5 Musts, Myths, & Maybes of MTSS Stephanie Stollar, Ph.D. Colorado READing Conference stollar_s@fuse.net

What is MTSS?

What is MTSS?

Why MTSS? refer-test-place dependent on teacher referral tests were one time, high inference, removed from classroom instruction only way to get help was special education special education was a separate system with all the magic stuff wait to fail pre-referral interventions lack of progress meant suspected disability special education was separate, a life sentence, and meant low expectations with little or no improvement categorical service delivery only a minority of kids learned to read – gaps gots bigger over time if you don’t know what mtss is an alternative to then you can’t make sure you are doing something different than the old way

Assumptions of This Workshop Some things are non-negotiable – if you aren’t doing them then you aren’t doing MTSS Some things are negotiable – there is more than one way to implement the framework It isn’t possible to overestimate the power of early literacy instruction This is not a How To it is a What If

5 Musts of MTSS Prevent Assess Schedule Improve Instruction Use Problem Solving

Must #1: Prevent Reading Failure Reading trajectories start early Start low, tend to stay low Start low, fall further behind It takes more intensive support to catch up It is possible to prevent reading failure for almost all students Prevention, not intervention, must be the focus

Myths About... Preventing Reading Failure Children will learn to read when they are ready if we just find enough volunteers, buy enough programs, and get an intervention block in our schedule, we can intervene our way out of ineffective first instruction

Must #2: Assess Reading Directly The district assessment system must have reliable and valid tools for the following purposes: Screening Diagnosis Progress Monitoring Outcome Evaluation Decisions must be based on data reflecting student needs, not adult preference, convenience or history

Myths About... Assessment There is a place for norm-referenced, high-inference assessments in MTSS Do MTSS, but then you refer, test and place when there is insufficient progress All tests are the same If a test claims it can be used for progress monitoring, then it can be Response to intervention is documenting failure Progress monitoring teaches reading

Must #3: Schedule Core Reading Instruction Time Intervention Time Within and Outside of Core Grade Level Team Planning Time Building Team Planning Time Professional Development Time

Myths About... Schedules We can just keep doing business as usual and call it MTSS

Must #4: Improve Instruction Continuous improvement of classroom reading instruction All students receive Tier 1 instruction Cohesive, comprehensive curriculum using continuums of skills Focus on essential elements of early literacy Differentiation, grouping and progress monitoring in Tier 1 I Do It, We DO It, You Do It Research-based instructional strategies You MUST enable learning before suspecting a disability Tier 2 in addition to Tier 1, not instead of Tier 1 Tiers 2 and 3 are different intensity, not necessarily different programs

Myths About: Instruction There is research to support all kinds of reading instruction Some students just can’t learn to read If we try phonics and it doesn’t work, teach whole word approach MTSS is an alternate route to special education MTSS takes too long to ... (the mistaken believe that the goal is special education eligibility) MTSS is a person, place, time of day, intervention

Must #5: Use Problem Solving The relentless pursuit of outcomes You don’t have to know all of the answer, just keep asking these questions Used at the district, school, classroom, small group and individual student levels

Myths About ... Problem Solving We can implement MTSS without doing it

Conclusion Non-Negotiables Negotiables

Innovations Conference