STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS IN AN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF HOW PSSA GRADE LEVEL
TEACHERS PERCEIVE THE IMPLEMENTATION YEAR OF AN ACADEMIC
MTSS PROGRAM IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A Doctoral Capstone Project
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Education

Richard E. Lucas
Pennsylvania Western University
August 4, 2023

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

©Copyright
Richard E. Lucas
All Rights Reserved
August 2023
Pennsylvania Western University
School of Graduate Studies and Research
Department of Education

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Dedication
This work is dedicated to my loving and supportive wife, Diane. She is my
partner, best friend, and greatest supporter. Diane inspires me daily to be the best
husband, father, educator, and person I can be. She motivates me to be the best educator I
can be simply through her presence. Not everyone gets to meet their hero, but I get to
share my life with mine. She is the greatest teacher that I have ever met and the dedicated
educator that I strive to be each day.
I would also like to share my dedication of this project with my sons, Hayden,
Layne, and Reece. They are the best part of me, and daily it impresses me to see the
amazing men they are becoming. Their unconditional love and support are the bedrock
of my relationship with them. I am beyond blessed to have the opportunity to be their
father.
Finally, I would like include my parents, Mary Lucas and Michael Mackey, in my
dedication of this completed project. I am thankful for all that you have invested in me as
your son. Thank you for always being there to support me as I navigated the trying times
of completing this process.

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Acknowledgments
This research and the accompanying work associated with it would not have been
possible without the support and encouragement that I received throughout this two-year
process from Dr. Todd Keruskin. I am grateful for the time and efforts that Dr. Keruskin
invested in me both as a student and as a professional educator. His support throughout
the process was invaluable and is beyond appreciated. I have not only benefited from his
support but also grown as a professional educator from the valuable time that I was able
to spend learning from what I consider to be a model educator and the epitome of an
instructional leader.
In addition to Dr. Keruskin, I owe gratitude to the teachers at Windber Area
Elementary School for their willingness to participate in this research study and their
commitment to providing thoughtful and detailed responses throughout the research
process. Their dedication to their students rarely knows boundaries, and they embraced
this opportunity to support their students by committing themselves to the benefits an
MTSS program makes available. This group of teachers is an excellent example of why
Windber Area Elementary School is deserving of its reputation as one of the best
elementary schools in the state of Pennsylvania.

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Table of Contents
Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iv
List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix
List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi
Abstract ............................................................................................................................. xii
CHAPTER I. Introduction .................................................................................................. 1
Background ..................................................................................................................... 1
Capstone Focus ............................................................................................................... 4
Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 4
Expected Outcomes ........................................................................................................ 5
Fiscal Implications .......................................................................................................... 5
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER II. Review of Literature ................................................................................... 8
History of Special Education in Schools ........................................................................ 9
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ........................................................................... 10
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act ....................................................... 11
Americans with Disabilities Act ................................................................................... 12
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ................................................................. 13
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act ........................................... 16
Special Education Student and Parent Rights ............................................................... 17
Procedural Safeguards .................................................................................................. 18

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Dispute Resolution ........................................................................................................ 19
Landmark Cases in Special Education That Support MTSS Programming ................. 20
Brown v. Board of Education ................................................................................... 20
Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley .......... 21
Irving Independent School District v. Amber Tatro ................................................. 22
Lester H. v. Gilhool .................................................................................................. 23
Oberti v. Board of Education .................................................................................... 24
Gaskin v. Pennsylvania Department of Education ................................................... 24
Educational Disability ................................................................................................... 25
School Psychology .................................................................................................... 26
Severe Discrepancy Model and Response to Intervention (RTI) ............................. 27
What are Multi-Tiered Systems of Support .................................................................. 28
The History of MTSS.................................................................................................... 30
Early Intervention Services ........................................................................................... 31
The Essential Components of MTSS ............................................................................ 31
Implementation of MTSS Schoolwide.......................................................................... 33
Effective Program Implementation ............................................................................... 34
MTSS Teams ................................................................................................................ 36
The Role Parents Play in Implementation .................................................................... 38
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 38
CHAPTER III. Methodology ............................................................................................ 40
Purpose.......................................................................................................................... 41
Setting and Participants................................................................................................. 43

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Research Plan ................................................................................................................ 52
Validity ......................................................................................................................... 57
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 58
CHAPTER IV. Data Analysis and Results ....................................................................... 61
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 62
Survey Results .............................................................................................................. 68
Interview Results .......................................................................................................... 97
Results ............................................................................................................................. 112
Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 117
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 118
CHAPTER V. Conclusions and Recommendations ....................................................... 120
Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 122
Research Question #1 ................................................................................................. 122
Research Question #2 ................................................................................................. 123
Research Question #3 ................................................................................................. 126
Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 127
Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 132
Summary ......................................................................................................................... 134
References ....................................................................................................................... 137
Appendix A. Informed Consent Form ............................................................................ 142

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Appendix B. Institutional Review Board Approval ........................................................ 145
Appendix C. District Letter of Approval ........................................................................ 146
Appendix D. Teacher Survey .......................................................................................... 147
Appendix F. Data Collection Plan and Timeline ............................................................ 154

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List of Tables
Table 1. PSSA Percent Proficient Data at Windber Area Elementary School ……...........46
Table 2. Student Enrollment Details in Grades 3, 4, and 5……………………………….49
Table 3. Student Ethnicity Details in Grades 3, 4, and 5………………………………….50
Table 4. Research Study Invited Professional Educator Representation…………………51
Table 5. Ledger of Financial and Personnel Resources…………………………………..55
Table 6. Count of Teachers by Range of Years of Experience…………………………...68
Table 7. Attendance and Participation in MTSS Professional Development…………..…..70
Table 8. Count of Teachers by Grade Level(s) Taught…………………………………...71
Table 9. Count of Subject Area(s) Taught by the Teachers………………………………72
Table 10. Teacher Responses Expressing Level of Familiarity with MTSS……………...73
Table 11. Efforts to Address the Implementation of Learning Loss Supports……………75
Table 12. Professional Development Provided on MTSS in Advance of………………...76
Implementation
Table 13. The Belief that the MTSS Implementation was Effective……………………..78
Table 14. The Most Effective Aspect of MTSS Implementation………………………..79
Table 15. The Least Effective Aspect of MTSS Implementation………………………...83
Table 16. Beliefs Regarding the Progress Level of Students Receiving MTSS…………..86
Supports
Table 17. What Teachers Consider the Most Effective MTSS Instructional……………..87
Strategies
Table 18. What Teachers Consider the Least Effective MTSS Instructional……………..90
Strategies

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Table 19. What Teachers Believe the Area Most Supported by Implementation………...93
Table 20. What Teachers Believe the Area 2nd Most Supported by Implementation……..94
Table 21. What Teachers Believe the Area Least Supported by Implementation………...96
Table 22. Teacher Responses to Interview Prompts……………………………………..97

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List of Figures
Figure 1. Geographic Map of Windber Area School District…………………….............44
Figure 2. Multi-year graphical representation of ELA scores……………………………47
Figure 3. Multi-year graphical representation of Math scores……………………………48
Figure 4. Line Graph of Count of Teachers by Range of Years of Experience…...............69
Figure 5. Line Graph of Teachers by Attendance and Participation in MTSS PD………..70
Figure 6. Line Graph of Count of Teachers by Grade Level(s) Taught…………..............71
Figure 7. Line Graph of Count of Subject Area(s) Taught by the Teachers………………73
Figure 8. Horizontal Bar Graph of Responses Expressing Familiarity with……………...74
MTSS
Figure 9. Vertical Bar Graph Regarding the Efforts to Address Learning Loss .................75
Supports
Figure 10. Vertical bar graph of Professional Development Prior to……………..............77
Implementation
Figure 11. Line Graph Regarding the Effectiveness of Implementation…………………78
Figure 12. Vertical Bar Graph Regarding the Progress of Students Receiving…………..86
MTSS
Figure 13. Line Graph Representing the Area Most Supported by the…………………...93
Implementation
Figure 14. Line Graph Representing the Area 2nd Most Supported by the………………..95
Implementation
Figure 15. Line Graph of the Area Least Supported by the Implementation……………..96

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Abstract
During the 2020-2021 school year, students within Windber Area Elementary
School experienced a substantial decrease in student performance levels on the PSSA
exams from their counterpart cohort in 2018-2019. The school district made the
determination that the most effective manner of approaching combatting the learning loss
experienced and having a positive impact on PSSA exam scores during the 2022-2023
school year was through the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support
(MTSS) program at Windber Area Elementary School.
The purpose of this qualitative research study is to provide conclusions
and recommendations that could support future MTSS implementation planning. This
qualitative research study was conducted to respond to three research questions seeking
teacher perceptions of the implementation process, strengths and weaknesses during the
implementation process, and the effectiveness of embedded instructional methods.
Analysis through the action research process was utilized to identify teacher
perceptions during the implementation process. Initial teacher perception of a program is
critical to successfully implementing a program and achieving the goal of embedding the
program’s strengths within the school’s instructional practices. Data were collected
utilizing a consistent survey administered three times to teachers and teacher interviews.
The data was analyzed and triangulated to provide the researcher with teacher perceptions
as they evolved during the implementation.
The results presented conclusions that align with the teacher perceptions being
positive regarding the implementation of MTSS as well as the embedding of MTSS
related instructional strategies into their classrooms.

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CHAPTER I
Introduction
Windber Area Elementary School has a long history of demonstrated academic
success with recognition at the local, state, and national levels. The community that
supports the school is ever focused on the students attending the school continuing to
receive instruction that is rigorous and at a high level of academic expectation. The
school has been subject to many of the same challenges that schools across the nation and
the commonwealth have been following the COVID-19 pandemic and is focused on
implementing programming to restore the school’s instructional program and student
achievement to its historically expected levels.
Background
The researcher chose this problem to analyze through the action research process
to identify PSSA grade-level teacher perceptions during the implementation year of an
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) program at an elementary school. Initial
teacher perception of a support program is critical to the potential in achieving an
embedded role within the school district’s instructional practices.
This research study is designed to measure teacher perception of a newly
implemented MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary School during the 2022-2023
school year. The study’s primary driving goals are to identify how the program, its
supporting professional development, and the instructional changes experienced by the
teaching staff in grades three through five during the implementation year of the program.
Grades three through five were chosen due to their relationship to high stakes testing
through the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA). PSSA is the state’s

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standardized summative assessment method for measuring school accountability and
achievement of established performance measures.
The academic growth of students has become a significant area of focus within
the modern field of educational practice. A focus on each student achieving established
standards through their academic achievement is measured, analyzed, and evaluated to
determine the greatest course of action for each student to maximize their learning
potential.
A partnership exists between academic achievement and academic need.
Academic needs present themselves and drive efforts to meet students' unique learning
styles. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) defines Multi-Tiered Systems
of Support (MTSS) as a standards-aligned, comprehensive school improvement
framework for enhancing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for all
students (Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network [PaTTAN], n.d.).
The COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts that resulted for students relative to
their learning progression within the standards set forth for students have created a need
greater than ever before for a proven framework for meeting the needs of students
experiencing learning loss. MTSS has become a primary means for school districts all
over the commonwealth and country to address learning loss and the needs of students in
their classrooms. It provides a data-driven decision-making approach to identifying
student needs, identifying tiered levels of support and intervention, and methods for
measuring student progress toward increased academic achievement. This approach has
its roots in special education programming and its specially designed instruction in
support of achieving goals and objectives through the development of an individualized

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educational plan (IEP). The relationship between MTSS and special education has grown
into a deeper-tiered methodology that is tasked with supporting the needs of students
while seeking to reduce over-identification of students while providing detailed, focused
data to assist in special education referral and evaluation determinations.
The students that attend Windber Area Elementary School have also experienced
the learning loss impacts created by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the former Director of
Special Education and School Enhancement and current Acting Superintendent of the
school district, the researcher identifies their professional role as that of an instructional
leader tasked with developing and providing programming that meets the unique needs of
students. During the 2021-2022 school year, as student needs became increasingly
evident, the Windber Area School District identified the development of a schoolwide
MTSS program as its best approach to address those needs. The school district committed
itself to participate in the necessary professional development, resource acquisition and
planning necessary to seek full schoolwide implementation during the 2022-2023 school
year.
With the design and development stages of the program having been determined
to be successful, implementation plans for a schoolwide MTSS program were enacted for
the start of the 2022-2023 school year at Windber Area Elementary School. The
implementation cycle began prior to the school year starting and was inclusive of a
building-wide daily schedule modification to support the time needed to provide a
coordinated approach to the provision of MTSS programming to meet their needs.

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Capstone Focus
One of the most important aspects of a programmatic implementation cycle that is
new to a school, its staff, students, and the community that it serves is the perception of
those who are most closely affected by the program. Within the school environment
teacher perceptions are the most critical to the successful implementation of
programming. Fidelity, validity, and reliability within the implementation and delivery
phases of a new program rest upon the commitment and buy-in that teachers demonstrate
to the program and the outcomes it seeks to address. This research study is being
conducted to measure teacher perceptions during the implementation year of an MTSS
program. The research conducted and the resulting data are intended to provide valuable
feedback that can potentially be applicable in future implementations of programming as
well as the goal of long-term successful integration of the MTSS program into the
district-wide academic intervention and student support programming.
Research Questions
This qualitative research study is designed to gather teacher perceptions regarding
the implementation year of the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary School. The
research conducted in support of this study will involve the periodic administration of
surveys and interviews with teachers of students in grades three through five. The surveys
administered and the interview prompts have been designed with guidance from the three
research questions presented below:
1. How do the school’s teaching staff perceive the implementation of the school’s
MTSS program to be supportive of student academic progress?

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
2. What do the teachers perceive to have been the most effective and ineffective
aspects of the school’s MTSS implementation?
3. How do teachers perceive the effectiveness of embedded instructional
intervention methods through the MTSS program?
Expected Outcomes
The perceptions of the staff tasked with implementing and administering an
educational intervention and support program such as MTSS are critical to the overall
success of the program beyond its initial year. This research study is proposed with the
intent to collect data regarding staff perceptions that will be utilized to drive short and
long-term decision-making regarding future programming implementation planning and
evaluation. The research methodology within this study has expected outcomes of
gaining deeper insight into the perceptions teachers have regarding the school district’s
implementation process for the MTSS program for teachers in grades three through five,
gaining an understanding of teacher perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the
instructional intervention methods that are central to MTSS programming and teacher
perception related to the MTSS program implementation’s effectiveness in supporting
student academic achievement.
Fiscal Implications
The primary revenue sources for the resources budgeted within this project have
been allocated to the Windber Area School District through federal funding sources.
These federal funding sources include ESSER II, ARP-ESSER, and ESSER 7% Set
Aside – Learning Loss. MTSS programming is a researched based approach to

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addressing student support needs prior to or in lieu of referral for special education
evaluation.
The MTSS implementation program at Winder Area Elementary School is
financially supported substantially, utilizing one-time federal funding. However, an
additional function of these funding sources is to allow school districts to bolster their
reserve funds to allow for the continuation of instructional initiatives such as MTSS that
are crucial to overcoming the academic impacts that COVID-19 has imparted upon the
school and its students.
This project will encounter a multitude of indirect costs, much of which will be
difficult to predict until the data from the teachers is collected. The primary indirect costs
affiliated with the project that are predictable include the following items and the
accompanying description regarding their role in the project.
•

Teacher Professional Development Time

•

Teacher Preparatory Time

•

School District Provided Technology

Summary
The impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had upon schools, teachers, and the
students that attend them have been wide-spanning and will likely require many years to
address in a manner that will return academic expectations for students to the levels
prescribed through the Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System. Multi-Tiered Systems of
Support is a researched based approach to addressing the academic and behavioral needs
of students. Through its implementation of a schoolwide MTSS program during the
2022-2023 school year, the Windber Area Elementary School seeks to address the

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learning loss impact that the pandemic has created, but also implement a research-based
data-driven system supported by its teaching staff that meets the academic needs of all
students through a tiered approach. A successful implementation process that is balanced
with a deeper understanding of teacher perceptions of the program is likely to provide the
data and feedback to support the continuation of the program at the elementary school
and expansion into the secondary schools of the school district within the coming years.

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CHAPTER II
Review of Literature
During the 2021–2022 school year, the Windber Area School District decided that
it needed to make intensive changes to the way it supported its at-risk and academically
struggling students. The data used to support this claim included state assessment results
that showed a progressive decline in achievement levels since the 2016–2017 school
year. This decrease became more evident after the return to in-person learning after the
COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the closure of public schools during the spring of
2020. The school district identified the multi-tiered system of support as its desired
framework for providing this needed support system to its elementary school. The 2021–
2022 school year was dedicated to participating in the necessary professional
development required to prepare for full implementation during the 2022–2023 school
year. The school district used the federal funds provided to address learning loss through
this framework. Many efforts and initiatives took place to initiate the process on time and
with full support. This series of events drive this document.
The Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a comprehensive school-wide
framework for enhancing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for all
students (Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network [PaTTAN], n. d.).
The MTSS model is often referred to as a combination of Response to Intervention (RTI)
and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). MTSS is a multifaceted
system of support that includes universal screening, progress monitoring, formative
assessments, and educational decision-making, all of which are evidence-based practices
tailored to student needs. To determine the needs of students, MTSS is reliant on datadriven decision-making based on individual student data points (Pierce & Mueller, 2018).

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MTSS interventions in schools are characterized by the establishment of support
teams that include teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, and students when
appropriate. These teams are focused on identifying and implementing instructional
strategies and interventions to meet unique student needs. The MTSS team is similar to
the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) team, which exists in the field of special
education and can frequently function in a similar manner as a student approaches a
potential referral for a special education evaluation.
The legislation and civil rights advocacy that have shaped special education
programs and their intervention-based approach through the provision of an IEP provides
the foundation for MTSS and other intervention-focused support systems for students.
When seeking an understanding of MTSS and the rationale for its implementation in
schools, it is best to begin by studying the history of special education and the legislation
that shaped the framework for modern intervention services to meet student needs.
History of Special Education in Schools
Special education, as we know it today, has its roots in the civil rights movement
in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. Much of the anti-discrimination and
equality-focused movements of the time provided a foundation for the advocacy of
people with disabilities. Many of the strategies used by advocates for disabled students
arose from the civil rights movement's efforts and struggles (Skiba et al., 2008).
The progressive legal impacts of the civil rights movement resulted in legislation
being developed and enacted at the federal level that would lead to the creation of
environments that support inclusivity and encouragement for individuals with specialized
needs. The legislation that contributed to this progressive movement began with an

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emphasis on the rights and opportunities for all individuals with disabilities, progressing
to an emphasis on the educational rights of students with disabilities and their parents.
According to Bicehouse and Faieta (2017), "the current cornerstone of special education,
which can be traced back to the 1960s, is to provide specialized instruction to meet the
unique needs of each child with a disability."
Prior to much of the progress that came with the legislative measures, individuals
with disabilities were often segregated from the general educational setting. Society has
been hesitant to accept people with disabilities, frequently forcing them into forms of
isolation in schools, workplaces, and residential facilities (Bicehouse & Faieta, 2017).
The struggle for acceptance and inclusion in classrooms has been a long and challenging
one. The legislation that was enacted to support individuals and students with disabilities
has progressively produced a society in which children and adults with disabilities have
more rights than at any other time in history.
The challenges of maintaining while advancing those rights remain a constant
battle waged in political arenas across the country, from federal government bodies to
local school boards (Bicehouse & Faieta, 2017). Every day, efforts are made to increase
access to free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities in schools,
with the goal of meeting their needs in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The
legislation that established our current special education systems within public schools
remains the foundation for meeting the educational needs of all children.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits
discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Section 504 provides protection to

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qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities who are qualified are
those who have a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more
major life activities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil
Rights, 2006). While the law’s primary focus is on eliminating discrimination against
individuals with disabilities in the work environment and thus establishing an equal
opportunity for employment for disabled individuals.
Students with disabilities are also entitled to the protections afforded by Section
504. Section 504 is defined by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and
the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) as a set of regulations that require local school districts
to provide a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) to every qualified student with a
disability who is within the school district's jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or
severity of the student's disability. FAPE consists of the provision of regular or special
education and related aids and services designed to meet the student's individual
educational needs as adequately as the needs of non-disabled students are met (U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 2006).
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act
President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
(Public Law 94-142), also known as the EHA, into law on November 29, 1975. The law
guarantees students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education
(FAPE). The EHA was created to support states and local school districts in protecting
the educational rights of people with disabilities. Keogh (2007) emphasizes the
significance of special education legislation and laws supporting the disabled in the
context of political unrest and the civil rights movement. The passage of the EHA

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resulted in significant advances in the field of disability rights. The law initiated
significant progress in the implementation and provision of various specialized programs
and services for early intervention and special education students. According to the
United States Department of Education (n. d.), "since the passage of the EHA in 1975,
the United States has progressed from excluding nearly 1.8 million children with
disabilities from public schools prior to EHA implementation to providing more than 7.5
million children with disabilities with special education and related services designed to
meet their needs in the 2020-21 school year."
EHA was established with four primary goals in mind. The first goal is to ensure
that all children with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education
that is tailored to their specific needs through the provision of special education and
related services. Second, the law ensured that the rights of disabled children and their
parents were protected. The third goal was to assist states and local school districts in
providing educational services that would support the provision of FAPE to their
students. Finally, EHA provided the necessary guidance for conducting assessments and
developing assurances about the efficacy of state and local educational agencies in
educating students with disabilities (United States Department of Education, n. d.).
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protected qualified individuals with disabilities
from discrimination by federally funded programs, as well as the protected right to a free
and appropriate public education for students with disabilities. Although the act
guaranteed the basic civil rights of individuals with disabilities, it did not address many

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other areas within society that were still in need of similar legislative efforts to create an
inclusive society for all disabled individuals.
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA outlawed discrimination against citizens with
disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, and
telecommunications. The ADA mandates that employers do not discriminate against
qualified applicants with disabilities (Bicehouse & Faieta, 2017). The ADA expanded the
civil rights afforded under prior legislation to include the private sector, not just federally
funded organizations. Although access to schools and a free and appropriate public
education were not the primary goals of enacting the ADA, its provisions apply to both
public and private schools in terms of students with disabilities and ensuring their access
to each.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 94-142), commonly
called IDEA (1990), was passed by Congress in 1990. IDEA (1990) resulted from the
reauthorization and amending of EHA. The law’s primary mission is to ensure that all
students with disabilities can receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE)
without discrimination by public agencies such as public-school districts. FAPE is the
provision of special education and related services within a student’s Individualized
Education Program (IEP) at public expense to students between the ages of 3 and 21
within an appropriate preschool, elementary, or secondary school that meets established
standards by the state department of education. States and local school districts are
eligible to receive federal funding if they have met the necessary measures of compliance

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related to the procedures and regulations set forth within IDEA (Boyle & Weishaar,
2001).
IDEA (1990) has a foundation of six guiding principles toward a free and
appropriate public education. The six principles that IDEA substantiates include zero
rejection or child finding, nondiscriminatory assessment, individualized education
planning, the least restrictive environment, procedural due process, parent participation,
and free and appropriate public education (Bateman et al., 2007).
Zero Reject/Child Find requires that school districts are not permitted to exclude students
due to their disabling condition(s) or the degree of resources necessary to meet
individualized student needs. Under this principle, it is the responsibility of the school
district to locate, evaluate, and provide appropriate educational programming and related
services to children between 3 and 21 years of age. Child Find requires that all states
establish procedures to locate unserved children and provide parents with information
regarding programming and services available in support of their child.
The nondiscriminatory assessment addresses the six general legal guidelines that
govern the identification of students with disabilities and their eligibility for special
education services. The six general guidelines established include an assessment without
discrimination; a comprehensive assessment that uses a variety of sources; an assessment
that identifies all of a child’s educational needs; assessments must be validated, reliable,
and administered by certified, trained professionals; and students with disabilities and
their parents must have their rights protected during the assessment process (Bateman et
al., 2007).

