The Mtss Start Up Guide

Launch MTSS—and your students—into success MTSS is complex. Without correct implementation and evaluation, schools struggle to do it well and students can be negatively impacted in the process. With the guidance provided in this book, however, you can start on the path to equitable access and opportunities for all students to achieve. In this hands-on guide, authors Jessica and John Hannigan, nationally recognized MTSS experts, have laid out a clear, ten-step action plan for implementing a truly effective MTSS framework at your school. You’ll understand the why, what, and how of MTSS, as well as how to audit and align your current practices, structures, and interventions in order to support all students. This guide provides: Directions for conducting an objective audit of your existing MTSS 10 essential indicators of MTSS implementation Practitioner tools and tips for initiating MTSS Instructions for using elements of continuous school improvement to ensure that what you are doing is working With full-sized templates, tools for implementation, and reflection prompts throughout, The MTSS Start-Up Guide is designed to help you launch MTSS—and your students—into success.

Ensure that Every Child Achieves Academic and Social Success An equity-based multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) helps school teams engage all students across the full range of learning needs. MTSS ensures that the vision of equity for every student is achieved, with high expectations and quality instruction, while not straining a school’s budget or personnel. Amy McCart and Dawn Miller seek to transform education so that it benefits educators, students, their families, and ultimately the communities in which they live. The authors do this by providing tools and methods to implement equity-based MTSS to improve academic, behavior and social outcomes for all students. This strategy-filled book teaches you how to • Engage all students in learning through an equity-based approach • Analyze and utilize your resources • Apply strengths- and evidence-based principles for implementation • Incorporate effective tools to systematize MTSS Authentic examples across multiple grade levels and subjects contextualize the proven method presented in this book. The authors draw on their experience as SWIFT Education Center professional developers to guide you into creating an MTSS tailored to be effective for your student body.

Spirit is the essence of character—of what it means to be human. Finding hope in the power of collaboration underpinned by ‘spirit work’-- the care and love of students as learners-- Fullan & Edwards capture how some school districts are creating a deep learning environment for all. COVID-19, racial inequity, polarizing politics, mass misinformation, and myriad other challenges have made the future of education seem bleaker than ever. Spirit Work and the Science of Collaboration speaks directly to leaders′ hearts and advocates for the development of two qualities that will bring back hope for the future of education: "spirit work" and the science of collaboration. Spirit work centers love and care for students, staff, and communities as the impetus for creating a positive culture, while collaboration is the vehicle for manifesting that spirit work. Through powerful case studies and vignettes, the authors show how spirit and collaboration represent revolutionary potential for education. Readers will find A lifeline amid overwhelming conditions. Hope for themselves and the future of education Practical ideas for building cohesion throughout school communities We cannot allow our best advocates for children to be consumed by today’s challenges. Spirit work and collaboration can pave the way to a brighter future.

Build skills for lifelong success Many students leave high school without the skills they need to succeed in postsecondary education and the workforce. How can we better equip students for lifelong success? Research demonstrates that intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies impact student behavior and achievement, increase graduation rates, and promote strong post-school outcomes. The Skills That Matter provides middle and high school educators with the resources, tools, and practical examples to teach key intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies, including self-regulation, goal-setting, self-efficacy, assertiveness, and conflict management. Readers will find Competency-specific evidence-based instructional strategies with examples, and Tools such as sample instructional plans, formative assessments, and student-friendly products. This book provides teachers with the practical information they need to better develop socially and emotionally engaged, career-equipped, lifelong learners.

Demystifying MTSS distills all the complex elements of multitiered system of supports into a customizable framework built around four components: collaborative leadership, universal access, a continuum of tiered supports, and data-based decision making. Drawing from research and their experience in building and sustaining effective MTSS, the authors share high-leverage, practical actions school improvement teams can take to ensure all students’ diverse needs are met. School improvement teams will: Examine the four components of the MTSS framework and how they integrate to form a cohesive approach Discover how to design and implement high-quality MTSS throughout your school and district Learn how to build optimal building- and district-level teams that move beyond traditional leadership roles to include a variety of practitioners Explore how to most effectively engage in cycles of continuous improvement as collaborative teams to ensure learning for all Receive reproducible tools and templates to develop and evaluate MTSS systems Contents: Introduction Chapter 1: A Comprehensive MTSS Model Chapter 2: Collaborative Leadership Chapter 3: Universal Access Chapter 4: A Continuum of Tiered Supports Chapter 5: Data-Based Decision Making Chapter 6: Continuous Improvement for Sustaining MTSS Epilogue: Toward a Cohesive Approach Appendix: Reproducibles References and Resources Index

"This book addresses the process of designing, implementing, and ensuring sustainability of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) in early education settings. Chapters provide background about MTSS as well as descriptions of evidence-based practices designed to reduce the achievement gap before children enter kindergarten. The book is aimed at professionals planning for systems change in order to provide instruction that matches children's varying needs. Such professionals include directors and administrators in early childhood and early childhood special education, child care program directors, and Head Start administrators"--

Build the behavior system your students need and deserve Students deserve a safe, welcoming, and tolerant learning environment in which high expectations for academic and social/emotional learning will flourish. To achieve this, schools must implement consistent behavior initiatives that are rooted in equity and clear in outcome and purpose. Which plan is best for your students’ needs? In Building Behavior, authors Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan and John Hannigan identify the strengths of six major research-based behavior initiatives and offer practical guidance for implementing one or more that meet the unique needs of your students and school. They explore and connect the relationship of effect sizes and influence of six common behavior initiatives—Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Character Education, Restorative Justice, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Trauma Informed Practices, and Social and Emotional Learning—to help educators understand the purpose of each and give school leaders a starting point for adding to, refining, or building a tailored behavior system that is effective and manageable. Building Behavior includes: Common definitions, frameworks, best practice resources, and tips for implementing and synthesizing each of the behavior initiatives Reflective prompts that connect the existing body of knowledge with real life experiences and practices Reproducible resources, including sample schoolwide and district-wide assessments Tips to avoid common implementation challenges and missteps Don’t just reach for the "next best thing." Learn to select, self-assess, and build a plan for effective implementation of a behavior system that meets the diverse academic and social/emotional learning needs of your students. "This book offers comprehensive, unbiased information on effective behavior initiatives and provides effective tools for implementing the action plan that best fits a school. It provides a one-stop shop that educators can use to evaluate their current behavior plan, research the most current behavior initiatives, and tailor-fit an initiative for their school." - Mandy White, Science Teacher, Vicenza Middle School, U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity

There’s more to student success than standards and test scores… Integrating Social and Emotional Learning into a curriculum has been shown to increase personal and school-wide growth. With lifelong success the goal over simply meeting academic thresholds, Teaching Kids to Thrive presents strategies, activities, and stories in an approachable way to develop responsible, self-motivated learners. Uniting social, academic, and self-skills this instrumental resource offers benefits to students such as: Using mindfulness strategies to help students tap their inner strengths Learning to self-regulate and control other executive brain functions Developing growth mindsets along with perseverance and resilience Cultivating a sense of responsibility, honesty, and integrity Encouraging a capacity for empathy and gratitude