Day 229: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

"We don't have enough spots in intervention for all the kids who need it."

That sentence stopped me cold. We were rationing education like wartime supplies, deciding which drowning children got life preservers based on how many we had, not how many were drowning. That's when I realized our intervention system was backwards. Instead of providing support based on need, we provided need based on available support.

MTSS is supposed to fix this. Multi-Tiered Systems of Support promises to catch every kid at the right level of support. Tier 1: strong core instruction for all. Tier 2: targeted intervention for some. Tier 3: intensive intervention for few. Beautiful pyramid diagram. Except our pyramid was inverted - weak core instruction meant most kids needed intervention we couldn't provide.

The core instruction problem is where MTSS usually fails. If Tier 1 instruction only works for 50% of kids, you don't have an intervention problem - you have an instruction problem. When we realized our reading curriculum skipped phonics and wondered why kids couldn't decode, the issue wasn't kids needing intervention. The issue was core instruction missing core components.

Here's the revolution: we flipped our thinking from "who needs intervention?" to "what does core instruction need to include so fewer kids need intervention?" When we strengthened Tier 1 with systematic phonics, culturally responsive texts, and differentiated instruction, our intervention needs dropped 40%. We weren't identifying fewer kids who needed help - fewer kids needed help.

The screening-to-intervention pipeline revealed massive problems. Universal screening identified needs, but then what? We had six-week waiting lists for reading intervention. Kids identified in September started intervention in November. That's not early intervention - that's eventual intervention. MTSS without immediate response capacity is just elaborate documentation of failure.

Tier 2 intervention exposed resource reality. The model says small-group targeted intervention for 15-20% of students. But who provides it? When? Where? We had classroom teachers trying to run intervention groups while teaching full classes. That's not intervention - that's interrupted instruction for everyone.

The movement between tiers should be fluid, but ours was cement. Once kids entered intervention, they stayed forever. No exit criteria, no progress monitoring for reduction of services. Kids who needed six weeks of support got six years because we never checked if they still needed it. Meanwhile, newly struggling kids couldn't access support because spots were permanently filled.

Cultural responsiveness in MTSS was completely missing. We provided the same intervention regardless of why kids struggled. English learners got the same phonics intervention as native speakers with dyslexia. Kids with attention issues got the same small group as kids with processing disorders. That's not tiered support - that's one-size-fits-none intervention.

The scheduling nightmare almost killed MTSS. Pull kids from core instruction for intervention? They miss new learning. After school? Transportation issues and family obligations. During specials? Illegal and unethical. We created "What I Need" (WIN) time - 30 minutes daily when everyone got their tier of support simultaneously. No pull-out, no missing instruction.

Data systems for MTSS were overwhelming until we simplified. We tracked screening scores, diagnostic results, progress monitoring, intervention dosage, and outcome metrics for every child. Teachers drowned in data. We created simple dashboards: green (on track), yellow (watch), red (intervene). Complex data became actionable information.

The intervention inventory revealed gaps and redundancies. We had three programs for phonics but nothing for comprehension strategies. Four teachers doing fluency intervention differently. No intervention for vocabulary. We mapped what we had, identified gaps, and aligned interventions to assessed needs.

Parent communication in MTSS typically fails. Parents get letters full of acronyms: "Your child qualifies for Tier 2 RtI for DIBELS ORF." We changed to plain language: "Maria reads slowly, which affects understanding. She'll get extra practice with reading speed for 20 minutes daily. Here's how to help at home."

The teacher expertise problem was real. Classroom teachers were expected to provide specialized intervention without specialized training. That's like expecting general practitioners to perform surgery. We provided intensive training, coaching, and support. Intervention is skilled work requiring skilled providers.

Progress monitoring drove tier movement. Every four weeks, we reviewed data. Growing? Continue. Plateauing? Adjust. Meeting goals? Reduce support. This wasn't permanent placement - it was responsive support that changed with need. Kids moved between tiers like breathing, not like immigration.

The enrichment revelation transformed MTSS. It's not just for struggling readers - it's for all readers. Advanced readers need Tier 2 too - just different support. When we started providing enrichment interventions for kids reading above grade level, behavior problems disappeared. They weren't troublemakers - they were bored.

Collaborative problem-solving made MTSS work. Instead of teachers struggling alone, grade-level teams met weekly to discuss kids moving between tiers. Special education, ELL, and intervention specialists joined. Parents contributed. Kids self-advocated. Support became collaborative, not isolated.

The sustainability issue nearly broke us. MTSS requires resources - people, time, materials, space, training. Without district commitment, it's just another unfunded mandate. We had to get creative: parent volunteers for Tier 1 support, computer programs for practice, peer tutoring for reinforcement. Not ideal, but better than rationing support.

Tomorrow starts a new week exploring development models and phases of reading. But today's bottom line is this: MTSS only works when core instruction is strong, intervention is immediate, movement is fluid, and support matches need. When we use MTSS to sort kids into permanent tracks, we're not providing multi-tiered support - we're creating multi-tiered surrender.