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The Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is the written plan developed to
outline the services to be provided. The IEP is a formal document that is reviewed at least
annually. The IEP is developed during an IEP team meeting, which is a collaborative
meeting with numerous parties participating. The required participants in an IEP meeting
include the parent(s), child (when appropriate), general education teacher, special
education teacher, an LEA representative, a person that can interpret the instructional
implications of the child’s evaluation or reevaluation, and other participants as invited by
the parent(s) and the LEA.
The student’s IEP includes various components such as the present level of
performance, annual goals, short-term objectives, special education services to be
provided, the extent to which a child will not participate in the general education
curriculum, the anticipated dates of initiation, frequency, location, and duration of
services, how the child’s progress will be measured and reported, a plan for transition
services, and modifications to state and local assessments of student achievement.
The principle of a "least restrictive environment" (LRE) is established with the
intention of educating students with disabilities to the maximum extent possible
alongside other children without disabilities. LRE also addresses the continuum of
placements offered within the school district, access to nonacademic or extracurricular
settings, and the annual placement determination for each student.
Due process, as a principle under IDEA, is in place to protect children’s rights
during periods of disagreement between the LEA and the parent(s) of the child. IDEA
provides for two resources to resolve these types of disagreements in the form of

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mediation and due process. If the disagreement cannot be resolved using these two
methods, the judicial system can be used to resolve it.
Parental participation is a vital principle of IDEA (1990), as it allows the parent to
be active in the decision-making process throughout the development and monitoring of
their child’s IEP. Parental rights are a critical aspect of IDEA. They are key to a
collaborative process of decision-making for the student.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
In 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law the (Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEA], 2004). IDEA (2004) resulted in the
reauthorization of IDEA (2004) and changes within mandates enacted under IDEA
(2004). The concept of a universal design for learning heavily drove IDEA (2004). The
policy has its foundation in the concept that "every curriculum should include alternatives
to make learning accessible and appropriate for individuals with different backgrounds,
learning styles, abilities, and disabilities in widely varied learning contexts" (Bicehouse
& Faieta, 2017). In contrast to the exclusionary educational practices that previously
separated those same students from their regular education peers, IDEA provides
guidance to ensure that students with disabilities can receive their individualized
educational program within the general education classroom to the greatest extent
possible or in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) made numerous critical
changes to previous legislation supporting the education of disabled children. These
reforms are centered on parents' and students' rights, as well as the procedures that
schools are permitted to use to facilitate special education services.

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Additionally, there are five components of IDEA (2004) that had a significant
impact on the education of students with disabilities.
The requirement for more inclusive practices and placements for special
education students was the first component. This component increased instructional time
in general education classrooms for students with disabilities above and beyond what was
previously provided.
The second component is a new methodology for providing evidence-based
systems of instruction to all students in the general education classroom to prevent
academic failure. (Bicehouse & Faieta, 2017) This methodology was given the title
"response to intervention" (RTI). RTI is a tiered methodology of intervention that
supports an increase in intensity as student need is determined to be greater than the
current support systems can provide. RTI would later become the primary academic
support system within MTSS and the primary strategy for maintaining special education
or at-risk academic students in the general education classroom.
The third component established criteria for establishing teaching credentials that
were deemed sufficient to identify staff as highly qualified teachers. The fourth
component is focused on the definition and provision of assistive and instructional
technology. The fifth and final component of the law was the universal design that it
introduced.
Special Education Student and Parent Rights
Parental involvement in a child's education and development has been
consistently proven as a reliable indicator of cognitive development and associated
academic achievement in the child by research in the fields of early intervention and

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school-age education. Parental involvement in their child's education, particularly for
those with needs that are unique or have a lower incidence than their peers, has been a
consistent protective factor against negative future outcomes for children (Mandic et al.,
2012). The emphasis on parental and student rights, which has now spread far beyond
special education into all aspects of schools and educational programming, was initiated
during the civil rights movement, which led to the movement for equality in special
education and, finally, equity and equality across all educational programs.
As we identify the relationships between special education and MTSS, it is
imperative to keep in mind the significance of the mandates regarding parent and student
rights in both, as well as the role that the establishment of procedural safeguards plays in
the future of intervention in schools. Current educational philosophies concerning MTSS
and intervention rely on partnerships with parents and students, as well as the guidance
provided by the establishment of their mandated rights under IDEA (Madnic et al., 2012).
Procedural Safeguards
Procedural safeguards are grounded in the 5th and 14th Amendments of the
United States Constitution. Parents and students have their involvement in decisionmaking regarding educational programming protected under the procedural safeguards
established in IDEA. The procedural safeguards ensure that the parent and student are
provided meaningful opportunities to participate in the determinations and planning to
represent the student's individualized education program, including placement decisionmaking where applicable (MacLaughlin, 2009).
LEAs are required to provide parents and students with a minimum of one copy of
the Procedural Safeguards document provided by the state bureau of special education

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annually. Providing these safeguards in written form at specified times is legally required
under IDEA (Madnic et al., 2012).
The rights and responsibilities established under procedural safeguards are
centered around the provision of due process rights to the parents of students. These due
process rights provided for shared decision-making regarding a student’s educational
program. The importance of parental involvement in the process of procedural safeguards
is a critical component of IDEA (2004), as defined in its mandates. The parental
safeguards protect parents' rights to participate in their child's identification, diagnosis,
evaluation, services, and placement, as well as the IEP process (Madnic et al., 2012).
They also establish the resolution process that may be enacted if an agreement between
the parent and LEA cannot be accomplished.
Dispute Resolution
When an agreement cannot be reached between a parent and the LEA regarding
the individualized education program for a student, a process is detailed that provides a
map to the resolution of the dispute. This process is referred to as "dispute resolution."
Dispute resolution utilizes numerous means to try to resolve the dispute before heading to
the most intense means of resolution in the form of a due process hearing, which is
binding. The means available prior to due process hearings include resolution meetings,
both formal and informal, written settlement agreements, and non-binding mediation
hearings. The goal of the dispute resolution process is to achieve common ground
through an agreement that avoids the potential for an increased level of dispute between
the parties (United States Department of Education, n.d.).

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Landmark Cases in Special Education That Support MTSS Programming
The current method of providing special education services in public schools
results from decades of legal conclusions derived from legal proceedings most frequently
focused on identifying and directing the individual educational needs of students with
disabilities. These legal conclusions are highlighted by specific cases that are commonly
identified as landmark cases in the establishment of the educational rights of students
with disabilities as well as the regulations that guide the delivery of the individualized
services included within each special education student’s Individualized Education Plan
(IEP). The origins of intervention services and tiered support systems can be traced back
to these pivotal events in establishing equitable and specialized free and appropriate
public education based on guaranteeing fundamental civil rights to all.
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education is widely regarded as one of the most influential and
landmark decisions issued by the United States Supreme Court on human rights in public
schools. The events that gave rise to this case began in 1951 in Topeka, Kansas, when a
public school district refused to allow a parent to enroll their child in the school nearest to
their home. The school district required the family to enroll their black student in a school
that was further away due to their race. The two schools were racially segregated, with
the closest school being a "white" school and the farther school being a "black" school.
The student's parents, along with twelve other families, filed a federal class-action
lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education. The initial court ruling was against the
families under the doctrine of "Separate but Equal," but the families did appeal the ruling
to the United States Supreme Court.

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The court's decision, in this case, invalidated the "Separate but Equal" doctrine
and made school segregation illegal. Even if the segregated schools were "separate but
equal," the court ruled that laws mandating and enforcing racial segregation in public
schools were unconstitutional (Brown v. Board of Education, n.d.). The court ruled that
the doctrine violated the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution as it
relates to the amendment's Equal Protection Clause. While this decision directly
addressed racial segregation in public schools, it also laid the groundwork for future case
law that would support equality in education for the disabled. With the doctrine of
"separate but equal" now deemed unconstitutional, desegregation would become more
than a racial issue; it would also serve as the foundation for future efforts to create
inclusive public schools that educate all students.
Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley
The parents of a student with a hearing impairment, leaving the child with
minimal residual hearing, filed a federal lawsuit after the school district administrators in
which their child attended denied the provision of a qualified sign language interpreter
through the provisions of the child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The court ruled
that, while the child advanced easily from grade to grade, she was not performing as well
academically as she would have had she not been handicapped. The child was not
receiving a "free and appropriate public education" because of this disparity, which the
court defined as "an opportunity to achieve [her] full potential commensurate with the
opportunity provided to other children" (Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central
School District v. Rowley, n.d.). The ruling in the case establishes an expectation that

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22

students will be provided with the resources, support, and interventions required to
achieve their full potential.
Irving Independent School District v. Amber Tatro
The parents of an eight-year-old female student with spina bifida requested that
their daughter's need for multi-day catheterization be included as a related service in the
child's IEP. The child's ability to participate in and receive a free and appropriate public
education was dependent on the provision of this related service. Since the procedure
could be performed by a layperson with minimal training, it was thought to require
something other than specialized medical training. Because they received federal funding,
Irving Independent School District was required to provide the related services outlined
in the child's IEP. As a result, the school district created an IEP for the student while
failing to provide the related services outlined in the plan. The court ruled that the service
is a related service and that it is required under the Education of the Handicapped Act, as
well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
prohibits a person from being "excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or
subjected to discrimination under" any federally funded program (Irving Independent
School District v. Amber Tatro, n.d.).
Honig v. Doe
Two California students with emotional disturbances were suspended from school
while expulsion hearings were scheduled. Doe was initially suspended for five days. The
school district notified the parent that they would recommend that Doe be expelled from
school and that the suspension would be extended until the suspension proceedings could
be resolved. The parent filed a suit under the "stay put" provision of the Education of the

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23

Handicapped Act. Doe claimed that the indefinite suspension violated the student's rights
and that an IEP review was required to determine whether the behavior was a
manifestation of the student's disability, and thus suspension and/or removal from the
current educational placement would be deemed illegally impermissible. The ruling of
the US Supreme Court in this matter determined that a maximum suspension of 10 days
would provide the school district officials an opportunity to take necessary measures to
ensure that a plan is developed, and measures are taken to ensure that the child being
suspended was still in receipt of a free and appropriate public education (Honig v. Doe,
n.d.).
Lester H. v. Gilhool
Lester’s parents and the school district came to an agreement regarding his
placement in a special education day facility to best meet his educational needs.
Following his first year at the day facility, it was determined that the facility no longer
could meet his needs as Lester’s behavior had become of increased concern. The school
district placed Lester on homebound instruction for five hours per week the following
school year. This led to the school district applying for additional day facilities, with six
programs denying him admission before an out-of-state program admitted Lester
approximately two and a half years after entering school. Lester’s parents sued in federal
district court, alleging that Lester had been deprived of a free and appropriate education
for the two and a half years in which he was enrolled in the day facilities. Following an
appeal by the school district, the court ruled to grant Lester compensatory education for
the two and a half years that the parent had sued for. This landmark case establishes that
compensatory education can be awarded to a student in advance of their completion or

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aging out of special education services at two years old. The court ruled that waiting until
Lester is 21 years old to award the compensatory education could create hardship as
needs that could be addressed under the planning afforded by the early determination
would not be possible to address if they were waited upon (Lester H. v. Gilhool, n.d.).
Oberti v. Board of Education
Rafael Oberti was an eight-year-old child with a disability. The LEA that Rafael
attended determined that due to his disruptive behaviors, he needed to be educated only
in a self-contained special education class outside the school district. Rafael’s parents
sought an inclusive placement that would provide for his special education and related
services to be provided within the regular education setting. Rafael’s parents sued the
LEA and won. The court determined that the LEA must consider all available aids and
services appropriate for the student to remain in the Least Restrictive Environment
(LRE). This determination established the initial framework for delivering FAPE, with
LRE as the primary consideration relative to the student's placement (Oberti v. Board of
Education, n. d.).
Gaskin v. Pennsylvania Department of Education
After eleven years of litigation and settlement negotiations, the Gaskin case was
resolved. The defendants were accused of violating IDEA (2004) by failing to identify
disabled students, develop individual educational programs or plans (IEP), and provide a
free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)
to the greatest extent reasonably possible. The agreement established a comprehensive set
of requirements in Pennsylvania public schools to ensure that students with disabilities
receive an education in the least restrictive environment possible. The requirements

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established instituted a significant reform in terms of inclusive practices, which are now a
standard in classrooms and provide alignment to MTSS programming (Gaskin v.
Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2005)
Educational Disability
The processes and procedures established relative to educational disabilities rely
heavily on assessment, observation, and collecting parent and teacher input. These
processes and procedures are aligned with the rights established for parents and students
under procedural safeguards (Keogh, 2007).
IDEA (2004) established thirteen categories of disability. The thirteen categories
of disabilities include autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing
impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic
impairment, other health impairments, speech and language impairment, traumatic brain
injury, and visual impairment (United States Department of Education, n.d.).
The thirteen disability categories established by IDEA (2004) are used to identify
a student with a disability and the nature of that disability. A common misconception
about identifying a disability and qualifying for special education services based on the
disabling condition is that a student's individualized program is determined by their
disability. This is an incorrect conceptualization in many ways. While disabilities that are
physical in nature are generally aligned to specific physical supports, such as deafness or
visual impairment, the purpose of an IEP is to develop a plan to provide individualized
services unique to meeting the needs of a specific child. Disability categories that are not
inherently physical limitations or disabling conditions can be met through any
combination of specialized support services. This concept directly aligns with MTSS and

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26

its provision of individualized services based on student needs and their tier of support.
MTSS and special education are similar in these ways but also differ based on them.
In their plans to support students, MTSS and special education both use service
levels or tiers. MTSS is based on the provision of interventions within a three-tiered
system, whereas special education uses three service levels to demonstrate the amount of
time special education teachers provide special education services to special education
students: itinerant (20% or less of the school day), supplemental (greater than 20% but
less than 80% of the school day), and full-time (80% or greater of the school day) (United
States Department of Education, n.d.).
In addition, to support or intervention services, special education students are
entitled to related services that support the student in meeting their full potential within
their educational setting. The provision of related services, in conjunction with the special
education services and supplementary aids and services outlined in the IEP, is designed to
enable a student to advance appropriately toward attaining the annual goals, to be
involved in and progress in the general education curriculum, to participate in
extracurricular and other nonacademic activities, and to be educated and participate with
other disabled and nondisabled children (PaTTAN, 2022).
School Psychology
Under state and federal regulation, a student determined to be disabled under
IDEA 2004 must have a comprehensive evaluation using multiple methods of assessment
and data collection by a certified school psychologist. According to the American
Psychological Association, school psychologists are prepared to intervene at the
individual and system levels and develop, implement, and evaluate programs to promote

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27

positive learning environments for children and youth from diverse backgrounds and
ensure equal access to effective educational and psychological services that promote
healthy development (American Psychological Association [APA], 2022).
While school psychologists serve in numerous specialized capacities within
school systems, their primary roles encompass special education and intervention
services. School psychologists are well-versed in interpreting data and its use in making
informed decisions about a student’s progress within their educational program. School
psychologists are not only important team members in identifying student disabilities, but
they can also be very helpful in supporting schoolwide intervention initiatives such as
MTSS. School psychologists can play leadership roles in schools in the identification and
dissemination of research-based practices that are supportive of the goal of providing
intervention and individualized support systems within MTSS programs (Webb &
Michalopoulou, 2021).
Severe Discrepancy Model and Response to Intervention (RTI)
IDEA (2004) established a new model, Response to Intervention (RTI), for
determining eligibility for special education outside of the traditionally utilized severe
discrepancy model. The severe discrepancy model has been the primary means for the
identification of students who are identified as having a specific learning disability
(SLD). The severe discrepancy model allows educators to determine if a student’s
inadequate progress is commensurate with his or her cognition and whether the student is
working to his or her potential (Armendariz & Jung, 2016).
RtI is designed specifically for identifying students with a potential learning
disability. According to Margaret J. MacLaughlin (2009), the primary goal of RtI is to

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prevent students from being referred to special education because of insufficient
instruction. Rather than focusing on the results of various standardized assessments
administered in a closed environment, RTI utilizes an approach that involves students
transitioning between three tiers of support. Each tier demonstrates an increased intensity
in the level of instructional interventions that regular education teachers implement.
The school psychologist can utilize the data collected during the RTI process to
assist in making determinations regarding the potential identification of a specific
learning disability. When implemented and operated effectively, RTI can provide a
strong academic support system within a school's MTSS program while also assisting in
limiting the potential for over-assessment of students who may be exhibiting an increased
need for special education services in the regular classroom environment.
What are Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
There are numerous models that are considered representations of MTSS
programming, but most models share several features, such as universal screening of all
students, multiple tiers of intervention service delivery, a problem-solving method, and
an integrated data collection and assessment system to inform decisions at each tier of
service delivery (Leonard et al., 2019).
The National Center on Educational Outcomes and the TIES Center MTSS is
defined as "a model or approach to instruction that provides increasingly intensive and
individualized levels of support for academics (e.g., response to intervention, or RTI),
and for behavior (e.g., positive behavioral intervention supports, or PBIS)."
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides a definition of a "multi-tiered
system of support" as "a comprehensive continuum of evidence-based systemic practices

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to support a rapid response to student's needs, with regular observation to facilitate databased instructional decision-making" (Thurlow et al, 2022).
MTSS is a framework for organizing and providing a tiered instructional model
for all students that has the potential to meet all students' academic and behavioral needs.
The most common framework for MTSS programs is a three-tiered model, which is often
represented by a triangle that shows the various tiers of support and the decreasing
number of students who receive support as the intensity of the support increases.
Tier I is called the "universal approach" to intervention (Thurlow et al., 2022). The
universal approach focuses on providing high-quality, evidence-based instruction to all
students. Tier I supports are intended to assist approximately 80% of students (Charlton
et al., 2018). Students are assessed using universal screeners in Tier 1 to determine if they
need help with the curriculum and are at risk of potentially not learning within a regular
classroom delivery model that is delivered to all students (MacLaughlin, 2009).
Tier II denotes the use of small group instruction strategies and interventions
within the general education classroom to support at-risk students who demonstrate a
need for additional support or instructional assistance beyond that provided to all
students. Tier II is intended for a more defined student population because it employs a
more targeted approach to providing support and is intended for implementation with
10%–15% of students (Charlton et al., 2018). Tier 2 skill deficiencies are being addressed
in specific skill areas; not all skills are being instructed. Student progress is measured in
short periods of monitoring that are defined and established to provide timelines for
students transitioning from Tier 2 to the other two tiers based on the data collected during
the administration of the Tier 2 interventions (MacLaughlin, 2009).

