Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports
An effective Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a comprehensive and strategic prevention-based framework for continuous improvement. MTSS capitalizes on experiences and outcomes for all students.
An Integrated MTSS model provides all students with the best opportunities to succeed academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally in school. Integrated MTSS is a framework that schools work within to create school wide systems that focus on high quality, culturally responsive instruction and interventions matched to student needs. These systems include shared leadership, assessment, data-based problem solving and decision making, universal shared practices, targeted and intensive interventions and family school and community engagement.
IMTSS is not simply the implementation of both academic RTI and PBIS systems. It is a systematic and careful integration of components in a defined system that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire school system.
Key Componets of IMTSS
An effective IMTSS Framework has five key components. These components are the schools defined leadership teams and how they are structured to support systemic improvement. The schools identified screening and assessment tools and timelines to be able to analyze the schools continuous improvements, and a determined process and structure for making decisions with data at the center. Defined expectations (using evidenced based programing and instructional strategies) that are taught within each layer of support (universal, target and intervention) of academic, social, emotional and behavioral and process to move students between each layer. The last component is how a school engages their families and the surrounding community in the school to ensure students have all the support they need to succeed.