middle, junior, and high schools are far different organizations from elementary schools; therefore, programs have to be tailored to those settings.

Myth #3: Literacy is not the job of secondary educators.

Although secondary-level RTI approaches may expand beyond a literacy focus, as has been the trend at the elementary level, no doubt literacy will continue to be a linchpin. This would make sense, because content mastery at the secondary level depends so much on literacy proficiency. A sticking point, however, is that secondary educators do not always see literacy as their role and often express the opinion that literacy should have been taught by elementary level teachers. An additional factor is that content literacy may not have been a part of many teachers' college preparation programs.

Secondary teachers have to recognize and accept their roles with literacy for all students, not just those who struggle; connections must be made between content mastery and content literacy. Furthermore, administrators need to promote a shared responsibility for academic achievement with literacy roots as a school-wide mission and foster a systematic approach to addressing student needs.

Myth #4: Little can be done for students who are not motivated to engage in learning.

It is certainly true that adolescents unmotivated to learn in school will not succeed. It is not true that nothing can be done about it. Motivation involves a complex set of issues that are not our focus here. (For more information on this subject, see Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000; Hock, Deshler, & Schumaker, 2005; Moje, 2006; Pajares & Urdan, 2005). Suffice it to say at this point, with respect to implementing RTI, that meeting students' individual learning needs can provide a boost that struggling adolescents need to persist in their efforts. Unmotivated, unsuccessful adolescents labeled as "lazy" may put forth greater effort if they are getting the help they need. Also, by participating in their own progress monitoring, they can track their own gains and find additional motivation in doing so.

What Opportunities Does RTI Afford Middle, Junior, and High Schools?

Educators who have seen school initiatives come and go can become jaded about "one more new thing" and may think of RTI in that light. On the other hand, they may think about the current success rates of all the students in their schools and consider whether RTI might hold some promise for addressing the challenges they face in educating adolescents.

Teachers are under enormous pressure to have students meet state standards in specific content areas. In an RTI context, focus on scientifically based instruction means that teachers will be encouraged to examine their teaching practices and to differentiate instruction to enhance student learning. Such attention on good, universal instruction will enhance teachers' success in helping students meet standards.

Students who struggle with content, especially those who cannot read the textbooks and other learning materials, may need more help than classroom teachers can give. An RTI approach can address in substantive ways the literacy problems inhibiting student success without overburdening content area teachers in the remediation of fundamental literacy skills. Different interventions would be available in a tiered RTI approach. For example if a student is far below grade level in reading, an intensive reading class, taught by a reading specialist may be available.

It has been a common practice in secondary schools to deliver the help that struggling students need by trying to make them eligible for special education programs. Not only is this solution more costly, but it also involves labeling an adolescent as a student with a disability, which he or she may not be. Not all students who need help will wind up qualifying for special education services, leaving many without assistance unless other options are available. When large numbers of students in a school are struggling, administrators must worry about whether the school will meet accountability requirements for adequate yearly progress. With RTI, schools will have a mechanism for helping students make the expected amount of progress. Furthermore, if students do need special education, they will not fail to qualify for services because they do not meet discrepancy criteria.

An additional opportunity is that an RTI approach implemented well may provide a systematic way for secondary schools to address the needs of all the students who come through their doors. Rather than depend on individual teachers or isolated programs, RTI will involve a coordinated effort across faculty. It provides a framework within which resources can be used wisely to provide student support and increase teachers' perception of their efficacy. RTI deals with increasingly intensive interventions for students-no one teacher or group of teachers is solely responsible. Implementation of a tiered approach to instruction and intervention means that a school acknowledges that one size does not fit all and that data can be used to make decisions about who needs what, how much, and when.

What Challenges Exist with RTI at Secondary Levels?

Many of the same challenges faced at the elementary level will also be faced at the secondary level. What increases the challenge at the secondary level is the complexity of the organization and the nightmare of scheduling, especially in high schools. The definition of tiers is an issue-who, what, how, and for how long? How intensive should the third tier be before it can be considered "specialized" and, therefore, more appropriately a special education service?

Developing structures to deliver intervention within the framework of middle, junior, and high school in ways that are palatable to adolescents can be difficult. For example, the one-on-one tutorial approach used in elementary schools during the school day may be disruptive to the operation of a typical middle or high school and may also be met with resistance from adolescents who would prefer not to be singled out. Other structures, such as a class within a class, a lab, before- or after-school programs, special elective courses, and co-teaching, may be considered.