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Tier III is the most intensive tier of intervention in RtI, and it is intended to
provide additional layers of instructional support through intervention to students who
have yet to demonstrate progress after receiving Tier 2 interventions. Tier III is reserved
for approximately 5% of students due to the intensive nature of the intervention required
(Charlton et al., 2018). Depending on the LEA's methodology, the transition to Tier 3
may trigger a special education evaluation. Tier 3 is considered the final level of
intervention in some LEAs before referring the student for a special education evaluation
(MacLaughlin, 2009).
The History of MTSS
MTSS finds its historical roots in the prevention models utilized in the public
health field (Leonard et al., 2019). Its four steps identify this model to achieving systemic
change: defining the problem, identifying risk and protective factors, developing, and
testing prevention strategies, and ensuring widespread adoption (Washington Coalition of
Sexual Assault Programs [WCSAP], n.d.).
The initial target audience for MTSS was regular education students who
demonstrated at-risk potential academically or behaviorally and may require referral for
special education evaluation. MTSS was initially intended as a schoolwide framework
through inclusive intervention practices in the general education classroom that could
meet the needs of all students who were not diagnosed with an educational disability
(Thurlow, et al., 2022). The concept of inclusion in education has its roots in special
education legislation and programming. Inclusive education is established under a shared
vision of procedures and strategies for the benefit of all children (Smith & Larwin, 2021).
With the concept of inclusive education changing over the past decade, an evolution as to

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what inclusion represents has emerged. The effort to maintain special education students
to the maximum degree appropriate in the regular education classroom has brought the
concept of intervention into those same classrooms. This has resulted in MTSS programs
becoming a method for potentially meeting the needs of all students through the general
education curriculum within the regular education setting alongside same-age peers (Choi
et al., 2019).
Early Intervention Services
As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be experienced in public
schools, MTSS is becoming an increasingly important support system for primary-grade
students who are entering school-age programming and may not have received early
intervention support services in the manner that students did prior to the pandemic. This
effect has increased the importance of MTSS services in the early grades, which
traditionally focus on academic content exposure. These services are now being
implemented on a consistent basis in schools as early as kindergarten (Leonard et al.,
2019).
While MTSS has not traditionally been directly associated with preschool-age
children aged three and under, early intervention is a natural fit with the MTSS
framework for intervention in many ways. An evidence-based curriculum, universal
screening, intensive instruction and interventions, and data-driven decision-making
underpin early childhood education (Choi et al., 2019).
The Essential Components of MTSS
Regardless of the subject area being supported, MTSS provides four essential
components that provide a framework that is driven by evidence-based instruction and

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supportive interventions that serve all students. The Center on Multi-Tiered Systems of
Support at the American Institute for Research identifies four essential components of the
MTSS framework. Those four essential components include screening, a multi-level
prevention system, progress monitoring, and data-based decision-making.
Screenings are conducted multiple times throughout the year and utilize a
universal screener to provide consistent and reliable data to be utilized by the MTSS
support team in their decision-making regarding interventions at each tier.
Multi-Level Prevention Systems represent the tiers within the MTSS framework.
The continuum of tiers requires integrated academic, social, emotional, behavioral,
instructional, and intervention support. The supports being implemented to support
students are expected to be evidence-based and provide direct alignment to the general
education curriculum.
Analysis and evaluation are critical components to any instructional program's
validation and sustainability. MTSS utilizes a system of progress monitoring that shares
similarities with that utilized in special education. Effective progress monitoring requires
the use of valid and reliable methods for assessment and evaluation. These methods are
utilized to determine the effectiveness and appropriateness of intervention and support.
Data-based decision-making is the use of data to make informed decisions
through analysis and problem-solving by a team focused on instruction, intervention,
implementation, and disability identification (American Institutes for Research, Center on
Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports, 2022).
Pierce and Mueller (2018) also share the importance of these components in the
implementation of an effective MTSS program, stating, "An MTSS model that is

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designed to improve school efficiencies in instructional or intervention decision-making,
data collection, and professional teaming can make an impact on educator practice and
student performance."
Implementation of MTSS Schoolwide
Implementing an MTSS framework is essentially the development and induction
of a coordinated plan using various forms of assessment to identify the unique needs of
students (Pierce & Mueller, 2018). Over the past decade, MTSS has experienced
widespread adoption in schools nationwide. The effort to find evidence-based support for
students following the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the desire to pursue
MTSS as an option for schools to meet the needs of students who experienced learning
loss due to the impacts that school closures and interruptions have had on instruction
(Center on Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports, 2020). MTSS has provided the
framework for intervention and support for students that many schools lacked, especially
in rural communities that experience additional unique challenges. (Pierce & Mueller,
2018)
There are common practices that are critical to effective MTSS implementation
and that are consistently applied across successful models. These practices include the
establishment of strong instructional leadership, the provision of high-quality core
content instruction across the general education environment to all students, the
utilization of universal screening methods paired with data-informed decision-making
grounded in the data collected, and the provision of small group interventions that vary in
intensity level specific to student instructional needs and their response to the core
content instruction provided (Leonard et al., 2019).

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Effective Program Implementation
The goal of all program implementation should be an effective and efficient
implementation that results in full buy-in from staff and students, resulting in the
achievement of the program's expected outcomes. MTSS is also subject to these same
expectations when implemented district-wide, school-wide, or at a specific grade level.
Often, regardless of what level of implementation is the focus of the adoption of an
MTSS framework, there can be an underestimation as to the depth of coordination and
alignment required to produce optimal results for students. Additionally, the fidelity and
full integration of MTSS programming and practices can often be overestimated
following initial implementation and can potentially lead to adverse results.
Implementation of an MTSS program at a shallow or surface level may result in limited
or less than desired outcomes regarding student progress (Charlton et al., 2018).
Effective MTSS implementation practices require support from the LEA as an
organizational initiative to experience success. The actions required of an LEA to support
an effective implementation process include the selection of evidence-based curricula for
universal instruction and interventions, the support of well-trained interventionists, the
provision of services and training for data-informed decision-making, and the necessary
monitoring and support provided to measure the fidelity with which the program is being
implemented (Choi et al., 2019).
A crucial aspect of effective MTSS implementation is the professional
development that establishes the foundation for the program's inception and the resources
needed to maintain and sustain it. The professional development process includes
technical assistance and training, as well as the time spent collaboratively by colleagues

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to further develop and establish the program. Research has identified that teachers while
developing their instructional skills and acquiring additional instructional strategy
knowledge, require immediate strategies that can be applied to their instructional
practices in the classroom with ease and efficiency (Mason et al., 2019). With effective
professional development to support teachers during the implementation to practice
transition, potential barriers to effective delivery will be less likely to have an impact and
be invasive to achieving practical integration into the classroom.
Establishing buy-in from staff is critical to effectively implementing programs
such as MTSS in schools. There is research to support the claim that quality school
leadership that is invested in the implementation of MTSS programming can accelerate
the implementation process and increase measures of fidelity. According to the same
study, school leadership is the backbone of MTSS (Choi et al., 2019).
Administration promotes a deeper review of programming, which in turn results
in identifying areas of need in professional development as well as the refinement and
redirection of resources to best accommodate the ease of implementation for teachers.
Teacher buy-in promotes the application of fidelity, reliability, and validity in new
programming implementations such as MTSS and increases the likelihood of the program
establishing itself within the operational framework of the instructional program. The
initial stage of achieving buy-in is the provision of an informed, understandable, and
actionable professional development plan that is inclusive of all stakeholders. Value is
proportional to buy-in. Value is an intrinsic element of employee performance that can be
fostered but requires understanding. That understanding is accomplished through active
listening and collaborative processing through the establishment and incorporation of the

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team into the implementation process and eventually into the process of maintaining
programming and promoting progress (Sims et al., 2021).
MTSS Teams
An effective MTSS program is centered around a team-based approach that
includes the involvement of all educational stakeholders. The stakeholder groups
included in an effective MTSS team comprise, but need not be limited to, regular
education teachers, special education professionals, administrators, education specialists,
student support providers, parents, and the child when appropriate (Pierce & Mueller,
2018). MTSS teams should demonstrate a focus on collaboration and consultation to
gather input, perspective, and strategy from all possible team members. This form of
teamwork is often referred to as "interactive teaming." An interactive team focuses its
efforts on sharing information and expertise to achieve a common goal or outcome
(Pierce & Mueller, 2018). Teamwork is most effective when all stakeholders are actively
engaged and focused on the same outcomes for students while understanding and
establishing an MTSS program that is structured to provide the components necessary to
achieve individual student progress toward success (Pierce & Mueller, 2018).
MTSS teams are established in varying formats with differing roles in the
implementation and provision of MTSS programming. Teams are established at a districtwide level, a school level, a grade level, a department level, and, at their core, as
individual student support teams.
Effective MTSS teams share consistent outcomes of meeting student needs
through the provision of a strong general education curriculum that is driven to meet the
needs of students, the delivery of high-quality instruction to all students, the provision of

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

37

supports that are aligned to student needs based on data, the monitoring of progress
within the program, and the making of data-informed decisions that respond to the needs
present. While the various types of MTSS teams share a consistent focus on the work
they are tasked with, their roles and approaches to that work differ with respect to the
population they serve.
District-level teams are focused on developing an MTSS model that will establish
the structure for the more defined approaches of the other teams. They also make sure to
evaluate data to make informed decisions regarding the broader-based needs and
available resources that can be allocated to support teams that work in a more direct
manner. School-level teams are motivated to identify trends within their institutions and
determine how the framework provided by the district-level team may be effectively
incorporated into their model that caters to the needs of the entire school population.
Grade-level or departmental teams identify needs and determine a course of action to
support students in a specific grade level or department. They also focus on trends in their
data that provide them with an opportunity to develop plans and processes that
specifically address the outcomes and expectations set forth for a given grade level or
department in a school and support the entire student population of that grade level or
department. The most specifically detailed and intensive form of MTSS team support is
achieved in the individual student support teams. Individual support teams focus their
efforts intensively on a specific student in order to respond more quickly to their needs or
progress. Regardless of the format of the MTSS team or the specific group that they are
tasked with supporting, teams need to be interactive and work together to solve problems
that are defined through universal screening, review, and analysis of student performance

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

38

based on data, and decision making that is data-informed and specific to the needs of
their district, school, or students (Pierce & Mueller, 2018).
The Role Parents Play in Implementation
A critical component of the successful implementation of an MTSS program is
the inclusion of parents in the process. There are several existing studies that support the
correlation between family engagement within schools and academic improvements for
students. The support that parents can provide in collaboration with school personnel can
provide a framework for coordinated support systems with cross-environmental fidelity
(Weingarten et al., 2020). the Center on Response to Intervention and the National Center
on Intensive Intervention (NCII) include family engagement as a component of their
respective school-level fidelity of implementation rubrics, underscoring its essential role
in the implementation of MTSS and intensive intervention in schools" (as cited in
Weingarten et al., 2020).
When it comes to sustainability, a family engagement that is integrated and
collaborative with the school in the MTSS implementation and operation of the program
may assist schools. Parental support and inclusive culture can provide a degree of
systemic understanding and comprehension that will directly enhance student and parent
participation (Weingarten et al., 2020).
Conclusion
The foundational elements of the multi-tiered system of support can be directly
connected to the civil rights movement in education and the role that it has continued to
play in the field of special education in schools. The concept of intervention and its
impact on students, parents, teachers, and schools is truly immeasurable. It has led to

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

39

educational initiatives that have provided support and services in place to meet the unique
needs of learners in the least restrictive environment.
Multi-tiered support systems have grown from the progress achieved through
these efforts and trials that have mapped the way for advancement in educational
programming for students. MTSS has come to provide a system of support and
interventions that are inclusive of strategies and programming that seek to meet the
academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of students. While there are many
approaches and philosophies for the implantation and sustainability of MTSS in schools,
research supports three critical elements for a program to be effective: it must be studentneed focused, it must be evidence-based in all aspects of its approach, and it requires
collaboration to achieve success on all levels. There are numerous approaches to
developing an MTSS program that is inclusive of these three elements while aligned with
the mission and vision of schools. With that in mind, the most crucial process within the
provision of an effective and embedded MTSS program is its implementation. This study
seeks to measure the success of the implementation of an academic MTSS program at
Windber Area Elementary School during its initial year. This initial year is likely to
determine the success of the program and that success is reliant upon understanding the
perceptions of teachers during this initial year of implementation. Their perceptions and
desired buy-in will be a primary driver for the success of the program and as research
demonstrates, the fidelity of programming can be aligned with teacher buy-in and the
likelihood of the program becoming an effective method of meeting the needs of all
students.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

40

CHAPTER III
Methodology
Meeting the unique leads of learners has been a challenge that educators have
sought to address for nearly half a century since the first integration and inclusion
practices were mandated. Students come to school with varying levels of ability and need
that require varying models and modes of content and concept delivery. Maximizing
student learning and creating a means for them to achieve their potential is important for
success. However, as long as the challenge has been present varying philosophies and
methodologies have been put into practice to support students and their unique needs.
Understanding the journeys that and efforts of meeting unique student needs has
its roots in the civil rights movements of the 1960s and the fight for the rights of the
disabled in necessary to consider. In 2023, that fight continues as we see a new age of
inclusivity in schools with the goal of educating every student within the least restrictive
environment. This goal is supported through legal action that has occurred in courtrooms
all over the country and resulted in schools being implored to take the necessary
measures to meet the needs of these students. Students with disabilities were required to
be educated in the regular education classroom to the maximum extent possible with data
as the tool to be utilized for decision making for academic programming.
Currently, the most prominent approach in schools nationwide in practice is the
incorporation of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports or commonly referred to as MTSS.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education defines MTSS as “a standards-aligned,
comprehensive school improvement framework for enhancing academic, behavioral, and
social-emotional outcomes for all students” (Pennsylvania Training and Technical
Assistance Network [PaTTAN], n.d.). This approach to meeting student needs is a

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

41

schoolwide comprehensive method that requires intensive professional development for
staff members, dedicated instructional time within the school day, and evidence-based
assessments and instructional resources before implementation can even be achieved.
Beyond each of these essential elements of the program, there is a need for the teachers
that will be responsible for the daily delivery of the support within the MTSS system to
be invested in its success for students to experience the desired outcomes for them.
This qualitative research study was intended to identify the perceptions of how
PSSA grade level teachers perceive the implementation year of an academic MTSS
program in an elementary school. The elementary school chosen for this study was
Windber Area Elementary School and included staff who teach third, fourth, and fifth
grade.
This chapter outlines the methodology used for this research study. The
organization of this chapter includes the following topics: Purpose, Setting and
Participants, Research Plan, Research Methods and Data Collection, Validity,
and Summary.
Purpose
This problem was chosen for research and analysis through the action research
process through the qualitative measurement of PSSA grade level teacher perceptions
during the implementation year of a MTSS program at an elementary school. Initial
teacher perceptions of student support programming such as MTSS are critical to
potentially resulting in the programming achieving an embedded role within the school’s
instructional practices.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

42

Student support programming such as MTSS has become a research-based series
of instructional strategies aligned to meeting unique student needs in a fluid
methodology. MTSS provides the opportunity for students to progress through varying
tiers of intervention that are identifiable by the level of intensive support made available
within each tier. Individualized programming has its roots in special education
methodology and philosophy. MTSS has its roots in special education theory with a
relationship that allows for the data and student progress collected within MTSS
programming to be utilized in the special education referral and evaluation for eligibility
processes. The collaborative nature of these two forms of student support programming
provides for a potentially seamless transition for students exhibiting need exceeding that
which can be met through MTSS programming into special education programming and
evidence supported goals and objectives following identification as a student with an
educational disability.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across the nation have battled a loss in
academic instructional time. The leadership team at Windber Area School District
identified the benefits that MTSS offers. It was the position of the school district that the
efforts to combat learning loss through the implementation of an MTSS program at
Windber Area Elementary School would have a positive impact on the school’s PSSA
scores for the 2022-2023 school year.
Within this study, the researcher sought to determine the perceptions of
elementary teachers in grades three through five at Windber Area Elementary School
during the implementation year of an academic MTSS program. The grade levels selected
were chosen due to their association with state testing through the Pennsylvania State

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

43

School Assessment (PSSA), which begins in grade three. These were the most likely
grades to have expedited implementation measures taken to maximize increasing student
academic progress before the conclusion of the 2022-2023 school year due to the
impending PSSA testing window in the Spring of 2023.
The research questions which are being addressed within the data collection have
been established by the researcher and received IRB approval as part of the researcher’s
request for approval of the capstone project research application. The surveys
administered and the interview prompts have been designed with guidance from the three
research questions presented below:
1. How do the school’s teaching staff perceive the implementation of the school’s
MTSS program to be supportive of student academic progress?
2. What do the teachers perceive as the most effective and ineffective aspects of the
school’s MTSS implementation?
3. How do teachers perceive the effectiveness of embedded instructional intervention
methods through the MTSS program?
Each research question has been aligned with specific prompts or survey items to
provide data collection that is supportive of analysis and the development of conclusive
statements and recommendations by the researcher at the conclusion of the study.
Setting and Participants
The Windber Area School District is a small, rural, public school district located
in South Central Pennsylvania. The school district’s geographic landscape is comprised
of Windber Borough, Paint Borough, Paint Township, and Ogle Township within

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

44

Somerset County and Scalp Level Borough within Cambria County as represented in
Figure 1. The school district covers approximately 57.6 square miles in size.
Figure 1
Geographic Map of Windber Area School District

Note. Purple highlighted area represents the area included within the Windber
Area School District. Adapted from Map of Pennsylvania, by Mapquest
(https://www.mapquest.com/us/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-282094739). In the public
domain.
The estimated population in 2019 for the area comprising the school district was
10,590 residents. This figure has reduced from 11,114 residents according to the 2010
United States census and 11,942 according to the 2000 United States census. (CityData.com, 2023) The area and those surrounding it continue to experience an increasing
population loss as the economic impacts being felt in the area resulted in the median
household income in Windber during 2019 being reported at $35,053. This is

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

45

significantly less than the median household income in the state of Pennsylvania of
$63,463. Within the Windber Area School District community, the percentage of the total
population in 2019 that was identified as meeting the requirement for the federal measure
of poverty was 27%. An additional representation of the area’s economic impacts that are
translated to the school district is identifiable in the 2019 cost of living index being 84.4
in contrast to the average for the United States of America, which was 100.0 during that
same year (City-Data.com, 2023).
The school district consists of three separate schools serving a specific series of
grade levels. Windber Area Elementary School, the school which is the subject of this
research report, is the sole elementary school within the Windber Area School District
and encompasses grade levels Pre-Kindergarten 4, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second
Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade. Windber Area Elementary School
had a total student enrollment of 694 students during the 2022-2023 school year. Students
matriculate to the Windber Area Middle School as they enter sixth grade and attend
middle school for grades six, seven, and eight. Following the eighth grade, students
attend Windber Area High School to conclude their educational programming. Students
in grades ten, eleven, and twelve are eligible to participate in career and technical
education as the school is a member of the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology
Center consortium.
Windber Area Elementary School has a long history of academic successes most
recognized in being identified as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States
Department of Education in 2012. However, over the course of the past ten years, the
school has experienced a decline in its standardized assessment scores and a significant

46

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

change in its student population demographics. Each of these factors is at the heart of the
determination by the Windber Area School District to make a commitment to the
implementation of a schoolwide academic MTSS program beginning with a full school
year of planning, preparation, professional development, and piloting of strategies during
2021-2022 in anticipation of schoolwide implementation occurring during the 2022-2023
school year.
During the 2020-2021 school year, students within Windber Area Elementary
School experienced a substantial decrease in student performance levels on the PSSA
exams from their counterpart cohort in 2018-2019. The counterpart cohort was defined as
the cohort of students in the prior school year who participated in the Pennsylvania State
School Assessment (PSSA) administered at Windber Area Elementary School. Tables 1,
Figures 2, and Figure 3 provide representations of the data utilized for comparison to
demonstrate the occurrence of the decrease in student performance levels on the PSSA.
Table 1.
PSSA Percent Proficient Data at Windber
ELA
2018-2019

ELA
2021-2022

% Difference

Math
2018-2019

Math
2021-2022

%
Difference

71.7%

58.0%

(13.7%)

68.7%

45.2%

(23.5%)

Note. The PSSA is a mandatory series of summative assessments that are administered in
the 3rd – 8th grades in the state of Pennsylvania. Adapted from the Future Ready PA
Index, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (https://futurereadypa.org). In the
public domain.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

47

Figure 2
Multi-year graphical representation of ELA scores

Note. The PSSA is a mandatory series of summative assessments that are administered in
the 3rd – 8th grades in the state of Pennsylvania. Adapted from the Future Ready PA
Index, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (https://futurereadypa.org). In the
public domain.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

48

Figure 3
Multi-year graphical representation of Math scores

Note. The PSSA is a mandatory series of summative assessments that are administered in
the 3rd – 8th grades in the state of Pennsylvania. Adapted from the Future Ready PA
Index, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (https://futurereadypa.org). In the
public domain.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state departments of education to
identify grade levels to administer summative state assessments in English Language Arts
(ELA), Mathematics, and Science. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has
identified two types of summative state assessments for administration annually, they are
the Pennsylvania State School Assessment (PSSA) and Keystone Exams. The PSSA is
administered to students in grades three through eight in ELA and Mathematics, as well
as, in grades four and eight in the subject area of science. The Keystone Exams are
designated for administration in secondary grade levels and thus are not relative to the

49

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
research being conducted in this study. Based on the grade levels assigned to Windber

Area Elementary School, the PSSA-tested grade levels that are relative to this study are
grades three, four, and five.
The Windber Area School District designed an implementation plan for its MTSS
program to focus on the areas of ELA and Mathematics. Science was not identified as a
priority during the program’s development and was not supported with MTSS
programming during the 2022-2023 implementation year. Thus, providing the researcher
with the perceptions of the teachers of ELA and Mathematics in grades three, four, and
five as the focus of this research study.
Table 2 illustrates a breakdown of various demographic data for grades three,
four, and five, which are the focus grade levels for this research study. Table 3 provides a
breakdown of student enrollment by ethnicity in the same grades as Table 2.
Table 2.
Student Enrollment Details in Grades 3, 4, and 5
Grade
Level

Total In
Grade

Male

Female

Free Reduced
Lunch Status

Special
Education

3

77

35

42

45

15

4

89

43

46

48

22

5

102

46

56

57

26

Total

268

124

144

150

63

Note. The United States Department of Agriculture establishes Free Reduced Lunch
Status. Special Education status is determined through the evaluation process established
under IDEA (2004).

