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Middle school teacher and support staff
perceptions of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
(MTSS) implementation: A case study in a
suburban western Pennsylvania middle school

Presented by: Dr. Emily Mazzant
Dissertation Chairperson: Dr. Richael Barger-Anderson
April 13, 2021

Introduction and Study Background

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
COLLABORATION WITH PINE-RICHLAND
SCHOOL DISTRICT

Introduction

Study Purpose and
Significance

Existing Research

Research Questions
How do middle school
teachers & staff perceive MTSS
implementation?
How do these perceptions
impact buy-in and level of
understanding of staff?
In what ways do middle school
teachers understand the MTSS
framework?

District MTSS
Implementation

 Overview of critical components of MTSS
 School-Wide Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS)
 Social-Emotional Learning
 Response to Intervention and transition to
MTSS
 State and Federal Legislation related to MTSS
 Implementation Research and Rationale for
MTSS
 District and Administrative Support related to
MTSS effectiveness
 Comprehensive Systems
 MTSS Program Fidelity and Research-based
Interventions
 Secondary Level MTSS

 Teacher and Stakeholder input and
perspectives on MTSS implementation

Review of
Literature

Methodology
Mazzant Open-Ended Interview Questions

 Interview Approach
 Procedure and Data
Collection
October 22ndNovember 3rd

 Setting
 Credibility & Ethical
Considerations

Aligned to research
question #

1.

What does MTSS mean to you?

1, 3

2.

What does the MTSS team(s) process look like at your school?
What is its purpose?

1, 3

3.

Who is responsible for MTSS in your school and what does this
responsibility entail? How do you contribute to this
implementation?

1, 2, 3

4.

What is the purpose and operation of the MTSS team(s) within
your school? Please discuss the building level and team level
MTSS teams.

1, 3

5.

What paperwork and/or documentation are required as a part
of the MTSS process in your school? How would you describe
this required documentation?

2

6.

What reading and math interventions are implemented in your
school? Describe how these are provided as a part of the tiered
framework of MTSS.

3

7.

Do you feel the MTSS framework is effective in your school
building? In what ways is it effective or not effective?

2

8.

How do you collaborate with parents and fellow colleagues
regarding the implementation of MTSS?

2

9.

In what ways are MTSS team meetings used to benefit students?

1

10.

How do you feel about the success of the MTSS process within
your school?

2

12.

In what ways do you feel the MTSS process in your building can
improve?

1, 2, 3

Participants

Number
Requested to
Participate in
Study

Number
Participated
in Study

Percentage of
Participation
out of total
teachers

24

11

44%

42%

6

4

66.6%

15%

Special Area
Teachers/ Off
Team

25

3

12%

11.5%

Paraprofessionals

9

3

33.3%

11.5%

Other

6

5

83%

19%

Totals

70

26

37%

n/a

General
Education
Teachers
Special Education
Teachers

Percentage
of
participation
out of total
participants

Results

MTSS Teacher Benchmarks

MTSS Needs Assessment

Breakdown of results

Breakdown of results

• Indicates surface level understanding

• Strengths: structure, personnel, systems

• Area of need: understanding of PBIS
involvement in MTSS

• Areas of need: practice of MTSS;
progress monitoring, problem solving &
SEL screener and interventions

Interview Responses

Interview
Response
Data
Analysis
Process

Examples of Codes Identified (number of times code identified)
Support for all students (47)
Interventions and enrichment (27)
Meeting structure for team-based MTSS teams (19)
Everyone has responsibility for MTSS (27)
Forms for documentation (20)
Collaboration between teachers, administration, intervention specialist and counselors (25)
Specific classes and academic support identified as part of the system of support (8)
Varied responses in relation to effectiveness of MTSS (25)
Meetings were discussed as a part of the MTSS process (23)
Identifying student needs and collaborating to discuss how to address the needs (47)
Lack of communication with off-team teachers (17)

Categories of Identified Themes

Research Question 1:





Support for all students and
addressing individual student
needs is a part of the MTSS
process, as well as the need for
all staff to be involved.
Communication with off-team
teachers is insufficient

Research Question 2:






All students, all staff,
and collaboration
between teams
Discussion of forms as a
part of the MTSS
process
Parental involvement
was not discussed as a
priority in responses

Research Question 3:




All students, all staff, and
collaboration between
teams
Procedures and logistics
are discussed in relation to
MTSS rather than the dayto-day implementation
through working with
students

Research Question 1
How do middle school teachers & staff perceive MTSS implementation?


Support for all students and addressing individual student needs is a part
of the MTSS process, as well as the need for all staff to be involved



Communication with off-team teachers is insufficient

Research Question 2
How do these perceptions impact buy-in and level of understanding of staff?


All students, all staff, and collaboration between teams



Discussion of forms as a part of the MTSS process



Parental involvement was not discussed as a priority in responses

Research Question 3
In what ways do middle school teachers understand the MTSS framework?


All students, all staff, and collaboration between teams



Procedures and logistics are discussed in relation to MTSS rather than the
day-to-day implementation through working with students

Thematic
Analysis

Recommendations and Contributions

Recommendations for future research and practice
Contribution to the field of education

Provided to
teams in
January 2021:
Contribution
to
Pine-Richland
Middle School

Thank you for
listening!
 Questions