Also, it is difficult (although not impossible) for secondary schools to promote flexible movement across tiers within a semester course schedule. Then, too, in high school there is the issue of credits; students must be sure to take the courses they need to earn a diploma. If a student needs substantial intervention, he or she may not be able to meet graduation requirements in the 4 years typically allotted for high school.

What Questions Should You Be Asking?

As you contemplate RTI at your school, the following questions may help to frame the conversation, along with some key responses to look for as positive signs of readiness to engage in an RTI initiative:

Do we believe that all students can learn?

Teachers have high expectations for ALL students.

Teachers describe differentiated instruction to meet the needs of learners in their classes.

"Laziness" is not frequently offered as an explanation of poor performance.

Is our school committed to scientifically based instruction?

Programs/techniques used are based on research with adolescents.

Instruction is differentiated for students.

A system for checking fidelity of instruction exists.

Assessment data are gathered and reviewed on a regular basis.

Classroom instruction changes as a result of data analysis.

Programs/classes are structured to meet the needs noted in assessment.

Students participate in different programs/classes based on assessment results.

Do we have a school wide approach to literacy?

Literacy assessment data are gathered on at least an annual basis.

For students experiencing reading difficulty, problems in comprehension, fluency and word recognition are identified.

The school improvement plan specifically addresses literacy.

Each teacher can explain her role with literacy.

Teachers are supported with high quality professional development that advances literacy in the content areas.

We offer a variety of services in varying degrees of intensity to address literacy needs.

When we address student literacy needs we differentiate, word recognition, fluency, and comprehension problems.

Who is involved in RTI at our school?

RTI leaders are from across general and special education.

Speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, reading specialists and literacy coaches are centrally involved.

All educators can explain the school's approach to RTI, as well as the rationale.

Parents understand their children's involvement in RTI at the school.

School level administrators are actively engaged in leading the effort and providing necessary resources.

© Student Success Initiatives, Inc., 2008. Used with permission.

Conclusion

It would be wonderful to hope that as RTI approaches are implemented more consistently at elementary (and in fact preschool) levels, we will see increasingly less failure at secondary levels. It would be foolhardy to assume, however, that because there is a focus on RTI at the elementary level, there is no need to attend to it in middle, junior, and high schools. Therefore, it is a good idea for educators and parents to keep RTI on their radar screens and to be oriented toward the following:

1. Explain how the rationale of RTI relates to secondary education.

2. Be prepared to dispel myths that would thwart RTI implementation.

3. Be encouraged by the opportunities RTI presents in secondary settings.

4. Be cognizant of, but undaunted by, the challenges of implementing RTI in middle, junior, and high schools.

5. Be prepared to ask key questions with an ear tuned to positive responses.

Handbook of language and literacy (pp. 600-625). New York: Guilford Press.

Guthrie, J. T., & Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement and motivation in reading. In M. Kamil, R. Barr, P. Mosenthal, & D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research: Volume III (pp. 403-424). New York: Longman.

Hock, M. F., Deshler, D. D., & Schumaker, J. B. (2005). Enhancing student motivation through the pursuit of possible selves. In C. Dunkel & J. Kerpelman (Eds.), Possible selves: Theory, research and applications (pp. 205-221). Hauppauge, NY: Nova.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-446, § 1400 et seq.

Moje, E. B. (2006). Motivating texts, motivating contexts, motivating adolescents: An examination of the role of motivation in adolescent literacy practices and development. Perspectives, 32(3), 10-14.

National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2006). A parent's guide to response to intervention. Retrieved July 7, 2007.

O'Connor, R., & Bell, K. (2004). Teaching students with reading disability to read words. In A. Stone, E. Silliman, B. Ehren, & K. Apel (Eds.), Handbook of language and literacy (pp. 481-498). New York: Guilford Press.

References

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Ehren, B. J., Lenz, B. K., & Deshler, D. D. (2004). Enhancing literacy proficiency in adolescents and young adults. In A. Stone, E. Silliman, B. Ehren, & K. Apel (Eds.), If you are a secondary educator or a parent of a teenager and you have heard of Response to Intervention (RTI), it has likely been in reference to activities in early elementary school, not in your middle, junior, or high school.

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