50

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 3
Student Ethnicity Details in Grades 3, 4, and 5
Grade
Level

Asian

Black or African
American

White

Hispanic or
Latino

Mixed Race

3

1
(M 0)
(F 1)

0
(M 0)
(F 0)

74
(M 35)
(F 39)

1
(M 0)
(F 1)

1
(M 0)
(F 1)

4

0
(M 0)
(F 0)

0
(M 0)
(F 0)

82
(M 38)
(F 44)

3
(M 1)
(F 2)

4
(M 4)
(F 0)

5

1
(M 0)
(F 1)

3
(M 1)
(F 2)

92
(M 43)
(F 49)

2
(M 1)
(F 1)

4
(M 1)
(F 3)

Total

2
(M 0)
(F 2)

3
(M 1)
(F 2)

248
(M 116)
(F 132)

6
(M 2)
(F 3)

9
(M 5)
(F 4)

Note. Student ethnicity designations utilized in public schools in Pennsylvania are
established by the Department of Labor and Industry through the Office of Diversity,
Inclusion, and Civil Rights. https://www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/directives/race-data. In the
public domain.
The Windber Area School District comprises 90 certified professional educators
and eight certified administrators. Of these staff members, 15 certified professional
educators were invited to participate in the research study due to their assignment to
educate students within the grades included in the study. The eight certified
administrators were not included due to the research study being focused on the
perceptions of teachers in grades three through five. Table 4 represents those staff
members without identifiable information and their current professional assignments.

51

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 4
Research Study Invited Professional Educator Representation
Teacher

Grade Level

Assignment

Teacher 1

Grades PK - 12

MTSS Coordinator

Teacher 2

Grades 3 - 5

Special Education Teacher

Teacher 3

Grade 3

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 4

Grade 3

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 5

Grade 3

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 6

Grade 3

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 7

Grade 4

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 8

Grade 4

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 9

Grade 4

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 10

Grade 4

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 11

Grade 4

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 12

Grade 5

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 13

Grade 5

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 14

Grade 5

Regular Education Teacher

Teacher 15

Grade 5

Regular Education Teacher

Each teacher included in this research study is either a Full-Time Professional
Employee of the school district or a Long-Term Substitute hired for the 2022-2023
school year to provide instruction to students in which a professional vacancy currently
exists. All employees selected for participation in the study have received the school
district’s prescribed professional development in support of the implementation of the
MTSS program. All teachers selected also are assigned to provide MTSS services during
their school day. This assigned instructional time for the purpose of the delivery of MTSS
services is identified within the programming of Windber Area Elementary School fiveday cycle schedule.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

52

Teachers provide MTSS services during instructional time designated as
“Rambler Time”. During “Rambler Time” students are assigned to groups that are
focused on the provision of Tier 1 services to 85 percent of students, while Tier 2
students, which constitute ten percent of the student population are grouped based on
similar needs and provided support services aligned to meet their academic needs.
Students that qualify for Tier 3 services are grouped into much smaller groups or as
individuals for the purpose of intensive academic support services delivery. Tier 3
qualifying students represent the five percent of the student population demonstrating the
greatest academic needs in relation to their grade-level peers. All students are identified
for their current tier level through the analysis and evaluation of assessment results
utilizing universal screeners which have been adopted by the school district. Students are
screened using these universal screeners once per 45-day cycle and Tier qualification is
redetermined based on the results of these screeners and the academic progress being
made by students participating in Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.
Research Plan
The researcher identified the importance of teacher perception of MTSS
programming and the relationship it has to the way special education programming has
progressed into a federally required system of individualized educational planning that
incorporates unique strategies, specially designed instruction, and programming
modifications to meet student needs. Literature on the topic of MTSS programming
demonstrates a correlation in its identification as a successful programming option in
support of students’ academic and behavioral needs and the successes that special

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

53

education programming has demonstrated in meeting students’ needs at their personal
developmental level.
While special education services in schools have a relationship to the civil rights
movements of the 1960s and case law specific to individual special education delivery in
public schools, special education programming is grounded in state and federal laws that
support its requirement for all students to ensure the provision of free and appropriate
public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. MTSS programming shares
these concepts in its programmatic delivery as it seeks to provide forms of interventions
and supports that are designed to meet students at their instructional level and provide the
necessary support to maintain their inclusion in the least restrictive environment.
The research plan for this capstone study is centered around the collection of
qualitative data from teachers in grades three through five, which are identified as the
initial state summative assessment grade levels in the subject areas of ELA and
Mathematics. ELA and Mathematics are the focused academic support subjects during
the implementation year of the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary School. The
qualitative data being sought by the researcher is meant to provide a comprehensive and
time-lapsed representation of the teacher’s individual perceptions of the program and its
implementation during the initial 2022-2023 school year at the school.
The data being sought for collection and analysis by the researcher is intended to
provide feedback as to the individual teacher’s perceptions of the effectiveness of the
professional development provided to them prior to the onset of implementation, their
perceptions of the success of the implementation process, and their perception of the
effectiveness of various academic supports being provided through the schoolwide MTSS

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

54

program structure that they are actively engaged in. The researcher sought to achieve the
collection of the data necessary to conduct the research proposed in this capstone project
through the administration of a survey and interview script designed by the researcher
that received IRB approval effective November 9, 2022, with an expiration date of
November 8, 2023. The survey was administered to the teachers on three separate
occasions with approximately one month between administrations. The items included in
the survey remained consistent across all three administrations to provide the researcher
with representations of potential changes in teacher perceptions as the implementation
process continues to progress throughout the school year. The interviews were conducted
via email at the request of the participants with each teacher being asked the same
interview prompts without deviation.
The researcher personally made the financial commitment of $276.00 to acquire
an annual subscription with Survey Monkey. This commitment provided the researcher
with a full year’s access to the surveys, interviews, and data collected to support the longterm analysis of data collected. The research study also had fiscal implications relative to
personnel and materials costs that were committed to by the school district in anticipation
of the implementation of the MTSS program. The commitment of these funds was
determined to be necessary to implement an MTSS program that is in alignment with
“best practices” as presented by the Pennsylvania Department of Education during the
professional development and technical assistance which was provided to the school
district. As represented in Table 5, the school district committed significant financial and
personnel resources toward a successful and sustainable MTSS program through ARPESSER funds, the hiring of an MTSS Coordinator, and increased Professional

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

Development in academic support-related instructional practices that extend beyond the
core curriculum.
Table 5
Ledger of Financial and Personnel
Description

Budget

Leveled Literacy Materials

$20,000.00

Reading and Literacy Focused Software

$24,000.00

Diagnostic Reading Inventory Program

$18,000.00

Diagnostic and Remediation Software License

$54,000.00

Universal Screeners and MTSS Intervention Materials

$71,054.00

MTSS Tiered Intervention Materials

$18,400.00

School Psychologist Salary

$66,500.00

MTSS Coordinator Salary

$54,3000.00

Reading Intensive Intervention Curriculum and Supplies

$12,963.00

Instructional Materials – Remediation/Learning Loss

$40,000.00

Instructional Technology

$10,000.00

Instructional Materials – Curriculum Revisions

$10,000.00

Data Warehousing Software – with RTII Plan Function

$45,000.00

MTSS Instructional Resources

$20,000.00

Total

$464,217.00

Research Methods and Data Collection
The researcher administered the same survey (Appendix C) to third, fourth, and
fifth-grade teachers via SurveyMonkey, at established intervals three times within the

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

56

implementation year of the MTSS program. The initial survey administered will serve as
the baseline data collection method for the purposes of analysis of all data collected over
the course of the research study. The subsequent surveys were intended to provide for
analysis of change in perception by the research subjects over the course of time during
the implementation year of the MTSS program. The surveys were designed to elicit
responses that will provide qualitative data on teachers’ perceptions of the MTSS
program implementation. The surveys also contain five items developed to collect
demographic data to be aligned with the anonymous responses. The demographic data
provided alignment to the qualitative responses to support trend analysis of the qualitative
responses provided within the instrument. Qualtrics, a data collection tool, was utilized to
warehouse and disaggregate the data collected for analysis and the development of
conclusions.
The surveys were administered electronically using the web-based data collection
and analysis software program Survey Monkey. Interviews were administered in a
multimodal methodology in one of three formats: in person, by email, or via phone.
Data collected from surveys conducted were analyzed utilizing the data analysis
tools provided by the Qualtrics software program. Demographic data collected within the
survey instrument was aligned to the qualitative data gathered to provide trend analysis
by years of experience of the teacher, professional development received, grade level
teaching, and their familiarity with MTSS.
The researcher conducted one-to-one interviews with the participants utilizing a
series of interview questions (Appendix D) developed by the researcher to gather data
with depth and clarity as it relates to the teachers’ perceptions of the MTSS program

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

57

implementation at an elementary school. Teacher interview responses were collected and
analyzed using interview items developed to identify trends in response to develop
conclusions in response to the research questions posed.
The data collected within these two methodologies were utilized in a collaborative
manner to provide a comprehensive analysis of the perceptions of the third, fourth, and
fifth-grade teachers regarding the implementation of the MTSS program at Windber Area
Elementary School. The Data Collection Plan and Timeline were established in advance
of the research study being conducted and are represented in Appendix E.
Validity
This research study was developed for the purpose of providing qualitative data to
be that would provide the Windber Area School District the ability to analyze teacher
perceptions regarding the initial implementation year of an academic MTSS program in
its elementary school. The study focused on the PSSA tested grade levels of the third,
fourth, and fifth grades. When designing a research study that is rooted in the collection
and analysis of qualitative data that is perceptual in nature, it is critical that the research
conducted, and the methodology utilized exhibit a high degree of validity. Ensuring that
validity within the study is present and clearly represented increases the value of the data
collected as it relates to utilization in the progression of the MTSS program in an
effective manner beyond its implementation year.
The credibility of the research methodology utilized in data collection was crucial
to demonstrating high degrees of validity in the research process. The credibility of this
study is supported by the repetitive process utilized in surveying teachers. The surveys
administered were consistent across all three administrations with the same survey

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

58

utilized without deviation or revision for all three administrations. To increase this level
of consistency in the delivery of the surveys Survey Monkey was utilized for the delivery
of all three administrations. Utilizing consistent surveys as an instrument of data
collection provided the research subjects with reliability and familiarity in how the data
relative to their perceptions was being collected.
The validity of the data collected in this research study is also supported by its
transferability. This data can be generalized to any PSSA tested grade level that is within
its initial year of MTSS programming implementation. The variance within this type of
validity that must be considered and could be deemed as adverse to establishing validity
would be the uniqueness of opinions or perceptions presented by each teacher. Each
teacher has their own varying background and experiences that exhibit the potential to
impact the responses they provide within the surveys.
To counterbalance the concerns that are associated with each teacher’s personal
and professional experiences, the study includes an interview with each teacher in
addition to the surveys administered. The utilization of teacher interviews as a second
method of data collection provides the opportunity to measure dependability and
confirmability within the data collected. This is achieved through the triangulation of the
survey data to the responses collected through the teachers’ responses to the interview
prompts provided. Analysis of the data collected through the administration of the two
methods of data collection was intended to provide this means of triangulation.
Summary
Schools continue to seek the best methodologies and instructional practices to
support student academic growth and development in a personalized manner. MTSS

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59

provides the opportunity to support a school’s efforts to achieve this. This research study
is intended to provide qualitative data that will assist in the process of planning further
implementation and expansion of the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary
School into other grade levels and schools within the school district. Focusing on
qualitative data and individual teacher perceptions is intended to provide information to
be considered in future implementations based on the perceived strengths and weaknesses
of the implementation process that occurred at Windber Area Elementary School during
the 2022-2023 school year. Utilizing data in this fashion is intended to provide for a
more fluid and teacher considerate approach to implementation. The researcher has
identified the way this study can provide critical information relative to teacher
perceptions of the program during its implementation year and took the steps necessary to
gather the data and analyze it to establish answers to the research questions that have
been posed to support this study.
This chapter is intended to provide insight into the methodology that was
identified as the most appropriate means for collecting and analyzing data in support of
developing answers to the research questions guiding this study. Chapter II provided the
researcher with the background and rationale as to the value of the pursuit of research on
this topic and how MTSS has developed and progressed to the widely utilized
methodology for the provision of tiered levels of individualized support for students
widely being utilized in schools currently.
This study will ultimately provide insight to the leadership within the school
district as to how the implementation process of the MTSS program was perceived by
teachers and ways to utilize that data to potentially improve the current program and

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60

design future programming implementation plans. Chapter IV provides an analysis of the
data collected within this methodology and the data collection that occurred in this study
with conclusions and potential recommendations derived from this information. The
analysis and recommendations provided in Chapter IV align the research questions that
the study responds to with the data methods utilized and the data which has been
collected during the capstone research process.

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61

CHAPTER IV
Data Analysis and Results
The researcher designed this project as a qualitative study of how PSSA gradelevel teachers perceive the implementation year of an academic MTSS program in an
elementary school. The research was conducted at Windber Area Elementary School in
Windber, PA, with teachers of students in the third, fourth, and fifth grade levels.
This chapter will provide a detailed representation of the data collected and
analyzed by the researcher in direct relationship to the research questions and the results
derived from the data analysis. The data collection was conducted through the repetitious
utilization of a researcher-developed and IRB-approved survey instrument during three
established data collection timeframes. In addition, the researcher conducted individual
teacher interviews with the subjects within the study utilizing a series of IRB-approved
prompts developed by the researcher. The data collected from the surveys and
consultations are intended to present trends relative to the group and individual teacher
perceptions of the implementation year of an MTSS program. All participants
participated voluntarily and were permitted to exit or enter the research study process at
their discretion. The differing participation levels resulted in varying numbers of
responders during each of the three administrations of the survey as well as the
interviews.
This research project is intended to provide data that will have great value in the
planning and implementing of academic support programming in the form of an MTSSbased structure. The research project will give qualitative considerations relative to how
teachers perceived the implementation process and how those perceptions may have
changed or remained consistent throughout the implementation year of the program. The

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62

survey and interview results will be presented in this chapter. The analysis of these
results will provide trends and feedback, which will be detailed within the chapter. This
chapter explains the data analysis process in detail, accompanied by a presentation and
discussion of the results. This study chapter is organized into sections that include Data
Analysis, Results, Discussion, and Summary.
Data Analysis
The researcher met with 14 teachers of students in grades three, four, and five on
January 10, 2023, in the Windber Area Elementary School library to discuss the research
project, its process, and their role within the project if they volunteered to participate.
Each participant was given an Informed Consent Form (Appendix A.) for review and
consideration. The teachers invited to participate in the research study included regular
education, special education, and reading specialists. The researcher asked this diverse
group of teachers to gather data representative of all teachers of students in the PSSA
grade levels of the third, fourth, and fifth grades. All staff members were full-time
Windber Area Elementary School teaching staff members.
The Informed Consent Form provided to each participant included the purpose of
the study, the data collection instruments to be administered, and the idea for using each
device. Potential risks were detailed and presented to the participants along with
information about the length of the study, information regarding each participant's
obligation level as a voluntary participant, confidentiality, privacy of information, and the
benefits for staff electing to participate in the study. All 14 teachers chose to
acknowledge consent to participate in the research study and have the data collected from
completing the surveys and interviews administered by the researcher by signing and

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63

returning their Informed Consent Form to the researcher following the meeting on
January 10, 2023.
The anonymous surveys were designed to elicit responses that would provide
qualitative data on each teacher's perceptions of the MTSS program implementation at
the school. The surveys were identical across all three administrations. They consisted of
five quantitative questions designed to collect demographic data and eleven qualitative
data collection instruments to collect the teachers' perceptual data of implementing the
MTSS program at the school during its initial year.
The demographic data aligns with the qualitative responses to support trend
analysis of the qualitative responses provided within the instrument. The quantitative
demographic questions of the survey were the first five questions presented and inclusive
of four multiple-choice items used to determine the experience level of the teacher
responding, their participation level in professional development activities, the grade
level(s) they currently teach, and the subject areas that they are currently teaching. The
fifth question utilized a Likert Scale and collected data about the teacher's familiarity
with the Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
The qualitative questions in the survey intended to identify each teacher's
perceptions and trends within the group as the implementation occurred. The qualitative
questions within the survey began with question number six and included all the
remaining questions through the survey's final question. These questions comprised six
multiple-choice questions, four open-ended questions, and one question presented as an
attitude scale.

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64

The researcher utilized SurveyMonkey online software to administer the surveys
to the teachers. The survey was designed in its electronic format by the researcher within
SurveyMonkey in three administration formats, baseline, follow-up, and final survey, to
be administered at various timeframes throughout the research study. The baseline survey
was administered via an email invitation with a hyperlink to the study. The baseline
survey was issued on January 11, 2023. Eleven of the fourteen research subjects who
completed the Informed Consent Forms completed the baseline survey. The follow-up
survey was administered to all fourteen originally consenting teachers via a second email
invitation, including a hyperlink to the follow-up survey on February 27, 2023. Twelve
research subjects who provided informed consent completed the follow-up survey. This
was an increase of one respondent over the baseline survey. The final survey was
administered on March 28, 2023. The administration of the last survey resulted in nine
teachers responding. This scenario represents a decrease in the participation of two
teachers from the baseline survey through the final survey and a reduction of three
respondents from the follow-up survey through the last survey administered.
The researcher utilized the SurveyMonkey online software program to deliver the
MTSS Teacher Interview prompts. The IRB-approved interview prompts were used on
March 11, 2023, to create the electronic interview instrument to collect teacher responses
to the prompts. The interview instrument was administered on March 13, 2023, via a
hyperlink in an email to the teachers who had provided informed consent to participate in
the study. Nine teachers elected to participate in the interview by submitting their
responses electronically through SurveyMonkey.

