Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Norton City Schools utilizes a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, which addresses academic as well as social-emotional/behavioral development of children from early childhood to graduation. For several years, the district has used variations of this framework when identifying and addressing student needs. Most recently, MTSS has become a big part of Ohio’s “Whole Child” framework, and consequently, has become a driving force in addressing Norton’s 5-year strategic plan to challenge, prepare, and empower “Every Child, Every Day.”
Essential Components and Tiers of MTSS
MTSS is a three tiered problem-solving model, where each tier differentiates the level of intensity needed and used for various interventions. The MTSS framework is data-driven, where all decisions are based on academic and social-emotional/behavioral data collected for students. The essential components of MTSS include:
Universal instruction and screenings of all students,
Identifying students’ (group and individual) strengths and needs based on the universal instruction/screenings,
Creating a plan for students with needs,
Implementing varying levels of evidence based interventions for targeted groups of students to address areas of need,
Collecting data to frequently monitor the students’ responsiveness and/or progress as the result of the varying level of interventions,
Analyzing data to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions to inform next steps in meeting the academic and social-emotional/behavioral needs of the students.
RTI and PBIS
Two MTSS frameworks used at Norton City Schools include Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
Below is a graphical representation of the tiers used on the MTSS model. Using the essential components outlined above (circle around the triangle), data is used to determine the tiered level of support for each student.
Response to Intervention (RTI)