- Oxford School District
- Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
What is MTSS?
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What is MTSS?
The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is an evidence-based framework for structuring the collaborative efforts of school professionals to provide an equitable education for all students with a focus on the whole child. Additionally, the MTSS framework aims to identify struggling learners early and intervene quickly with academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports to improve student outcomes and to create a safe and supportive learning environment.
Tier 1 encompasses all students in a classroom and focuses on research-based high-quality classroom instruction and behavioral supports to help students reach proficiency.
Tier 2 encompasses five-10% of the student population and involves targeted small-group prevention or remediation interventions for students whose academic performance or behavior falls behind the norm for proficiency.
Tier 3 encompasses one to five percent of the student population and requires a focus on intensive, individualized interventions for students who have an insufficient response to evidenced-based interventions in the first two tiers.
Vision for MTSS
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Mississippi’s Vision for MTSS
In Mississippi, districts and schools are encouraged to utilize the cohesive framework, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), to align current resources and initiatives to meet ALL students’ academic and behavioral needs. Mississippi’s model for MTSS consists of six essential components:
- Shared Leadership
- Family, School, & Community Partnerships
- Data-Based Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
- Layered Continuum of Supports (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3)
- Evidence-Based Instruction, Intervention, & Assessment
- Universal Screening & Progress Monitoring
OSD’s Vision for MTSS
Some students struggle with academics. Others struggle with behavioral challenges. Still others struggle with both. Instead of “waiting for failure”, the Oxford School District takes a proactive approach to identify students who need additional support. Early assessment and intervention for these students can help them catch up with their peers sooner.
The Department of Student Services uses the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework to provide targeted support for struggling students. MTSS grew out of the integration of two other intervention-based frameworks: Response to Intervention (RtI) and PBIS.
As part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) updated by Congress in 2004, the Response to Intervention model of assessment originally sought to identify students who would benefit from more intensive support. From these beginnings as a tool to help improve educational outcomes for students in special education, MTSS has grown to encompass all students at every level. The integrated instruction model of MTSS uses collected data to assess student needs and provide them with interventions in appropriate tiers.
The key components of MTSS include:
- Universal screening of all students early in the school year
- Tiers of interventions that can be amplified in response to levels of need
- Ongoing data collection and continual assessment
- Schoolwide approach to expectations and supports
- Parent involvement
Supporting Your Student
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Supporting Your Student
Parents play a critical role in supporting what their children are learning in school. Research shows that the more parents are involved in student learning, the higher the student achievement. Here are a few ways you can support your child and what they are doing in their school:
- Make reading an everyday habit at home
- Share information that may impact your child's success at school
- Communicate with your child's teacher
- Monitor homework assignments, even at higher grade levels
- Designate a quiet place and time for homework
- Ask for regular monitoring reports
- Share your child's successes
- Learn more about the curriculum and interventions being used in your child's school
- Attend parent/teacher conferences and other school meetings about your child
Questions Parents Can Ask
- What curriculum is being taught in my child’s classroom?
- What targeted interventions is my child’s school using if he/she struggles in the classroom?
- How many weeks does my child’s school collect data and monitor progress?
- How will I be informed of the progress my child is making?
- What happens if an intervention is not working?
- What social-emotional learning does my child’s school teach to all students?
- What kind of behavior interventions are used if my child is struggling?
- Who is the problem-solving team lead in my child’s school?
Additional Resources
Who to Contact
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Who to Contact
All intervention plans are developed and monitored by the intervention coordinators (academic) and behavior coaches (behavior) as a result of team decisions. If you have questions about your child’s Tier status or progress, please contact the following people at your child’s school.