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65

After collecting the final survey results, the researcher utilized various available
options through SurveyMonkey to download the data collected from all three survey
administrations and the administration of the MTSS Teacher Interviews. The researcher
used Microsoft Excel software to prepare the data collected for analysis. The data
collected from the non-open-ended items within the three survey administrations was
entered into an Excel Workbook with each sheet inclusive of the data collected across all
three surveys for each question. The data on each sheet within the Excel workbook was
then placed into a table and three forms of graphical representation. Each was displayed
utilizing a 2D horizontal bar graph, a 3D vertical bar graph, and a 2D line graph. The
sheets within the workbook containing the responses to the open-ended questions were
structured on each corresponding sheet to respond to the question presented in a
hierarchical manner that demonstrated the answers collected in each administration of the
three surveys.
The researcher reviewed the data from each table and its accompanying graphs to
identify how the responses represented trends within teacher perceptions of the program's
implementation. The researcher utilized the Excel sheets containing the open-ended
responses to analyze how the participating teachers changed their perceptions of the
implementation process in their own words as the study progressed alongside the
continuation of the implementation process. The data collected in the interviews were
cataloged to include the unique response to each prompt. This methodology of cataloging
the interview data resulted in the researcher analyzing the data through trend analysis of
consistencies and outliers within the answers provided by the teachers. The researcher
collected each interview response in the teacher's own words in an anonymous

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66

methodology that retained the anonymity of the participants in the study by not
requesting identifiable respondent information.
Three research questions guide the research study the researcher posed to support
the need to conduct the research contained in this capstone research project. The three
research questions that the researcher has established include the following.
1. How do the school’s teaching staff perceive the implementation of the school’s
MTSS program to be supportive of student academic progress?
2. What do the teachers perceive as the most effective and ineffective aspects of the
school's MTSS implementation?
3. How do teachers perceive the effectiveness of embedded instructional
intervention methods through the MTSS program?
The researcher established a Data Collection Plan and Timeline (Appendix E) that
provides a detailed alignment of each survey item and interview prompt to one of the
three research questions. The Data Collection Plan and Timeline identify the specific
research question to which each survey item or prompt is intended to collect data in
correlation.
The first research question posed within the study asks, "How do the school's
teaching staff perceive the implementation of the school's MTSS program to be
supportive of student academic progress?" This research question is supported by the
collection of quantitative data collected through survey items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as
interview prompts 1 and 5. Qualitative data is contained in support of this research
question via survey items 6, 7, and 8, as well as interview prompts 3 and 13.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

67

The second research question posed within the study asks, "What do the teachers
perceive to have been the most effective and ineffective aspects of the school's MTSS
implementation?" This research question is supported by the collection of quantitative
data collected through survey items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as interview prompt 1.
Qualitative data is collected in support of this research question via survey items 9, 10,
12, and 13, as well as interview prompts 6, 7, 9, and 11.
The third research question posed within the study asks, “How do teachers
perceive the effectiveness of embedded instructional intervention methods through the
MTSS program?" This research question is supported by the collection of quantitative
data collected through survey items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, as well as interview prompt 1.
Qualitative data is collected supporting this research question via survey items 11 and 14
and interview prompts 2, 4, 8, 10, and 12.
All survey items were designed to collect data to elicit responses that present
correlations and alignment between the quantitative and qualitative data collected within
the surveys and interviews. The data correlations and alignments from the survey items'
design and interview prompts are intended to support trend analysis. The interview
prompts designed to collect qualitative data were used to triangulate data to provide
additional depth and clarity to survey responses. The triangulation of this data provided
the researcher with the necessary connections between quantitative and qualitative data to
support the identification of trends while maintaining the level of anonymity proposed to
the research study participants. The next section of this chapter will present the data
collection results from the surveys administered and the interviews conducted.

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The results from the individual survey items and interview prompts provided the
researcher with the data necessary to complete an analysis. The information gained from
this analysis provides the basis for future recommendations and conclusions, which will
be the focus of chapter five of this research study.
Survey Results
Question #1 of the survey is a demographic question designed to identify each
subject's experience as a teacher within the school. The responses collected from this
question are represented in Table 6 and provided in a line graph format in Figure 4. The
data described in Table 6 and Figure 4 were collected during the survey's Baseline,
Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 6
Count of Teachers by Range of Years of Experience
Years of Experience

Baseline

Followup

Final

0-4 years

5

4

3

5-10 years

3

4

4

11-15 years

1

2

1

16-25 years

2

2

1

26-35 years

0

0

0

35+ years

0

0

0

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “How long have you been a teacher at Windber
Area Elementary School?”

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Figure 4
Line Graph of Count of Teachers by Range of Years of Experience
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0-4 years

5-10 years

11-15 years

BASELINE

16-25 years

FOLLOWUP

26-35 years

35+ years

FINAL

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “How long have you been a teacher at Windber
Area Elementary School?”

Question #2 of the survey is a demographic question designed to collect the
attendance and participation of the respondents in MTSS professional development
sessions during the implementation year. The responses collected from this question are
represented in Table 7 and provided in a line graph format in Figure 5. The data
represented in Table 7 and Figure 5 were collected during the survey's Baseline,
Followup, and Final administrations.

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Table 7
Attendance and Participation in MTSS Professional Development
Participated

Baseline

Followup

Final

Yes

9

10

8

No

2

2

1

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Did you attend and participate in the MTSS
Professional Development sessions before the 2022-2023 school year?”

Figure 5
Line Graph of Teachers by Attendance and Participation in MTSS PD
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Baseline

Followup
Yes

Final
No

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Did you attend and participate in the MTSS
Professional Development sessions before the 2022-2023 school year?”

Question #3 of the survey is a demographic question designed to identify the
grade level(s) each respondent currently teaches at the school during the 2022-2023
school year. The responses collected from this question are represented in Table 8 and

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provided in a line graph format in Figure 6. The data represented in Table 8 and Figure 6
were collected during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 8
Count of Teachers by Grade Level(s) Taught.
Grade Level

Baseline

Followup

Final

Grade 3

4

6

5

Grade 4

4

5

2

Grade 5

5

4

4

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Did you attend and participate in the MTSS
Professional Development sessions before the 2022-2023 school year?”

Figure 6
Line Graph of Count of Teachers by Grade Level(s) Taught.
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Grade 3

Grade 4
Baseline

Followup

Grade 5
Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Did you attend and participate in the MTSS
Professional Development sessions before the 2022-2023 school year?”

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Question #4 of the survey is a demographic question designed to collect data

regarding which subject area(s) each respondent taught during the 2022-2023 school year
at the school. The responses collected from this question are represented in Table 9 and
provided in a bar graph format in a line graph format in Figure 7. The data represented in
Table 9 and Figure 7 were collected during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final
administrations.
Table 9
Count of Subject Area(s) Taught by the Teachers
Subject Area

Baseline

Followup

Final

Mathematics

5

6

5

English Language Arts

7

6

3

Reading

2

4

2

Science

4

2

4

Total

18

18

14

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What subject area(s) do you currently teach?”

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Figure 7
Line Graph of Count of Subject Area(s) Taught by the Teachers
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Mathematics

English Language Arts
Baseline

Reading

Followup

Science

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What subject area(s) do you currently teach?”
Question #5 of the survey is the first qualitative question presented in the survey
and is designed to collect data regarding each respondent's perceived personal familiarity
with the Multi-Tiered System of Supports. The responses collected from this question are
represented in Table 10 and provided in a bar graph format in Figure 8. The data
represented in Table 10 and Figure 8 were collected during the survey's Baseline,
Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 10
Teacher Responses Expressing Level of Familiarity with MTSS.
Level of Familiarity

Baseline

Followup

Final

No Knowledge of MTSS

0

0

0

Some Knowledge of MTSS

10

11

8

Strong Knowledge of MTSS

1

1

1

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What level of familiarity do you have with the
Multi-Tiered System of Supports?

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Figure 8
Horizontal Bar Graph of Responses Expressing Level of Familiarity with MTSS.

Strong Knowledge of MTSS
Some Knowledge of MTSS
No Knowledge of MTSS
0

2
Baseline

4
Followup

6

8

10

12

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What level of familiarity do you have with the
Multi-Tiered System of Supports?”
Question #6 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's perception, at the time of each survey administration, of the
school district’s efforts to address the implementation of learning loss strategies such as
MTSS at the school. The responses collected from this question are represented in Table
10 and in a vertical line graph format in Figure 8. The data represented in Table 11 and
Figure 8 were collected during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final
administrations.

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 11
Efforts to Address the Implementation of Learning Loss Supports
Teacher Opinion Level

Baseline

Followup

Final

Outstanding Job

2

1

1

Above Average

2

3

3

Average

5

6

4

Below Average

2

2

1

Poor

0

0

0

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What is your opinion of the school district's
efforts to address the implementation of learning loss supports such as MTSS at Windber
Area Elementary School?”

Figure 9
Vertical Bar Graph Regarding the Efforts to Address Learning Loss Supports
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Outstanding Job

Above Average
Baseline

Average
Followup

Below Average

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “What is your opinion of the school district's
efforts to address the implementation of learning loss supports such as MTSS at Windber
Area Elementary School?”

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Question #7 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's perception of the school district’s provision of what the

respondent perceives to be ample professional development to staff in anticipation of the
implementation of the MTSS program at the school. The responses collected from this
question are represented in Table 12 and provided in a vertical bar graph format in Figure
10. The data represented in Table 12 and Figure 10 were collected during the survey's
Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 12
Professional Development Provided on MTSS in Advance of Implementation.
Teacher Opinion Level

Baseline

Followup

Final

Strongly Agree

1

1

1

Agree

3

7

4

Disagree

5

1

2

Strongly Disagree

1

0

0

No Opinion

1

3

2

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “I believe that the Windber Area School District
has provided ample professional development for staff regarding MTSS in the Windber
Area Elementary School in anticipation of the implementation of the program.”

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Figure 10
Vertical Bar Graph of Professional Development Provided Prior to Implementation.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Strongly Agree

Agree
Baseline

Disagree
Followup

Strongly Disagree

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “I believe that the Windber Area School District
has provided ample professional development for staff regarding MTSS in the Windber
Area Elementary School in anticipation of the implementation of the program.”

Question #8 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's belief as to whether the MTSS implementation process at the
school occurred effectively. The responses collected from this question are represented in
Table 13 and in line graph format in Figure 11. The data represented in Table 13 and
Figure 11 were collected during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final
administrations.

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 13
The Belief that the MTSS Implementation was Effective
Teacher Belief

Baseline

Followup

Final

Yes

4

8

5

No

2

2

3

Not Enough Information

5

2

1

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Do you believe that the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School has been effective?”

Figure 11
Line Graph Regarding the Effectiveness of Implementation
10
8
6
4
2
0
Yes

No
Baseline

Followup

Not Enough Information
Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Do you believe that the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School has been effective?”

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

79

Question #9 of the survey is an open-ended qualitative question designed to
collect data in a short answer form regarding each respondent's opinion as to what they
believe has been the most effective aspect of the implementation process of the program
at the school. Question #9 was the first open-ended item presented to the respondents and
requested that each teacher provide an opinion in their own words each time the survey
was administered. The responses collected from this question are provided in Table 14.
The data represented in Table 14 were collected during the survey's Baseline, Followup,
and Final administrations.
Table 14
The Most Effective Aspect of MTSS Implementation.
Baseline Survey
Responses
As far as ELA, there are no more students currently being progressed monitored and
worked with in areas that can benefit them. It is all being data-driven - not just who we
think could benefit.
I feel that putting reading supports and interventions in place such as Sonday,
Heggerty, DIBELS, and LLI have all been beneficial to getting students the necessary
help with phonemic awareness and the skills related to learning to read.
I believe that intervention for specific needs of students at rambler time has been the
most effective aspect.
Student-centered learning and focusing on individual student needs
Unable to respond to this item at this time
Unable to respond to this item at this time
I feel that there has not been enough time to see growth in most areas
Utilizing multiple pieces of data to identify students who need intervention and using
specific intervention programs with these students, not just teacher created resources
Individualized Support
The most effective aspect is that we are able to identify students who need a more
intensive support.
Student needs are finally being addresses and they are getting more services that are
needed. More kiddos are receiving what they need.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Followup Survey
Responses

Identifying students in need.
I do not have enough data to form an opinion.
New intervention program and procedures
Evaluating and providing intervention to those students who have gaps.
The Intervention Programs for higher tiered students.
I feel that our MTSS program has done well to support students in the
lower grades in reading, and students in need of more phonics based and
decoding skills.
We are now able to meet not only students who need help filling in
learning gaps related to ELA, but also reach some students to help fill in
gaps related to math concepts.
I believe that the implementation of Rambler Time has been the most
effective aspect of the MTSS program. It allows for students to be given
the extra support they need without missing crucial instruction.
MTSS provides students' with multiple opportunities for SEL, behavioral
supports, and improved school culture.
I feel that the program means well and is very well-planned and organized.
The most effective aspect that we are reviewing data very frequently to
move students to the appropriate groups.
one on one work with students who need

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

81

Final Survey
Responses
There has been a stronger focus on reading using DIBELS and Heggerty Phonics and
Phonemic Awareness. I am not sure that enough data has been collected to see the results as
of yet.
Hegerty seems to be working very well for the younger students
having different data to support student learning, interventions in place
Working one-on-one with students
Trying to reach more students with the services that they need in order to close the educational
gap.
Dibels, differentiated classroom instruction, positive behavioral supports
I think that most effective aspects are the small groups created to focus on specific areas of
weakness and adjusting groups frequently so that the individual needs are being met.
Understanding of needs of the current students through DIBELS assessment and Rambler time
Providing extra time for academic support in reading.

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “In your opinion, what has been the most
effective aspect of the school's implementation of the MTSS program?”

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Question #10 of the survey is an open-ended qualitative question designed to
collect data in a short answer form regarding each respondent's opinion as to what they
believe has been the most ineffective aspect of the implementation process of the
program at the school. Question #10 requested that each teacher provide an opinion in
their own words each time the survey was administered. The responses collected from
this question are provided in Table 15. The data represented in Table 15 were collected
during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.

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83

Table 15
The Least Effective Aspect of MTSS Implementation.

Baseline Survey
Responses
On the other end, I don't feel that we are doing enough for students in the upper grade levels
that may be struggling with reading comprehension. We are focusing a lot of our MTSS
interventions on learning to read. The upper grades are struggling with drawing
comprehension from text and reading to learn. Additionally, we are definitely lacking in math
interventions. Although I don't teach it, I know from conversations that students are struggling
with grade level math because they don't have foundational number/operation skills.
There are still students who are below grade level in math. It would be beneficial to
implement more math interventions in the future.
I feel that our above average students often fall through the cracks and are not getting the
support to be challenged and grow as much as they could.
Communication
Providing more information and training on how to deal with tier 2 students.
No supports beyond Tier 1
Have not seen implementation of tier 2 or 3
at this point, there are a lot of questions about what is happening with the students that are
receiving intervention as they start to show growth, classroom teachers are not seeing the data
from students who are receiving intervention outside of the classroom, so I am making
decisions off of the data I have access to.
Individualized Support
The most ineffective aspect is servicing the students in the MTSS program.
Misunderstanding of what it is and how it is to be utilized.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

84

Follow up Survey
Responses
Identifying students in need.
I do not have enough data to form an opinion.
New intervention program and procedures
Evaluating and providing intervention to those students who have gaps.
The Intervention Programs for higher tiered students.
I feel that our MTSS program has done well to support students in the lower grades in reading,
and students in need of more phonics based and decoding skills.
We are now able to meet not only students who need help filling in learning gaps related to
ELA, but also reach some students to help fill in gaps related to math concepts.
I believe that the implementation of Rambler Time has been the most effective aspect of the
MTSS program. It allows for students to be given the extra support they need without missing
crucial instruction.
MTSS provides students' with multiple opportunities for SEL, behavioral supports, and
improved school culture.
I feel that the program means well and is very well-planned and organized.
The most effective aspect that we are reviewing data very frequently to move students to the
appropriate groups.
one on one work with students who need

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

85

Final Survey
Responses
Although Spring Math has been implemented, it was done only for the month or so. There is
almost no help for students who are behind in math.
Follow through with discipline of students
n/a
none
Teacher understanding and implementation of needed services
Nothing
The most ineffective aspect is time and consistency.
Follow-up/follow-through of providing information to classroom teachers
No intervention for tier 2 and tier 3 behaviors.

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “In your opinion, what has been the most
ineffective aspect of the school's implementation of the MTSS program?”

Question #11 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's belief as to whether their students that are receiving MTSS
support have demonstrated increased academic proficiency and whether they believe
those same students are making progress toward grade level expectations. The responses
collected from this question are represented in Table 16 and provided in a vertical bar
graph format in Figure 12. The data represented in Table 16 and Figure 12 were collected
during the survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 16
Beliefs Regarding the Progress Level of Students Receiving MTSS Supports
Teacher Belief

Baseline

Followup

Final

Have Made Progress

1

0

2

Making Progress Toward Grade Level

5

9

4

Making Progress, but not Toward Grade Level

5

2

3

Not Making Progress

0

1

0

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Do you believe that your students that are
receiving MTSS supports have shown increased academic proficiency and are making
progress toward grade-level expectations?”

Figure 12
Vertical Bar Graph Regarding the Progress Level of Their Students Receiving MTSS
10
8
6
4
2
0
Have Made Progress

Making Progress Toward Making Progress, but not
Grade Level
Toward Grade Level
Baseline

Followup

Not Making Progress

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Do you believe that your students that are
receiving MTSS supports have shown increased academic proficiency and are making
progress toward grade-level expectations?”

Question #12 of the survey is an open-ended qualitative question designed to
collect data in a short answer form regarding each respondent's opinion as to what they

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

87

consider to be the most effective MTSS instructional strategies that they personally have
implemented within their own classroom. The responses collected from this question are
provided in Table 17. The data represented in Table 17 were collected during the survey's
Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 17
What Teachers Consider to be The Most Effective MTSS Instructional Strategies
Baseline Survey
Responses
With our Good Habits Great Readers series, all students are being exposed to grade level text
and skills through Shared Reading. During center time and Guided Reading, students have
differentiated activities based upon their individual reading levels and spelling abilities (Words
Their Way). Students are benchmarked with the DRA2 and DIBELS reading assessment
system mid-year and end of year. Students are also progress monitored between benchmarks.
Reading groups are fluid and flexible.
providing small group instruction during our scheduled intervention time
I believe that using amplify to group children and teach based on needs was very effective.
Monitoring student behaviors, referral forms, daily check-ins with students, targeted
interventions, teaching social, emotional, and behavioral skills
unable to respond
clear expectations, redirection and open communication, and continued progress monitoring of
students
Unable to respond to this item at this time
activities from Dibels that are working on skills needed for students who need intervention. I
am also using these activities for other students who may need some extra support, but are not
receiving an intervention.
Working with students based on their performance level to achieve success.
The most effective MTSS instructional strategy is collecting data on students who do not show
growth if they need a higher tier of support.
differentiated lessons in both small and whole group instruction.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

88

Follow up Survey
Responses
Although we just started using Spring Math, I believe that will be very beneficial to the
students.
Spring Math
The small group work, focusing on skills that students lack.
Altering of materials with changed accommodations; working at the student's instructional
level and skill deficit needs
DIBELS intervention during Rambler Time
Students are benefiting from differentiated guided reading groups that are based on data driven
decisions. Students are grouped on DRA and Lexile data. Additionally, students are getting
necessary interventions from their Rambler Time groups based upon DIBEL data. Groups are
fluid and can change due to progress monitoring and benchmarking.
data-based decisions on students on learning content, school-wide team approach (all hands-on
deck)
I feel that amplify has been a great starting point for me to better determine specific skills that
my students need to work on. It also offers a wide variety of activities that are extremely
useful.
Goal setting, observations, data evaluation in order to provide better supports, and feedback.
Small group instruction differentiated to student needs and also planning Rambler time to be
super meaningful for my students.
Every regular education has a group that they are able to instruct.
Data Driven Needs

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

89

Final Survey
Responses
I believe Spring Math would be effective if we implemented it according to Spring Math
guidelines.
Spring Math
using data, strengthening the Tier 1 supports we have in place
data driven needs
differentiation of instruction based on multiple data sets
differentiating classroom instruction and continuous progress monitoring
I feel that most effective MTSS instructional strategy that I have implemented is making the
students do more of the reading. Helping them sound out the words.
Differentiation of same skill with varying texts, decodable readers to build foundational skills
NA

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please share below what you consider the most
effective MTSS instructional strategies that you have implemented into your classroom
instruction.”

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

90

Question #13 of the survey is an open-ended qualitative question designed to
collect data in a short answer form regarding each respondent's opinion as to what they
consider to be the least effective MTSS instructional strategies that they personally have
implemented within their own classroom. The responses collected from this question are
provided in Table 18. The data represented in Table 18 were collected during the survey's
Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.
Table 18
What Teachers Consider to be The Least Effective MTSS Instructional Strategies
Baseline Survey
Responses
I am not finding students in my 5th Grade Rambler Time group, which have been chosen
using DIBELS data in the area of fluency, making progress. I have used the DIBELS system
suggested activities, as well as some of my own. Some students develop oral reading habits
over the years which are hard to break that affect their fluency and accuracy. However, when
given comprehension, these students completely understand what they have read. They just
have developed poor oral reading skills but understand the text.
unable to respond at this time
I do not feel any instructional strategy has been truly ineffective.
Nothing
no implementation beyond tier 1 for the identified students, if so, teachers are not aware of
these if they are in place
Next step after Tier 1 intervention
I have not seen anything implemented beyond Tier 1.
NA
None
Unable to respond to this item at this time.
Some of the pull out that is implemented is very inconsistent, such as Rambler Time.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

91

Follow up Survey
Responses
Dibels with the 5th grade students has not seemed to help with the just below basic students I
have worked with in my classroom.
DIBELS
N/A
Behavior supports could be stronger
NA
I don't feel that the suggested intervention activities that I have been using for my Rambler
Time groups from the DIBELS system are grade level appropriate. I understand that some of
the students who scored lower in the Oral Reading Fluency category may need these skills, but
I don't think it is doing enough for the bigger skill of comprehension.
n/a
Unable to respond to this item at this time
Unable to respond to this item at this time
sometimes not providing meaningful instruction or not being as prepared as needed
The least effective strategy is that some groups are using DIBELS to instruct and other groups
are using a different intervention systems.
None

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

92

Final Survey
Responses
Dibels has not seemed to be effective at this level. It could be that students have not had
enough exposure.
Dibels
time to collaborate about data with colleagues
none
inconsistency of providing MTTS strategies in small groups
Nothing
I feel that there is not actually any that are ineffective or one that is overall the least effective.
All strategies seem to currently support at least a few learners. We know that all our students
have different learning styles and needs and so all strategies have had a benefit on someone.
Using conflicting data to determine student needs
NA

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please share below what you consider the least
effective MTSS instructional strategies that you have implemented into your classroom
instruction.”
Question #14 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's belief as to which of the six provided areas was most
supported by the implementation of the school’s MTSS program. The responses collected
from this question are represented in Table 19 and delivered in a line graph format in
Figure 13. The data represented in Table 19 and Figure 13 were collected during the
survey's Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations.

