MTSS: How Classrooms Respond to the Needs of All Students

At Ardsley, we strive to help every student reach their potential through high-quality instruction combined with a tiered and targeted intervention that matches individual needs.  This Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a problem-solving process that helps teachers, parents, and students identify specific academic and behavioral needs that may impact student performance. 

The MTSS approach recognizes that students do not all start in the same place or learn at the same rate. By intervening early and often, the MTSS approach ensures that small gaps do not become insurmountable and that gaps and moments of struggle are supported fully. 

The MTSS approach is not considered special education services.  While the two programs have similarities in their approach, the MTSS process is designed to occur before a referral to special education.

The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework requires regular assessment of student progress, level of performance, and learning rate over time. MTSS uses various screening and progress monitoring tools to determine if students are meeting the standards and provides tiered levels of intervention and intensity, depending on student needs. 

If you would like more support for your child’s learning needs, please contact your child's teacher pro principal, who can help you start the MTSS process. Also see the additional resource below to learn more about how the process works. 

Defining the Three Tiers of Intervention  

• Tier 1 Active Learning Environments with High-Quality Instruction/Classroom Intervention

In the classroom setting, teachers provide high-quality, research-based, and differentiated instruction for all students as part of Tier 1 of the MTSS process. Students participate in whole class and small group lessons to meet their needs. Instruction, standards, curriculum, resources, and assessments are aligned and designed to reach the widest range of learners.  Tier 1 interventions can happen within lessons or during designated time blocks created for  targeted interventions and what has traditionally been called “extra help.” Tier 1 instruction is what 80%-100% of students require to meet grade-level expectations in a given school year. 

• Tier 2 Strategic Intervention

In addition to Tier 1 intervention, students who are unable to meet grade-level standards may be eligible for Tier 2 intervention. Tier 2 interventions are implemented in a small-group setting by a classroom teacher or a specialist approximately three times a week for 30 minutes each. The goal of Tier 2 interventions is to provide students with supplemental small-group instruction targeting their specific needs. In addition, behavior may be a factor in Tier 2 intervention because it often impacts academic performance and/or rate of learning. Tier 2 is intended for 10-15% of students who show a discrepancy in their academic performance and/or learning rate when compared to grade-level standards. 

• Tier 3 Intensive Intervention

Students receive Tier 3 interventions in addition to Tier 1 as well as Tier 2 interventions (when they are practicable). Tier 3 interventions are more targeted and tend to be given 1:1 or in very small groups to ensure the highest degree of personalized attention.  These interventions are provided for students who are at significant risk of academic failure but do not necessarily qualify for special education services. Behavior can often be a factor in academic performance and/or the rate of learning, so it is likely to be a factor in Tier 3 interventions.

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