Intervention Coordinators
- Bramlett Elementary School
Beth Parker
bparker@oxfordsd.org - Della Davidson Elementary School
Dr. Rhonda Reed
rreed1@oxfordsd.org - Central Elementary School
Shalayne VanSickle
sevansickle@oxfordsd.org - Oxford Intermediate School
Shenita Key
skey@oxfordsd.org - Oxford Middle School
Shenita Key
skey@oxfordsd.org - Oxford High School
Kawana Brookins
kabrookins@oxfordsd.org
Behavior Coaches
- Bramlett Elementary School
LeToya McClay
lmcclay@oxfordsd.org - Della Davidson Elementary School
Tamara Rice
tmmurphy-rice@oxfordsd.org - Central Elementary School
Kimberly Wadley
kdwadley@oxfordsd.org - Oxford Intermediate School
Morgan McNeil
mmcneil@oxfordsd.org - Oxford Middle School
Kevin Jasper
kcjasper@oxfordsd.org - Oxford High School
Shaun Kelly
shkelly@oxfordsd.org
- Bramlett Elementary School
Frequently Asked Questions
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What curriculum is being taught in my child’s classroom?
The Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards (MCCRS) outline what students in Mississippi are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level. These standards help guide the curriculum in subjects like English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies from kindergarten through high school. The goal is to prepare students for success in both college and the workforce. The standards can be found here on the Mississippi Department of Education website.
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What targeted interventions is my child’s school using if he/she struggles in the classroom?
The targeted interventions your child’s school is using to support their learning challenges include:
- iReady:
An adaptive learning program that helps identify areas where your child may struggle. It provides personalized lessons and assessments in both reading and math. iReady aims to address specific gaps in your child’s knowledge and skills by tailoring activities to their current level of understanding. - S.P.I.R.E.:
A structured literacy program designed to help children with reading difficulties, including those with dyslexia. It focuses on phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. S.P.I.R.E. uses a multisensory approach to engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning to improve reading skills. - Small Group Teacher-Led Standards-Based Remediation:
This intervention involves targeted, small group instruction where the teacher focuses on specific academic standards that your child is struggling with. This approach allows for more individualized attention, with the teacher providing guided practice and reinforcement of concepts that your child finds challenging.
These interventions are designed to meet your child’s academic needs and provide additional support to help them succeed in the classroom. If you have concerns or would like more details, contact the school or teacher for more information about how these interventions are implemented and monitored.
- iReady:
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How many weeks does my child’s school collect data and monitor progress?
Data collection and progress monitoring are ongoing in every classroom. However, when students have been placed on a Tier for academics or behavior, progress monitoring data is collected weekly for Tier 3 students and bi-weekly for Tier 2 students. Data is then analyzed at the end of a 9- to 18-week period to determine if the intervention has been successful.
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How will I be informed of the progress my child is making?
You will be informed of the progress your child is making via Progress Reports & Parent Conferences. Intervention teachers may send home updates indicating student progress on their weekly progress monitoring measure or anytime within 9 to 18 weeks. Tier 3 phone conferences are held at the end of every nine weeks to communicate student progress in Tier 3 interventions with parents.
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What happens if an intervention is not working?
Modifications are made if an intervention is not working. The MTSS/Teacher Support Team meetings are held to discuss modifications and next steps.
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What socio-emotional learning does my child's school teach to all students?
Behavior coaches and counselors support students by teaching them skills to manage and overcome various social-emotional challenges. They work with students to develop coping strategies for stress, anxiety, and emotional regulation, as well as skills for building positive relationships and improving behavior. Through individualized guidance, they help students improve self-awareness, manage their emotions, resolve conflicts, and navigate social situations. Their goal is to foster emotional resilience, promote positive behavior, and create a supportive environment for academic and personal growth.
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What kind of behavior interventions are used if my child is struggling?
When behaviors are severe or pose a safety risk, the school asks for an FBA to be conducted and a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) with crisis response protocols is developed, such as de-escalation techniques or access to a safe space. Other techniques that are used are teaching Skill building Interventions:
- Social Skills Training: Help your child practice turn-taking, conflict resolution, or making friends.
- Emotion Regulation Skills: Teach coping mechanisms like deep breathing, using a calm-down corner, or expressing feelings with words.
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Who is the problem-solving team lead in my child’s school?
The building administrator is the instructional lead of each school.