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 19
What Teachers Believe to be the Area Most Supported by Implementation
Most Supported Area

Baseline

Followup

Final

Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19

2

3

1

Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies

4

4

5

Addressing School-Level Academic Needs

4

1

0

Addressing Grade-Level Academic Needs

1

1

0

Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs

0

2

2

Identifying Students for Special Education Evaluation

0

1

1

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
most supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

Figure 13
Line Graph Representing the Area Most Supported by Implementation
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Identifying
Learning Loss dueIndividual Student School-Level
Grade-Level
Subject Area
Students for
to the impact of
Academic
Academic Needs Academic Needs Academic Needs Special Education
COVID-19
Deficiencies
Evaluation
Baseline

Followup

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
most supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

94

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Question #15 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's belief as to which of the six provided areas was the second
most supported by the implementation of the school’s MTSS program. The responses
collected from this question are represented in Table 20 and provided in a line graph
format in Figure 14. The data represented in Table 20 and Figure 14 were collected
during the Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations of the survey.
Table 20
What Teachers Believe the Area 2nd Most Supported by Implementation
Second Most Supported Area

Baseline

Followup

Final

Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19

5

2

4

Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies

1

5

1

Addressing School-Level Academic Needs

1

1

1

Addressing Grade-Level Academic Needs

1

1

2

Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs

2

2

1

Identifying Students for Special Education Evaluation

1

1

0

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
second most supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Figure 14
Line Graph Representing the Area 2nd Most Supported by the Implementation
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Addressing
Learning Loss
due to the
impact of
COVID-19

Addressing
Individual
Student
Academic
Deficiencies

Addressing
School-Level
Academic
Needs
Baseline

Addressing
Grade-Level
Academic
Needs
Followup

Addressing
Subject Area
Academic
Needs

Identifying
Students for
Special
Education
Evaluation

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
second most supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

Question #16 of the survey is a qualitative question designed to collect data
regarding each respondent's belief as to which of the six provided areas was the least
supported area by the implementation of the school’s MTSS program. The responses
collected from this question are represented in Table 21 and provided in a line graph
format in Figure 15. The data represented in Table 21 and Figure 15 were collected
during the Baseline, Followup, and Final administrations of the survey.

96

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Table 21
What Teachers Believe the Area Least Supported by the Implementation
Least Supported Area

Baseline

Followup

Final

Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19

1

0

0

Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies

1

0

1

Addressing School-Level Academic Needs

1

0

2

Addressing Grade-Level Academic Needs

2

4

0

Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs

3

5

0

Identifying Students for Special Education Evaluation

3

3

6

Total

11

12

9

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
least supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

Figure 15
Line Graph of the Area Least Supported by the Implementation
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Addressing
Identifying
Learning Loss dueIndividual Student School-Level
Grade-Level
Subject Area
Students for
to the impact of
Academic
Academic Needs Academic Needs Academic Needs Special Education
COVID-19
Deficiencies
Evaluation
Baseline

Followup

Final

Note: The survey item reads as follows: “Please choose what you believe to be the area
least supported by the implementation of the school's MTSS Program.”

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

97

Interview Results
The researcher conducted nine interviews with teachers that provided consent via
an email link through the SurveyMonkey online software program. Table 22 represents
the interviewee's responses to the interview prompts supplied in their own words. All
results collected from teacher interviews have been realigned within the table to present
the interviewee and their response to each of the sixteen interview prompts they
responded to.
Table 22
Teacher Responses to Interview Prompts
Prompt #1 - How many years of teaching experience do you have?
Interviewee #1

8

Interviewee #2

2

Interviewee #3

No response recorded

Interviewee #4

1

Interviewee #5

21

Interviewee #6

9

Interviewee #7

9

Interviewee #8

33

Interviewee #9

17

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Prompt #2: What grade level(s) do you currently teach?
Interviewee #1

5th

Interviewee #2

3rd

Interviewee #3

5th

Interviewee #4

3rd

Interviewee #5

No response recorded

Interviewee #6

3rd

Interviewee #7

Hearing K-12, Reading Resource (1-4)

Interviewee #8

5th

Interviewee #9

4th

Prompt #3: What subject area(s) do you currently teach?
Interviewee #1

Math and Science

Interviewee #2

Math and Science

Interviewee #3

ELA and Social Studies

Interviewee #4

ELA and Social Studies

Interviewee #5
Interviewee #6

Math and Science

Interviewee #7

ELA

Interviewee #8

Math

Interviewee #9

Math and Science

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Prompt #4 - Which of the following instructional roles do you currently fill?
Interviewee #1

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #2

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #3

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #4

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #5

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #6

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #7

Specialized Instruction Support Teacher

Interviewee #8

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

Interviewee #9

Regular Education Classroom Teacher

99

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

100

Prompt #5: Prior to the implementation of the Windber Area Elementary School
MTSS program, what was your perception of tiered academic support programs?
Interviewee #1

They are beneficial in helping students who need additional
support to grow.

Interviewee #2

I had no information about MTSS until my time began here.

Interviewee #3

I felt that MTSS supports were something that our school
desperately need of. As the years have passed, we see more of a
discrepancy in academic abilities and behaviors within our student
body. Procedures and strategies were needed for the students not
meeting grade-level expectations in various areas.

Interviewee #4

Tiered academic support programs are enforced to help all
students meet their academic and behavioral goals and successes.

Interviewee #5

Classroom Teacher was the first step of intervention with
differentiation in the classroom; Title I and Special Ed. was the
next intervention step for students who were continuing to
struggle.

Interviewee #6

I believed it sounded great, but I was curious about how it all
worked.

Interviewee #7

I was knowledgeable of areas of need for various students at
different levels. The classroom compiles Tier 1 with
differentiation. Tier 2 includes working with the classroom teacher
and or with another teacher. Tier 3 should be the most intensive
time, but in the past, Tier 2 was utilized with our Title 1 staff.
Essentially Tier 3 did not exist.

Interviewee #8

I had limited knowledge of MTSS.

Interviewee #9

I knew the basic academic programs used in Tier 1 (our
curriculums) but did not understand any other academic support
programs used in Tier 2 or Tier 3.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

101

Prompt #6: Please share your perceptions relative to the implementation of the
school's MTSS program to be supportive of student academic progress.
Interviewee #1

Students are participating in programs, but they do need to seem to
be making much growth. Often there are no substitutes available,
so the teachers who are to be working with students are often
pulled to cover other teachers. There are also a lot of programs
that regular education teachers are using, but there is not enough
time to effectively use all of the programs in addition to all of the
grade-level curriculum that needs to be taught.

Interviewee #2

MTSS provides students with one-on-one instruction to benefit
them based on data.

Interviewee #3

I thought that the MTSS program was going to be data-driven.
Every child would be screened in the core subjects of reading and
math. Interventions and groupings would then be based on the
data. Groups would be fluid and flexible as dictated by the data.
Teacher input would also be considered.

Interviewee #4

Implementing MTSS allows teachers to better meet the needs of
all students and support student academic progress.

Interviewee #5

In some areas, I see that the intervention is supporting the student's
academics. In other ways, the students have missed so many basic
skills that a lot of "catch-up" is needed.

Interviewee #6

I believe we are off to a great start for the first year of
implementation. We are already seeing growth.

Interviewee #7

Through the MTSS process, students receive support based on
need. We have utilized the Tiered process to determine students
who need more support and those who need less support. We have
implemented Rambler time for students to work with another
classroom teacher on a few missing skills. I feel that this has been
a help in looking at students' deficits.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Interviewee #8

102

I feel that it has the potential to be beneficial but that it has not
been implemented long enough to gather data.

Interviewee #9

We are now using more data to track and support each student's
needs.

Prompt #7: Based upon your current experiences and your knowledge of the
implementation of Windber Area Elementary School's MTSS program, do you
perceive the program to be supportive of student academic progress?
Interviewee #1

The Dibels program may work well for primary grades. However,
the intermediate grades are not seeing much progress with it.
Spring Math just started, so it is hard to say whether progress will
occur. The PBIS program does not seem to help much with the
behavioral progress of troublesome students.

Interviewee #2

yes

Interviewee #3

I believe it has been supportive in reading but focused more on
students learning to/having difficulties with the fundamentals of
reading. The upper-graders struggling with oral reading fluency
and decoding/phonics skills are getting assistance with DIBELS
interventions and Sonday. I don't feel that reading comprehension
is getting enough support. Additionally, although students are
making growth individually, they are not making strides toward
grade-level standards and achievement.

Interviewee #4

Yes

Interviewee #5

In certain areas, with certain students.

Interviewee #6

Yes, it is great that we continue to progress, monitor, and
benchmark. This allows us to change groups and support the
student's areas of weakness, not just put them in a group and let
them in the group, even if they have progressed and no longer
need that support.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Interviewee #7

103

The system is working to support student academic progress and is
helping teachers identify areas of need for individual students.

Interviewee #8

I feel there are supports for reading, but they are lacking in math.

Interviewee #9

Yes, we are supporting students more now than in previous years.

Prompt #8: How effective do you feel implementing the MTSS program at
Windber Area Elementary School occurred?
Interviewee #1

I feel that the district sees the need for support and is trying to
help, but there is a lot of support in many areas that are needed.
We are trying to implement too many programs too quickly and
adding more to the teachers' and students' plates without taking
anything away. The students and teachers are overwhelmed, so it
is not helping as much as it should.

Interviewee #2

very effective

Interviewee #3

I feel that, overall, the implementation has been effective. It still
has some things that need to be worked out. As stated above, we
aren't using anything that focuses much on reading
comprehension. Additionally, nothing was established for math
interventions until recently with Spring Math.

Interviewee #4

I believe the implementation of MTSS at Windber Area
Elementary School is effective.

Interviewee #5

For the most part, it went very well.

Interviewee #6

Just like anything new, it is a learning process that is going well
and helping our students.

Interviewee #7

I feel that it has been fairly successful and effective. At times,
there are hurdles to overcome due to the high volume of student
needs with implementing a new system.

Interviewee #8

I do not feel there is enough data to assess this yet.

Interviewee #9

I see the positive effects of the MTSS program through working
with students and reading the data we are collecting.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

104

Prompt #9: What are the most effective aspects of the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School?
Interviewee #1

Data analysis has helped to identify students who need additional
support.

Interviewee #2

one-on-one work with students based on data to support their
needs.

Interviewee #3

I believe that the most effective aspects have been the
implementation of assessments like DIBELS and Sonday, which
also provide intervention activities and strategies to use with the
students. It is helping our lower readers who are missing some of
their basic decoding and phonics skills to develop to read.
Rambler Time groups have also been beneficial in giving time in
the day to provide interventions to students.

Interviewee #4

I believe this targeted support helps students not only with their
academic progress but also behaviorally and social-emotionally.
The continuous data collection process is also very effective in
keeping track of student goals.

Interviewee #5

Intervention Time added to the schedule and having all Gen. Ed.
teachers part of the intervention.

Interviewee #6

The most effective aspect is that we continue to look at our
students. Ensure we are giving them what they need and ensuring
data back it.

Interviewee #7

I believe the Tiered intervention support has been the most
effective part of the MTSS implementation. The tiers have allowed
more students to work individually with a teacher/support teacher
to have maximum reading support. We also work with SpringMath
in grades 3-5 to determine math needs. SpringMath will be an
important step for MTSS usage in math.

Interviewee #8

Our Title I reading is well-established and benefits students who
need extra reading support.

Interviewee #9

more data, small group instruction, scheduled intervention time

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

105

Prompt #10: What are the least effective aspects of the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School?
Interviewee #1

Dibels in the upper-grade levels.

Interviewee #2

none

Interviewee #3

Again, I feel we are lacking in something for reading
comprehension interventions, and math (Spring Math) should've
been implemented sooner. Also, we see our Rambler Time groups
three days a week due to Wellness and having to teach our Library
encore. With the substitute shortage and other Encore teachers
getting pulled to cover classes, sometimes it is less than three days
per week. Lastly, the students pulled from our rooms during
Rambler Time will get individualized interventions based on their
levels; however, they miss grade-level activities simultaneously.

Interviewee #4

None

Interviewee #5

Not knowing what to do with the data to support the students.

Interviewee #6

Even though we know that monitoring is super important,
sometimes, it seems like we are constantly testing them in a small
amount of time.

Interviewee #7

The least effective aspect of MTSS now is the feedback and
communication between the MTSS team and the general education
teachers. More information and communication must occur
between the team/team leads and those who work with the
students daily.

Interviewee #8

The support for students who struggle with math is just starting,
even though it is clear nationwide that this has been a real area of
decline.

Interviewee #9

None at this time.

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
Prompt #11: Do you believe that the embedded instructional intervention
methods are effective in supporting student academic progress?
Interviewee #1

I have not seen much growth in the programs I have worked on
with the students.

Interviewee #2

yes

Interviewee #3

Yes, I believe they have been beneficial in seeing the growth of
individual student's academic progress. However, for some
students, they won't be seeing interventions that are near their
grade level benchmark expectations.

Interviewee #4

Yes

Interviewee #5

some

Interviewee #6

Yes

Interviewee #7

This is classroom-based and depends upon the students in need
and the teacher who is utilizing the intervention. The Sonday
System intervention program is very effective in supporting
student academic progress. I believe the DIBELS activities are
also helpful in providing intervention with various methods.

Interviewee #8

I believe they are, but I am unsure if the data shows this.

Interviewee #9

Yes - I am seeing student progress

106

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

107

Prompt #12: What do you perceive to be the most effective embedded
instructional interventions that have been implemented through the school's
MTSS program?
Interviewee #1

I believe Spring Math will be the most beneficial intervention for
the students I work with.

Interviewee #2

support to students who need

Interviewee #3

Using data collection and analysis to create student groups and
intervention plans has been important. The usage of DIBELS
intervention and Sonday has been beneficial. LLI has also been
effective for the younger grades.

Interviewee #4

Dibels, progress monitoring, Title1 reading groups

Interviewee #5

We have only been using the instructional intervention from
Diebels, which focuses on a lot instead of the student's highest
needs.

Interviewee #6

I perceive that the small groups are focused on that specific
group's needs. Not just a broad intervention. Also, it is great to
have other teachers work with the groups.

Interviewee #7

I believe the most effective embedded instructional intervention
would be utilizing the DIBELS system to locate and identify areas
of need for students, specifically in grades K-3. I also believe
implementing Heggerty in grades K-2 has been crucial for our
MTSS program's success.

Interviewee #8

Using Rambler Time to meet the needs of additional students not
being serviced by Title I has been most beneficial.

Interviewee #9

Amplify lessons geared toward student reading deficits,
SpringMath

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

108

Prompt #13: What do you perceive to be the most likely reason or reasons for the
effective embedded instructional intervention methods that you just identified?
Interviewee #1

Spring math is a daily program that is quick, straight forward. The
materials provided and easy to follow. You do not have to search
through materials to find the interventions. The structure of it
every day becomes automatic, and it starts with the basic skills
many 5th graders are missing for math.

Interviewee #2

to help students who may need extra support

Interviewee #3

Miss Caton has been a great resource for MTSS. She goes through
all of the data and creates our Rambler Time groups. The teachers
then take the groups and data and select the intervention activities.

Interviewee #4

These instructional interventions have allowed me to see where
my students are struggling and provide support that will benefit
them.

Interviewee #5

there are right at our fingertips

Interviewee #6

I perceive that it is just that one teacher may say something a little
differently or present it differently. Giving the students a fresh
look at the content.

Interviewee #7

I believe professional development and teacher support contribute
to the perceived effectiveness of instructional intervention
methods. Teachers need continued support to ensure they feel
valued and are working with their students most effectively.

Interviewee #8

More students are receiving targeted instruction based on
screening.

Interviewee #9

the training was provided, and time was given to become familiar
with new interventions

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Prompt #14: What do you perceive to be the ineffective embedded instructional
interventions that have been implemented through the school's MTSS program?
Interviewee #1

Dibels in 4th and 5th grade. Students I have worked with did not
seem to progress with the program.

Interviewee #2

none

Interviewee #3

I don't feel any have been ineffective, but I don't think we have
been using Spring Math long enough to gauge its effectiveness.

Interviewee #4

None

Interviewee #5

too many areas noted

Interviewee #6

It is too early in the process to feel that anything is currently
ineffective.

Interviewee #7

Having students remain in the same intervention groups for too
long can be ineffective. It would be best practice to have progress
monitoring occur when the student has met a skill proficiency
rather than being told when to complete progress monitoring.
Students must often be monitored for growth to determine if the
intervention is effective. It would be better to familiarize staff with
the idea of progress monitoring at a higher level so that they can
determine when this needs to occur and have a running review
period for how students are performing.

Interviewee #8

While DIBELS is especially beneficial for grades K through 3, I
am unsure if it is the most useful intervention for grades 4 and 5. It
doesn't seem to align with our goals for PSSA readiness and
increased comprehension.

Interviewee #9

None at this time.

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Prompt #15: What do you perceive to be the most likely reason or reasons for the
ineffective embedded instructional intervention methods that you just identified?
Interviewee #1

Dibels tracks the number of words read per minute, but this does
not show if the students understand what they are reading. It also
does not reflect what we do in the classroom and for PSSA. In the
classroom and during PSSA, students are not assessed on how
quickly they can read.

Interviewee #2

none

Interviewee #3

As stated above, we haven't been using the math intervention
"Spring Math" long enough.

Interviewee #4

Each of the instructional interventions I have seen has been very
effective.

Interviewee #5

Just becoming familiar with the program

Interviewee #6

N/A

Interviewee #7

Lack of knowledge in that specific area or lack of practice would
likely be the reason for ineffective instructional interventions.

Interviewee #8

It does not match our goals for PSSA prep and reading
comprehension.

Interviewee #9

None at this time.

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Prompt #16: How do you believe implementing the MTSS program at Windber
Area Elementary School could have been more efficient or effective?
Interviewee #1

Focus on 1 or 2 programs per year, assess their progress, and make
any necessary changes before adding more interventions.

Interviewee #2

effective

Interviewee #3

I believe we needed a math intervention from the beginning of the
year. Additionally, I still think we need something that helps
students with reading in more than just the aspects of learning to
read but more comprehension focused. Lastly, I feel that there
needs to be additional data analysis and support for students who
have not shown growth according to DIBELS and Sonday scores.

Interviewee #4

By implementing it sooner.

Interviewee #5

just realizing it will take time to see the results

Interviewee #6

I believe that starting it from day one. We were a little into the
school year before we got started. I think that next year it will be
even more efficient and effective.

Interviewee #7

Implementation could have been more effective or efficient had
there been continued conversation about implementation and the
process after the tiered interventions were attempted. It currently is
not leading to special education based on age, but the MTSS team
does not give any solutions for what to do next for students who
are struggling with making progress.

Interviewee #8

Use a different intervention for upper grades.

Interviewee #9

I feel things are moving in the right direction. A lot of what we are
implementing will take time to see long-term progress (especially
with the students who are beginning at the primary levels) and
time for everyone to become familiar and feel comfortable with
the new interventions.

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Results
The results gathered during the data collection and analysis processes have
provided various representations of the changing perceptions of the teachers involved in
the study over time. The teachers provided valuable feedback regarding their opinions
and beliefs. The strength of the data collected will provide the researcher with the
necessary reinforcing and supportive data that will allow the researcher to design a series
of conclusions and detailed series of considerations that will provide themselves useful in
future programmatic implementation planning. Within this section of the study, the
researcher will provide a descriptive presentation as to the interpretation of the data for
each individual survey question provided during the research study.
The first survey item was focused on gathering quantitative data relative to the
tenure of the research study participant as an employee at Windber Area Elementary
School. The results from the administration of this survey item demonstrate a variance in
which of the fourteen consenting participants participated in each survey administration.
As previously detailed, each survey had a change in the number of participants. This
resulted in inconsistencies in the demographic data collected by this survey item. The
results from this item were critical in the triangulation and trend analysis conducted
because they provided the researcher with insight into teacher experience levels, grade
level(s) taught, and subject areas taught relative to the specific administration of the
survey.
The researcher utilized the results of survey item two to identify data trends
relative to the number of respondents that participated in the MTSS professional
development session held prior to the 2022-2023 school year. The variance in the results
acquired through the administration of this item provided the researcher with data that

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was triangulated to seek to align qualitative responses over the three administrations of
the survey with professional development attendance and participation.
The results collected from survey item three provided the researcher with a
collection of quantitative data that was triangulated to identify correlations, where
possible, as to the grade level(s) taught by the research subjects and the qualitative results
received in each administration relative to the other quantitative results collected.
The results from survey item four did not provide the clarity that the researcher
was seeking as the varying number of teachers that identified as teaching specific subject
areas provides a limited amount of ability for triangulation. The researcher proposes that
it is possible that some teachers may have responded with differing subject areas taught
across the three administrations of the surveys. This potential for variation in an
individual teacher’s response between survey administration decreased the validity and
value of the data collected through this item.
Survey item number five provided results that demonstrated that the teachers
participating in the research project did not feel that their familiarity level changed
throughout the implementation period of the MTSS program. While participation in the
survey changed across the three administrations, the data collected demonstrated
consistency in response when analyzed.
Survey item number six provided the researcher with the first series of qualitative
results. The results of this item provide for a consistent series of opinions being
represented, with teachers moving toward a more positive opinion of the school district’s
efforts throughout the MTSS implementation period. Data analysis of this item presents a
potential trend toward increased positive perceptions as the implementation period

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progressed. This item was useful for the researcher to triangulate with further items
measuring the teachers’ opinions.
The results collected from survey item seven were qualitative measurements of
teacher opinions of the amount of professional development which was provided prior to
the implementation of the school’s MTSS program. Analysis of the data collected
presents an upward trend toward the teachers’ opinions becoming more positive in nature
as the surveys were administered throughout the implementation timeframe.
The results collected from item number eight of the survey were focused on
identifying the teachers’ perception of the effectiveness of the process of implementation
of the MTSS program. Analysis of the data represented by the results from this survey
item represents a progression toward teachers perceiving that the MTSS implementation
process was effective when the second and third surveys were administered.
The results collected from survey item nine provided the teachers’ opinions as to
what the most effective aspect of the school’s implementation was over each of the three
survey administrations. Analysis of the teachers’ responses to this survey item provided
the researcher with a qualitative view of their opinions as to the most effective aspects of
the program. As time proceeded during the implementation process and through the three
surveys being administered, teachers found consistencies that could be triangulated to
align with specific grade levels and subject areas. This information provided the
researcher with information to assist in identifying where strength areas may be
represented within specific grade levels and subject areas.
The results collected from survey item ten provided teachers’ opinions as to what
the most ineffective aspect of the school’s implementation was over each of the three

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survey administrations. Analysis of the teachers’ responses to this survey item provided
the researcher with a qualitative view of their opinions as to the most ineffective aspects
of the program. This information also provided the researcher with information to assist
the researcher in identifying where weakness areas are present within the implementation
process utilized by the school district.
The results collected through the administration of survey item eleven provided a
qualitative data set representing a progression of teacher perceptions that students
receiving MTSS academic support demonstrated increased academic proficiency and
progress toward grade-level expectations. This data can be triangulated with the teacher's
perceptions of the strengths of the implementation to represent the areas in which
teachers identified success being present for students.
Survey items twelve and thirteen have a connected relationship being tasked with
measuring varying opinion levels of the teachers as it relates to the MTSS instructional
strategies that the teachers implemented into their classroom instruction. Teachers
provided what they considered to be the most effective strategy in response to item
number twelve while providing what they considered to be the least effective strategy in
response to item number thirteen. The data collected through the administration of items
twelve and thirteen provided a qualitative data set demonstrating how the teacher’s
perceptions of the effectiveness of instructional strategies changed or modified over the
course of the study. This data provided the researcher with perspective as to how staff
perceptions of areas within the implementation of the MTSS program and the MTSS
program itself adjusted as the staff became more familiar, received additional

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professional development, and had the opportunity to put their learning into practice in
their classrooms with their students.
The results collected through the administration of item fourteen provided a
representation of which of the six provided areas the teachers believe the MTSS program
implementation best-provided support. The areas provided were chosen by the researcher
and focused on areas identified as the core need areas in accordance with research
utilized to support the rationale for the distribution and planning associated with learning
loss programming requirements under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which
addressed the academic needs of students following the school closures that occurred
during the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.
Item number fifteen mirrored the prompt for item number fourteen but instead
asked for the area that the teacher believes to be the second most supported. The results
of this item provided the researcher with an extended representation of the areas in which
the implementation of the MTSS program is successfully supporting student areas of
need.
The results collected through the administration of item sixteen, the final item
included in the survey, requested the opposing information from that collected through
items fourteen and fifteen. The results collected from this item provided the researcher
with insight into the areas that the teachers participating in the study felt were least
supported by the implementation of the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary
School. The area with the highest number of responses related to the evaluation of
students for special education services. While this may be perceived as a negative by
some, under the stated purposes of MTSS programming, this is the overall goal of a

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program exhibiting success. Triangulating these results with the other information
collected could support a potential conclusion that students receiving MTSS support in
the classroom as experiencing increased success in the regular education classroom and
are, thus, in turn, less in need of special education services.
The nine interviews which were successfully conducted provided a deeper insight
to the researcher into why staff perceived the implementation process of the MTSS
program in the manner that they did. Most respondents provided an answer inclusive of
detail to each prompt presented to them. The identification of the instructional position
held by the interviewee allowed for further trend analysis and triangulation of data to
identify consistencies between the data collected through the survey instrument and the
interview responses being that both prompted the respondent to answer what they teach
in some capacity.
The information contained in this chapter provided through data analysis and
triangulation of the results will be utilized to support the development of chapter five of
the research project. The researcher will derive conclusions and recommendations to
respond to the research questions posed in this study using the information in this chapter
and provide them in the coming fifth chapter of the study.
Discussion
Based upon the research questions posed by the researcher relative to the problem
presented, the results of data collection, data analysis, and triangulation of the data
provided, the teachers who participated in the research study have identified the MTSS
program to be providing positive outcomes for students during its implementation year.
The teachers that participated ranged in grade levels taught and represented a diverse
educational background relative to the subject areas taught and their experience levels.

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The diversity among the teachers who participated provided a broad perspective on the
successes and potential weaknesses of implementing the academic MTSS program at
Windber Area Elementary School.
The researcher was able to develop trends for analysis as well as identifiable
characteristics in the quantitative and qualitative responses received that provide for
triangulation of the data that gives the researcher means for disaggregating the data to
identify means for developing conclusions as to how the teachers' perceptions of the
MTSS program's implementation was affected over time.
Summary
Analysis of the data collected during the study provided the researcher with
representations of the changing perceptions of the teachers as the implementation period
continued over the course of the school year. This data will be useful to individuals
responsible for planning MTSS and other programming implementations at the school
level. It provides qualitative measurements that may present itself useful in predictive
preparation and planning efforts for school administrators and other professionals
responsible for strategic and operational planning relative to initiating new programming
in a school setting.
The data collected by the researcher for this project will be made available to the
Principal of Windber Area Elementary School upon request. The original intention of the
research project was to embed the data and conclusions from this capstone research
project into future implementation cycles for programming within the Windber Area
School District. The researcher transitioned to a nearby school district after the data
collection process and has modified the intended purpose for the information collected in

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this research process which the researcher plans to utilize in future programmatic
implementation planning within their new school district.
The fifth and final chapter in the capstone research project is centered around the
use of the data analysis and results presented in chapter four to provide conclusions and
recommendations. The chapter will result in the researcher connecting the results to the
research questions posed in the research study.

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CHAPTER V
Conclusions and Recommendations
Chapter V is designed to provide the connections necessary between the research
questions posed by the researcher within this Doctoral Capstone Research Project and the
data collected through the three surveys administered and the interviews conducted. The
researcher used multiple methodologies to develop these instruments to collect limited
quantities of quantitative and significantly more qualitative data. Both forms of data were
critical to developing responses to the three research questions posed to establish the need
for the study to be conducted.
The conclusions which will be presented in this chapter are derived from the data
which was collected and its analysis which was performed by the researcher and
chronicled in Chapter IV. This chapter will consider what conclusions can be drawn by
the researcher specific to each research question posed. The chapter will also provide
insight into the limitations experienced throughout the research process. While
limitations are expected within all research conducted, some unique limitations were
encountered during this study that presented challenges that became evident during the
data analysis portion of the overall process. The researcher considered the limitations
experienced while determining the relationship between the data analysis and the
conclusions derived. These considerations were critical in the establishment of the
recommendations that the researcher created in response to the research questions.
The recommendations detailed within this chapter are intended for consideration
by the researcher, the school where the study was conducted, and others who review this
study and its findings in the future. This provides means for future MTSS and potentially
other programming implementation methods within schools to receive guidance from this

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study to prepare for how teacher perceptions can play a critical component in such
processes.
The research questions, data analysis, and conclusions generated from this
capstone research study are supported with great significance by the literature review
conducted in Chapter II. The literature analyzed in this research study provided the
necessary structural framework to support the rationale for conducting the study. In
Chapter II, the researcher provided an in-depth representation of the role academic
interventions and supports played in educational programming, including the relationship
that MTSS programming shares with special education. That relationship includes the
philosophy and pedagogy utilized to support students that demonstrate need in the least
restrictive environment. It also includes the impacts that legislation and case law play in
the correlation between MTSS and current educational programming trends.
Windber Area Elementary School is a relatively minor school compared to the
enrollment of most elementary schools in Pennsylvania. Still, it demonstrates
characteristics within its student body, teaching staff, and prior school-level academic
accomplishments easily relatable to schools of varying sizes and in differing community
environments. This chapter will provide a concise series of recommendations regarding
the impacts of staff perceptions of MTSS implementations in an elementary school and
how those impacts require consideration within future planning for other developmental
levels and other school districts.

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Conclusions
The researcher designed three distinct questions to guide this study and support the
rationale for conducting it. Within this section of Chapter V, the researcher will present
each of the three questions and the conclusions drawn during the research process in
response to each question.
Research Question #1
The first question presented by the researcher asked, “How do the school’s
teaching staff perceive the implementation of the school’s MTSS program to be
supportive of student academic progress?” This question was supported by numerous
quantitative and qualitative questions on the survey (Appendix C) administered and the
interview prompts (Appendix D) provided to the teachers. The detailed association of
these items was defined in the Data Collection Plan and Timeline (Appendix E)
established by the researcher.
Throughout the data collection process, the teachers that participated
demonstrated trends within their survey responses that were supportive of the school's
MTSS program showing support for students making academic progress through both the
defined MTSS programming that was associated with “Rambler Time”. “Rambler Time”
is the defined time which was set aside within the daily schedule to group students by
academic need and deliver intervention. This time also, placed focus upon data-driven
decision making. The data collected, and its analysis provided representations of the staff
seeing the professional development that was conducted being a significant factor in the
success of the implementation of the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary
School.

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When reviewing the data collected, the researcher has concluded that the
importance of well-planned and ample professional development played a significant role
in the teachers being of a favorable opinion of the program’s implementation and its
ability to support the academic needs of the students participating in it. The focus on
professional development and allocated time were significant preparation areas in the
pre-implementation planning stages. In return, that planning was identified as impactful
in the program’s successful implementation.
Research Question #2
The second of the three questions presented by the researcher was, “What do the
teachers perceive to have been the most effective and ineffective aspects of the school’s
MTSS implementation?” This question was supported by numerous quantitative and
qualitative questions on the survey (Appendix C) administered and the interview prompts
(Appendix D) provided to the teachers. The detailed association of these items was
defined in the Data Collection Plan and Timeline (Appendix E) established by the
researcher.
The data collected supporting research question number two often shared the
same survey items and interview prompts that were active in supporting research question
number one. Research question two drilled down further into the teacher’s perceptions of
the MTSS implementation process to identify the most effective and most ineffective
aspects of the school’s implementation. The responses provided consistencies in what the
teachers identified as the most compelling aspects of the process. There was consistency
in their answers in the areas of data-driven decision-making being a critical component of
the success, as well as the targeted instructional practices that could be applied to meet

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student needs based upon that data. This was consistent and directly supported the
responses provided to the conclusions established by the researcher to research question
number one.
The researcher identified that the teachers responded heavily in favor of the
implementation process's structural framework. They responded consistently with
affirmation that the data they now had access to support their efforts to provide quality
instruction and interventions to students. This is a critical component of MTSS
philosophy as the key element of effective MTSS programming is providing high-quality
Tier One instruction in the regular classroom. It became evident in teacher responses that
this level of high-quality education is available to all students providing the opportunity
to identify new targeted instructional skill areas to address with commonality in student
groupings exhibiting that need. The teachers affirmed this by expressing how they
experienced more significant opportunities to meet more profound student needs in small
groups and through one-on-one intervention.
The teachers needed to identify a consistent trend relating to what they identified
as ineffective. A consistent series of responses was provided by a specific teacher, whom
the researcher could triangulate the data to identify, consistently responded on a
particular area that they felt to be ineffective. That teacher expressed numerous times that
they thought the MTSS programming being implemented needed to address the uppergrade level of the study. Grade five was not experiencing the same academic progress
that the earlier grade levels were experiencing. The researcher identified this statement as
related to concerns expressed in the study relative to the academic skill gaps between

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students have been more expansive in the upper-grade levels than they were in the lowergrade levels at the time of the study.
The researcher reached multiple conclusions about the information collected
supporting this research question. The researcher concluded that the teachers perceive
MTSS programming established earlier in the student’s educational program to be more
effective than when implemented in a school-wide approach, with some students having
significant skill gaps from their peers. The researcher found this to be a very logical
conclusion and a factor to be heavily considered when designing recommendations based
on the established findings through this study.
In contrast to the areas identified as least effective within the implementation
process, the researcher concluded that the data-driven decision-making structure
established throughout the implementation of the MTSS program was not only effective
but also the highlight of the program's implementation period. Selecting a data-driven
culture can take much work to accomplish in schools. Many varying forms of roadblocks
are often encountered when attempting to drive a data-driven process for planning student
academic programs. Most of these roadblocks are centered on the teacher and not as
much on the students. The expectation is that teachers will all be comfortable and
knowledgeable about data analysis in a data-driven school culture. However, this is only
sometimes the case when evaluating teacher skills levels and comfort in data-driven
decision-making. Based on the data collected in this research study, the researcher
concluded that teacher confidence and data analysis skills can be fostered and grow with
the appropriate levels of preparation and professional development. A supportive
framework designed to allow teachers to support one another and learn from one another

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in an ongoing fashion is necessary. This sense of collegiality and peer-to-peer support is
evident throughout the implementation process at Windber Area Elementary School. The
teachers expressed the importance this had to them as professionals. The researcher
concluded that the gains experienced in this capacity could be expanded upon with more
significant benefits possible in the future.
Research Question #3
The third and final question presented by the researcher asked, “How do teachers
perceive the effectiveness of embedded instructional intervention methods through the
MTSS program?” This question was supported by numerous quantitative and qualitative
questions on the survey (Appendix C) administered and the interview prompts (Appendix
D) provided to the teachers. The detailed association of these items was defined in the
Data Collection Plan and Timeline (Appendix E) established by the researcher.
Throughout the research process, the third research question became the deeper
inquiry as to how the perceptions of the teachers most affected the implementation
process and the means for measuring its success. The data collected throughout the
research process represented a transition within the teachers' perceptions regarding the
value of embedding the strategies being utilized, as part of MTSS programming, within
their regular classroom instruction. The teachers provided feedback throughout the
research process that they were experiencing increased academic performance amongst
the students in their classes by incorporating the strategies to all students as appropriate—
the teachers’ perceptions significantly modified over the implementation period. The
teachers began to identify that one of the most effective elements of implementing the
MTSS program was the opportunity to embed the strategies they were developing and

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practicing within the MTSS program allocated time into their regular instructional
practices.
The researcher concluded that the teachers who participated in the study began to
have their perceptions of the program more aligned with the philosophical tenets of
MTSS programming and the importance of tier one in achieving student academic
success. Tier one is critical to school-wide academic progress and achievement. It is the
tier that most widely affects the school's overall performance. The successful impacts of
this in a school can also directly correlate to the design and development of school
culture. A culture designed to provide highly effective classroom instruction to all
students will likely drive a positive school culture focused on high levels of achievement
driving what teachers and students expect of themselves and each other. A positive
academic school culture with shared values and expectations can drive school
achievement and teachers to perceive their work environment as positive and rewarding.
Limitations
In every research study, limitations will become present within the design of the
research plan as well as within the execution of the initially proposed design or
methodology that is intended to answer the research questions. In some instances, these
limitations may be something that the researcher is aware of in advance of beginning the
process of conducting their research. In other instances, the limitations experienced
within the study present themselves once the study is underway.
A limitation that was present at the time of inception of the research study that the
researcher was fully aware of was the inclusion of one long-term substitute teacher in the
population of the teachers agreeing to participate in the study. Including this individual
presented a limitation in their professional experience level. The individual had less than

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one year of experience in the classroom and thus needed to be expanded in their scope of
response as it relates to many items that requested a comparative reaction. The teacher’s
limited experience limited the validity of many of the individual's responses. While the
study was intended to be anonymous, triangulation of the demographic data, known
characteristics of the long-term substitute, and the responses provided, which often
offered minimal context in them, made it possible to identify which responses to the
survey items and interview prompts where from this individual. This reduced the level of
anonymity initially intended for the study and thus resulted in additional staff data
triangulation becoming possible. Fewer anonymous responders increased the likelihood
that the researcher could identify the responder by ruling out other participants.
A secondary limitation in the study was the varying number of participants that
responded to each survey and the interview prompts. Fourteen teachers signed the
informed consent forms provided by the researcher, and all fourteen teachers were
included in the administrations of the surveys. Various participants responded to each
survey across all three survey administrations, baseline, follow-up, and final
administrations. The baseline survey administration resulted in twelve participants
responding and completing the survey in full. The follow-up administration was
conducted by nine teachers from the original group of fourteen participants. This was a
twenty-five percent reduction in participants providing data on the follow-up survey. This
reduction in response increased the likelihood of data triangulation to identify
respondents potentially. It also created a scenario in which orphaned data was present
within the study. Three original respondents provided data that now had no follow-up
data to align with. This decrease in data collected could potentially invalidate aspects of

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the data collection, as the primary emphasis of many of the survey items was to measure
perceptions over time in a qualitative format. Orphaned data makes it challenging to
identify trends and conduct analysis of them, being that they are void of the progressive
representation of response adjustment due to perceptual changes by the teacher since a
follow-up reply is not present for three teachers.
Additionally, orphaned data which occurred between the second and third
administrations of the survey could reduce the validity of the conclusions that the
researcher derived from the data because three series of baseline responses did not have a
follow-up series of data.
The third and final limitation related to the administration of the surveys is due to
the increased participation level achieved on the final survey from the participation and
response level of the follow-up survey administration. This limitation creates potential
concerns relative to the research study as it establishes an incongruence of data collected.
Nine of the respondents provided the full three survey administrations worth of
responses, which is what was sought by the researcher as the ideal means of participation.
The three respondents that did not participate in the follow-up survey reduced the amount
of reliable data by not having a progression of perceptions like the other nine
respondents. The increased response level did provide enough data to conclude the
baseline and final survey administrations but left the orphaned data from the follow-up
data without the level of reliability that the researcher sought to accomplish.
A third limitation area experienced during the study was the result of the
researcher changing employers during the final months of data collection and the
conclusion of the teacher interviews. The researcher had been granted high levels of

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access by the Windber Area Elementary School Principal to the staff participating and
thus was able to submit the surveys through the school district email network. The initial
level of access that the researcher had to the participants made conducting the interviews
very convenient for both the researcher and the teachers. With the researcher employed in
the same school district as the teachers participating in the study, the researcher could
accommodate the teachers’ schedules when conducting the interviews. In April 2023, the
researcher changed employers and no longer worked within the Windber Area School
District. This resulted in modifying how the remaining interviews had to be conducted.
The researcher no longer had direct access to the teachers who had not completed the
interview process. The researcher was forced to utilize an alternate format approved for
administering the interview prompts to the teachers by sending the prompts via
SurveyMonkey and thus receiving their responses electronically instead of an in-person
interview. While the interview prompts did not modify in content or delivery when the
researcher employed this method, the researcher did find that the responses received via
the electronic interview format were abbreviated from those collected during the inperson interviews. The researcher concluded that it is likely that the changes in the depth
of response were due to the informality of the in-person interviews versus the stagnant
formality that came with the modified electronic delivery of the interview prompts. The
in-person interviews often included a conversation not directly related to the interview
prompts, as the teachers were familiar with the researcher and often broke off into
comfortable communication with him. This likely increased the level of comfort for the
respondent and thus allowed for a more in-depth series of responses.

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The final limitation the researcher identified within this study was relative to the
study's intent. The researcher established the study to measure teachers' perceptions of
MTSS implementation in grade levels three, four, and five. This was an intentional
decision made by the researcher as those grade levels are associated with summative
testing in the form of the PSSA state assessments. The limitation imposed by this
research study involved the lack of inclusion of the following grade levels; Kindergarten,
first, and second grades. These four grade levels also experienced MTSS programming
implementation during this timeframe but were not chosen to participate in the research
study. This limited the study as the qualitative data collected included only some teachers
participating in the MTSS implementation process at Windber Area Elementary School.
By limiting the study, the researcher could not achieve a comprehensive measure of the
overall perceptions of the teaching staff. Instead, the researcher collected data from a
localized group of teachers, and thus the research was limited to the perceptions of only
twelve teachers and only some of the teaching staff responsible for or participating in the
implementation process.
Even with these limitations present, the researcher was able to analyze the data
collected and make what was deemed to be sufficiently data-supported conclusions and
recommendations that will provide the opportunity for the findings in the research study
to have value in future planning and implementation practices for the researcher, the
participating school, and others who seek to utilize the information contained in this
research study to assist in their own MTSS implementation or personal research on this or
a similar topic.

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Recommendations
The researcher has identified numerous recommendations for schools,
administrators, and teachers seeking to implement an MTSS program in their schools
while considering the importance of teacher perception in the process of achieving it. The
researcher must remain open-minded to all potential factors that can directly or indirectly
affect the recommendations presented to represent valid and reliable recommendations
based on the findings conducted during this research study. These factors can have
negative implications as quickly as positive impacts.
The recommendations being presented are representative and influenced by the
researcher’s own experiences and bias, as well as the fact that the research study was
conducted in a single school with a maximum of twelve participants in each stage of the
data collection process. The researcher has addressed the possible inherent bias
throughout the study by completing a comprehensive review of the literature that
provides research-based information to support the conclusions that have been derived
throughout the study. It is recommended that any school leadership team seeking to
implement an MTSS program completes an extensive level of preparatory research and
study relative to MTSS philosophy, observe and study successful and effective
implementation experiences that have occurred in other schools similar in nature, and
establish a successful pre-implementation plan inclusive of professional development
planning and building teacher comprehension and understanding as it relates to the
importance of MTSS programming in the current instructional environment.
MTSS programming implementation can significantly impact the delivery of the
general education curriculum. Within MTSS philosophy, the general education
curriculum in the regular classroom constitutes how 85% of students will get their

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academic learning needs met. MTSS provides a methodology and approach that focuses
on delivering unique support strategies to the degree possible in that environment and
thus affects all students, not just those requiring increased levels of direct support. It
allows students to practice embedded instructional strategies in collaborative learning
opportunities by utilizing and sharing the methods they are exposed to in their regular
education classroom environment. It is recommended that any school seeking to
implement an MTSS program do a complete review of their general education curriculum
and its alignment to state standards, school goals, and additional programming that will
experience a shared relationship with the newly implemented MTSS program. This can
be initiated under the school’s established curriculum review cycle and proceed into
integrated conceptualization, allowing for a broader rollout and thus reducing the
emphasis on the MTSS program implementation and instead packaging the two together.
Most curriculum review cycles involve teacher participation and feedback. Therefore,
teacher perceptions of implementing the MTSS program can be considered and factored
in while the process is still in development. Thus, it should theoretically result in greater
buy-in or more positive perceptions since the teachers themselves are invested from
inception.
A second recommendation that the researcher provides based on the results of the
research study is for any school, administration, or team of teachers seeking to pursue the
implementation of an MTSS program to place significant emphasis on the design and
delivery of professional development to the staff in preparation to implement the MTSS
program. The researcher has identified that within the study, professional development
and planning were critical to its success in the teachers' perceptions. The teachers began

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the study with favorable opinions of the professional development that they received, and
that positive perception continued to grow in later surveys. The teachers expressed the
value the professional development provided had to them and how they were unfamiliar
with much of MTSS programming but, over time, became much more comfortable and
knowledgeable regarding it. The researcher recommends that extensive planning and
focused professional development delivery be at the forefront of any MTSS
implementation cycle. The strength of teacher preparation and comprehension relative to
the purpose and importance of programming can result in a more expedient and accepted
implementation process. In turn, student academic progress becomes the focus earlier in
the process, and thus, the results are perceivable sooner.
The final recommendation that the researcher has generated for future research
and implementations is for the continued collection of qualitative data centered on the
perceptions of the staff. Staff perceptions of programming can provide powerful feedback
on the program's effectiveness and provide context as to how the staff is receiving and
growing within the program’s development. The researcher recommends that the school
leadership gather data and review it with the teachers twice during a school year. Sharing
the information with the teachers could generate precious dialogue within the staff and
within the teams tasked with planning the ongoing strategies related to such
programming.
Summary
At the heart of all successful schools is an effective general education curriculum
that best meets the needs of its students. The delivery of this curriculum leads to
increased levels of success for students and a foundation by which students can grow as
learners. However, all students are unique in learning style and rate of acquiring and

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retaining information. These differences drive specialized academic programming
intended to meet the unique needs of diverse learners. MTSS has become a staple
program for achieving this in the current educational environment. MTSS provides a
focused and structured approach to meeting students' needs through a tiered program. Its
success in schools has been chronicled, and it receives much support as a solution to meet
student needs.
MTSS is similar to other academic and support programming in its need to garner
the support of the teachers who deliver it and embed it into their instructional practices to
succeed. Teacher support begins with the perceptions they develop over time as they are
immersed in the programming. The more effective teacher commitment can be achieved
through positive perceptions of MTSS programming, the greater likelihood of its
successful implementation.
Windber Area Elementary School continues to seek to implement its MTSS
programming comprehensively, expanding into behavioral MTSS programming during
the 2023-2024 school year alongside further refinement of how the program is delivered
at all grade levels. In addition, the 2023-2024 school year is scheduled to be the
implementation year for academic MTSS programming at Windber Area Middle School.
The students entering that school in the sixth grade during the upcoming school year will
have experience with MTSS programming and how it is delivered. Thus, the focus of the
implementation process can be placed primarily on the teachers' professional
development and the program's growth as the teachers develop their perceptions during
its implementation and expansion into a new school within the Windber Area School
District. The continued emphasis on quality implementation of MTSS programming

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within the school district’s other schools will benefit the students, staff, and leadership as
it tries to meet its students' unique needs in an ever-changing educational environment.

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APPENDICES

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Appendix A
Informed Consent Form
(Participant Informed Consent Form)
Title of Research Study: Staff Perceptions of MTSS Implementation in an Elementary
School: A Qualitative Study of How PSSA Grade Level Teachers Perceive the
Implementation Year of an Academic MTSS Program in an Elementary School
Principal Researcher:
Richard E. Lucas
Department: Education – Administration and Leadership
Phone: 814-243-0376
Email: LUC4361@pennwest.edu
Faculty Advisor:
Dr. Todd Keruskin
Phone: 412-896-2310
Email: kersukin@pennwest.edu
Dear Potential Research Study Participant,
Being a professional staff member responsible for academic instruction of
students within grade levels three through five, you are invited to participate, with no
obligation, in a research study regarding teacher perception of the implementation
process of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) program during the 2022-2023
school year at Windber Area Elementary School. By participating in this study, you will
provide the researcher with qualitative data that is intended for analysis to determine
teacher perception as to the effectiveness of the implementation of the MTSS program
and support conclusions and recommendations to be developed by the researcher
regarding the MTSS implementation process to the school district’s leadership team(s).
What will I be asked to do if I take part in this study?
If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to:
(1) complete an electronic survey three times during the research period.
Purpose: Gather qualitative data regarding teacher perceptions regarding the
MTSS program’s implementation process and the effectiveness of the program at
three periods throughout the implementation year of 2022-2023.
(2) participate in one interview via your preferred method (in-person, email, or
phone)
Purpose: Gather qualitative data regarding teacher perceptions regarding the
MTSS program’s implementation process and the effectiveness of the program.
How long will the study last?
The study is projected to last approximately 9 months, which includes an electronic
survey to be administered three times during the research process and an interview with

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each participating teacher during the Spring of 2023. Each of the three administrations of
the electronic survey are projected to take 7-10 minutes in duration. The individual
participating teacher interview is projected to last 15-30 minutes in duration dependent
upon the interviewee’s preferred method of interview (in-person, email, or phone).
What happens if I don’t want to participate?
Your participation in this study is voluntary with no obligation in place to participate.
Each teacher invited to participate may make the personal decision as to whether they
want to participate in the study or decline. There is no penalty that will be imposed if a
teacher chooses not to participate in this research study. Your participation in this study
will not be associated with or affect in any fashion your annual professional evaluation
and rating for the 2022-2023 school year or any future professional evaluations or ratings.
Can I quit the study before it ends?
Participants may withdraw from the study at any point in time by communicating their
desire to no longer participate with the researcher. There will be no penalty should you
choose to withdraw. There will be no inquiry relative to the rationale for the participants
decision to no longer participate in the research study.
What are the potential risks?
There is minimal to no risk involved with this study. All participant data will remain
anonymous with demographic data collected to be solely utilized to identify any
qualitative data trends relating to years of teaching experience, grade level(s) taught, and
primary instructional role of the participant.
Participants will not be asked any questions perceived as being of a sensitive nature by
the researcher. There is always the unforeseen potential for the survey and/or interview
questions to result in a participant feeling uncomfortable with responding. Participants
are not required to answer any questions or respond any survey items that they wish not
to respond to.
What are the benefits of participation?
Participation in the study will benefit in the evaluation of the implementation process and
teacher perceptions of that process for the MTSS program at Windber Area Elementary
School. The data collected and analyzed will result in the development of conclusions
and recommendations by the researcher.
Will my responses be kept confidential and private?
All participant data will remain anonymous with demographic data collected to be solely
utilized to identify any qualitative data trends relating to years of teaching experience,
grade level(s) taught, and primary instructional role of the participant. Data will be stored
on a secure server via cloud-based services with password protection in place and/or
stored in a secure locked filing cabinet.

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CONTACT INFORMATION
Should a participant have any questions or concerns regarding their participation in this
study at any time, please contact Richard E. Lucas at LUC4361@pennwest.edu or 814243-0376.
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD(IRB) APPROVAL
This action research project received approval by the Penn West University Institutional
Review Board, effective November 9, 2022, and expiring November 8, 2023.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE
I have reviewed this Informed Consent Form and acknowledge my understanding and
comprehension that my participation in this research study is voluntary in nature and can
be terminated at any time without inquiry by the researcher. I acknowledge that by
submitting the survey provided without the return of this Informed Consent Form to the
Principal Researcher it is considered that acknowledgment of consent to participate has
been provided by the volunteer. I also acknowledge that the data collected through the
surveys administered to me and the interview that I participate in will be utilized in the
final research presentation to accompany this study.
By signing below, I acknowledge my consent to the aforementioned statements.
Participant Signature: ________________________________ Date: ________________
Researcher Signature: ________________________________ Date: _______________

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Appendix B
Institutional Review Board Approval

Institutional Review Board
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
instreviewboard@calu.edu
Melissa Sovak, Ph.D.
Dear Richard,
Please consider this email as official notification that your proposal titled “Staff
Perceptions of MTSS Implementations in an Elementary School: A Qualitative Study of
How PSSA Grade Level Teachers Perceive the Implementation Year of an Academic
MTSS Program in an Elementary School” (Proposal #PW22-030) has been approved by
the Pennsylvania Western University Institutional Review Board as submitted.
The effective date of approval is 11/09/2022 and the expiration date is 11/08/2023. These
dates must appear on the consent form.
Please note that Federal Policy requires that you notify the IRB promptly regarding any
of the following:
(1) Any additions or changes in procedures you might wish for your study (additions or
changes must be approved by the IRB before they are implemented)
(2) Any events that affect the safety or well-being of subjects
(3) Any modifications of your study or other responses that are necessitated by any
events reported in (2).
(4) To continue your research beyond the approval expiration date of 11/08/2023, you
must file additional information to be considered for continuing review. Please contact
instreviewboard@calu.edu
Please notify the Board when data collection is complete.
Regards,
Melissa Sovak, PhD.
Chair, Institutional Review Board

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Appendix C
District Letter of Approval

July 17, 2022
Richard E. Lucas
1286 Solomon Run Road
Johnstown, PA 15904
Dear Richard E. Lucas
I am pleased to write a letter in support of your doctoral capstone project entitled, “Staff
Perceptions of MTSS Implementation in an Elementary School: A Qualitative Study of How
PSSA Grade Level Teachers Perceive the Implementation Year of an Academic MTSS Program
in an Elementary School.” The proposed research has significant value in providing the Windber
Area School District with conclusions and recommendations regarding teacher perceptions of the
school district’s implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) at Windber Area
Elementary School.
I have reviewed the project proposal and understand the following related to participation:
Teachers that currently teach students within the third, fourth, and fifth grade levels will
complete an anonymous online survey on three separate occasions during the study. The teachers
that participate in the survey will also be asked to voluntarily participate in a one-to-one interview
with yourself as the interviewer. All teacher participation will be voluntary and the teachers
participating can choose to withdraw from the study at any time. Prior to the start of the research
process, teachers will be asked to complete a consent form that will demonstrate their
understanding of the process and willingness to participate at a voluntary level.
All data collected will be kept confidential and kept secure using a password protected
online software program to administer the survey to the teachers. Interview data will remain
anonymous within the capstone study final product but will be aligned to demographic data
collected during the process for the purpose of identifying grade level and subject level trends.
Potential concerns are very limited based upon the anonymity of the process and the
secure nature of the data collection methods.
Please accept this letter as my formal consent and support of the district’s participation in the
proposed research project.
Sincerely,

Tim Tokarsky
President
Windber Area School District Board of Directors

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Appendix D
Teacher Survey
Windber Area School District Survey
(Staff Survey: Evaluating the successes and challenges of MTSS Implementation)

Thank you for taking the time to complete this valuable survey for the Windber Area School
District. The input you provide will be utilized by the school district in determining the
perception of the school’s implementation of the MTSS programming during the 2022-2023
school year.

Directions: Please complete each survey question presented to the best of your ability. Do
not leave any items blank or unanswered. It is imperative that the school district receive
feedback via your responses to all items. Once you have completed this survey, you need only
click on the Submit button following the final survey item and your survey responses will be
provided to the school district in an electronic format.
1. How long have you been a teacher at Windber Area Elementary School?
0 – 4 years
5 - 10 years
11 - 15 years
16 – 25 years
26 – 35 years
35+ years
2. Did you attend and participate in the MTSS professional development sessions prior to
the 2022-2023 school year?
YES

NO

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS
3. What grade level(s) do you currently teach?
Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

4. What subject area(s) do you currently teach?
Mathematics
English Language Arts
Reading
Science
5. What level of familiarity do you have with the Multi-Tiered System of Supports?

No knowledge of MTSS

Some knowledge of MTSS

Strong knowledge of MTSS

6. What is your opinion of the school district’s efforts to address the implementation of
learning loss supports such as MTSS at Windber Area Elementary School?
The School District has done an outstanding job addressing student academic
learning loss by implementing an MTSS program.
The School District has done an above-average job addressing student academic
learning loss by implementing an MTSS program.
The School District has done an average job addressing student academic
learning loss by implementing an MTSS program.
The School District has done a below-average job addressing student academic
learning loss by implementing an MTSS program.
The School District has done a poor job addressing student academic learning
loss by implementing an MTSS program.

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7. I believe that the Windber Area School District has provided ample professional
development for staff regarding MTSS in the Windber Area Elementary School in
anticipation of implementation of the program.
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = No Opinion
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree
8. Do you believe that the MTSS implementation process at Windber Area Elementary
School has been effective?
Yes
No
Not enough information to develop an opinion
9. In your opinion, what has been the most effective aspect of the school’s implementation
of the MTSS program?

10. In your opinion, what has been the most ineffective aspect of the school’s
implementation of the MTSS program?

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11. Do you believe that your students that are receiving MTSS supports have shown
increased academic proficiency and are making progress toward grade level
expectations?
I believe that my students who are participating in MTSS have made academic
progress bringing them in alignment with grade level expectations.
I believe that my students who are participating in MTSS are making progress that
will likely over time bring them into alignment with grade level expectations.
I believe that my students who are participating in MTSS are making progress, but
do not demonstrate progress academically that will result in meeting grade level
expectations.
I believe that my students who are participating in MTSS are not making progress
academically.
12. Please share below what you consider the most effective MTSS instructional strategies
that you have implemented into your classroom instruction.

13. Please share below what you consider the least effective MTSS instructional Strategies
that you have implemented into your classroom instruction.

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14. Please choose what you believe to be the area most supported by the implementation
of the school’s MTSS program.
______ Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19
______ Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies
______ Addressing School Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Grade Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs
______ Identifying Students for Evaluation for Potential Qualification for Special Ed
Please choose what you believe to be the area second most supported by the
implementation of the school’s MTSS program.
______ Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19
______ Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies
______ Addressing School Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Grade Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs
______ Identifying Students for Evaluation for Potential Qualification for Special Ed
Please choose what you believe to be the area least supported by the implementation
of the school’s MTSS program.
______ Addressing Learning Loss due to the impact of COVID-19
______ Addressing Individual Student Academic Deficiencies
______ Addressing School Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Grade Level Academic Needs
______ Addressing Subject Area Academic Needs
______ Identifying Students for Evaluation for Potential Qualification for Special Ed

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Appendix E
Teacher MTSS Interview Prompts
1. Please provide the following demographic information:
•

How many years of teaching experience do you have?

•

What grade level(s) do you currently teach?

•

What subject area(s) do you currently teach?

Which of the following instructional roles do you currently fill?
Regular Education Classroom Teacher
Special Education Classroom Teacher
Specialized Instructional Support Teacher
2. Prior to the implementation of the Windber Area Elementary School MTSS program,
what was your perception of tiered academic support programs?
3. Please share your perceptions relative to the implementation of the school’s MTSS
program to be supportive of student academic progress.
4. Based upon your current experiences and your knowledge of the implementation of
Windber Area Elementary School’s MTSS program do you perceive the program to be
supportive of student academic progress?
5. How effective do you feel the implementation of the MTSS program at Windber Area
Elementary School occurred?
6.

What do you believe to be the most effective aspects of the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School?

7. What do you believe to be the least effective aspects of the MTSS implementation
process at Windber Area Elementary School?
8. Do you believe that the embedded instructional intervention methods are effective in

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supporting student academic progress?
9. What do you perceive to be the most effective embedded instructional interventions that
have been implemented through the school’s MTSS program?
10. What do you perceive to be the most likely reason or reasons for the effective
embedded instructional intervention methods that you just identified?
11. What do you perceive to be the ineffective embedded instructional interventions that
have been implemented through the school’s MTSS program?
12. What do you perceive to be the most likely reason or reasons for the ineffective
embedded instructional intervention methods that you just identified?
13. How do you believe that the implementation of the MTSS program at Windber Area
Elementary School could have been more efficient or effective?

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Appendix F
Data Collection Plan and Timeline

RESEARCH
QUESTION(S)

How do the
school’s
teaching staff
perceive the
implementation
of the school’s
MTSS program
to be supportive
of student
academic
progress?

TYPES OF
DATA TO
DATA SOURCES
COLLECT
(Detailed explanation of the types
(i.e.,
of data you will collect)
qualitative,
quantitative)
Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Five survey items collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative
data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

TIMELINE
FOR
COLLECTING
DATA
Baseline
Survey: January
2023
Second Survey:
February 2023
Final Survey:
March 2023

Quantitative
Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses
Interview prompts collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative
data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.

Qualitative

Interview Prompt:
1 and 5
Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Survey items are developed to elicit
responses that will provide
qualitative data to be aligned with
quantitative data collected within
the survey to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
6, 7, and 8

March 2023

Baseline
Survey: January
2023
Second Survey:
February 2023
Final Survey:
March 2023

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses
Researcher designed interview
items have been developed to
identify trends through
triangulation utilizing data
collected within the baseline and
second surveys.
Triangulation of the data collected
during the interviews is to be
utilized to gather data that will
provide additional depth and clarity
to survey responses.
Interview Prompt:
3 and 13
Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Survey items are developed to elicit
responses that will provide
qualitative data to be aligned with
quantitative data collected within
the survey to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.

What do the
teachers
perceive to have
been the most
effective and
ineffective
aspects of the
school’s MTSS
implementation?

Five survey items collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative
data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Quantitative

155

March 2023

Baseline
Survey: January
2023
Second Survey:
February 2023
Final Survey:
March 2023

Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses\
Interview prompts collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative
data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Interview Prompt:
1

March 2023

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

156

Baseline
Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Survey: January
Survey items are developed to elicit 2023
responses that will provide
qualitative data to be aligned with
Second Survey:
quantitative data collected within
February 2023
the survey to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Final Survey:
March 2023
Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
9, 10, 12, and 13
Qualitative

Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses
Researcher designed interview
items have been developed to
identify trends through
triangulation utilizing data
collected within the baseline and
second surveys.
Triangulation of the data collected
during the interviews is to be
utilized to gather data that will
provide additional depth and clarity
to survey responses.

March 2023

Interview Prompt:
6, 7, 9 and 11
How do teachers
perceive the
effectiveness of
embedded
instructional
intervention
methods
through the
MTSS program?

Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Five survey items collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative
data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Quantitative

Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses
Interview prompts collect
quantitative demographic data to
support the alignment of qualitative

Baseline
Survey: January
2023
Second Survey:
February 2023
Final Survey:
March 2023

March 2023

STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF MTSS IMPLEMENTATIONS

157

data to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.
Interview Prompt:
1
Inquiry Data: Survey Responses
Survey items are developed to elicit
responses that will provide
qualitative data to be aligned with
quantitative data collected within
the survey to support trend analysis
between the two forms of data.

Baseline
Survey: January
2023
Second Survey:
February 2023
Final Survey:
March 2023

Survey Items Supporting this
research question:
11 and 14
Qualitative

Inquiry Data: Teacher Interview
Responses
Researcher designed interview
items have been developed to
identify trends through
triangulation utilizing data
collected within the baseline and
second surveys.
Triangulation of the data collected
during the interviews is to be
utilized to gather data that will
provide additional depth and clarity
to survey responses.
Interview Prompt:
2, 4, 8, 10 and 12

March 2023