According to the American Institutes for Research, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is "a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student achievement and address behavioral needs from a strengths-based perspective."
A multi-tiered system of support relies on a three-tiered approach to delivering behavioral and academic services, ensuring that every student receives the right level of guidance. This framework is grounded in ongoing assessment and data analysis, which inform instructional decisions and help educators identify when additional supports are needed. Effective coordination and collaboration among teachers, guardians and caregivers, and community partners further strengthen the system, creating a unified network that promotes student growth and success.
MTSS is built on three essential tiers:
- Tier 1: Core Instruction: Delivers high-quality, research-aligned instruction for every student, supported by engaging instructional routines and differentiated scaffolds that make grade-level learning accessible within a positive learning environment.
- Tier 2: Supplemental Support (Core + More): Offers focused, data-driven support to address specific skill gaps through aligned extra practice, scaffolded activities, and adaptive opportunities that accelerate growth
- Tier 3: Intensive Support (Core + Something Foundational or Specialized): Provides highly explicit, evidence-based instruction with greater intensity and frequency, using specialized approaches and precise data to support rapid, foundational growth.
MTSS ensures that every student receives the right level of support. Tier 1 offers high-quality core instruction for all students. Tier 2 provides targeted interventions for those who may benefit from extra guidance. Tier 3 delivers intensive, individualized support for students who need additional support beyond what Tier 2 offers.
Wondering how your school can take steps to develop a MTSS plan? Let’s explore how to make it happen! This guidance is designed for administrators planning across a districtwide K–12 system, but the same approach can easily be adapted for a narrower scale such as for a single grade level.
How to develop an MTSS implementation plan
A multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is a comprehensive framework designed to ensure that every student receives the level of instruction and support they need to grow and thrive. A strong MTSS model is built on intentional design, effective implementation, and continuous evaluation. One way to think about developing a MTSS implementation plan is by breaking it into steps like the ones below.
Step 1: Create your student success team
The student success team (SST) is usually composed of K–12 MTSS support specialists, administrators, learning community leaders, speech and language pathologists, teachers, guidance counselors, and sometimes occupational therapists. This collaborative group comes together to reflect on students’ goals and achievements. You’ll want to base your SST on the needs of your school. Once you have your team, schedule a meeting to start developing your multi-tiered system of supports.
Step 2: Assess the current state of your school
You and your team will then assess your school’s current state and identify areas where additional support is needed. This is the time to establish shared values and goals for the MTSS. This phase should involve input from your student success team. Consider the following questions:
Is our system well designed and well resourced?
A high quality MTSS framework begins with thoughtful design grounded in research about what each group of students needs. A strong MTSS framework beings with Tier 1, where all students benefit from high-quality core instruction. For leaners who need additional support, Tier 2 offers supplemental, targeted help that builds on the core instruction. Students with more significant learning needs receive Tier 3 supports, which provide intensive interventions that extend beyond the core with foundational or specialized instruction. Across all tiers, success depends on ensuring teachers and leaders have the training and coaching necessary to deliver these supports effectively.
How well do we execute the plan?
Strong MTSS implementation requires consistent intervention with the appropriate level of intensity to ensure supports are delivered as intended. Schools monitor whether students are:
- Making expected yearly growth in Tier 1
- Closing gaps and accelerating learning in Tier 2
- Making more than a year’s growth and nearing grade level in Tier 3
Implementation should reflect an instructional environment built on research-based strategies, student engagement routines, differentiation, and high expectations for all learners.
How do we know it is working?
A strong MTSS model uses ongoing assessment and data analysis to guide instruction and determine next steps. Effective systems provide data that:
- Identifies skill gaps and informs instructional decisions
- Helps form and adjust flexible groups
- Supports goal setting and student efficacy
- Triggers additional supports when needed
- Guides the selection of texts, materials, and activities
- Informs professional collaboration and resource allocation
- Uses continuous data to ensures targeted supports
Step 3: Gather current data
The next step is to gather data on the current performance of all students in your school district. This should include both academic and behavioral data. You’ll also need information on which students are currently receiving accommodations.
Once you have this information, you can begin to identify patterns and which students are most in need of support. You can also use this data to determine which accommodations are already working and make changes as needed.
Step 4: Determine tiers
The majority of students get their needs met through Tier 1 instruction. Tiers 2 and 3 provide more in-depth support for students and, in turn, require more challenging work.
Tier 1: Core instruction
Tier 1 is the core classroom instruction that all students receive when entering a classroom.
- Research-based instructional frameworks
- Predictable learning continuums
- Strong engagement routines
- Differentiation and scaffolds for accessing grade-level texts and tasks
- Positive learning environments grounded in high expectations for all students
Tier 2: Supplemental support (core + more)
At Tier 2, students should receive support, often in small groups, to help those who need additional help beyond Tier 1 instruction.
- Data-driven identification of skill gaps
- Differentiation strategies tailored to student needs
- Scaffolded texts and activities
- Extra practice aligned to core instruction
- Adaptive practice opportunities for reinforcement
Tier 3: Intensive support (core + something foundational or specialized)
If students in Tier 2 continue to need additional help, they may need the more intensive support of Tier 3, where students usually work one-on-one with teachers or other support specialists.
- Evidence-based solutions proven to move students rapidly
- Explicit, systematic instruction delivered with intensity and consistency
- Specialized instructional approaches when indicated
- Age-appropriate, respectful content that supports engagement
- Data that pinpoints needed skills and helps determine the next right instructional move
Step 5: Develop a plan for intervention that addresses identified needs
Once you’ve assessed your students’ needs, it’s important to identify any gaps in support that are currently in place. This can help to target specific students who would benefit from Tiers 2 and 3 interventions.
There are a few different ways schools can implement a multi-tiered system of supports. One way is through response to intervention (RTI). This approach involves providing increasing levels of support to students who need additional help academically or behaviorally. Another way to implement MTSS is through positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). This approach teaches behavior expectations and reinforces positive behavior. Both RTI and PBIS can be effective systems for addressing academic and behavioral needs of students.
It’s important to remember that MTSS is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, schools should consider the specific needs of the students and develop a support plan that caters to the school’s particular needs.
Step 6: Come up with a plan for delivering instructional and behavioral support services
The next step is to develop a comprehensive plan for how you will deliver instructional and behavioral support services and allocate MTSS resources. This plan should be based on the needs of your students and can typically be aligned with state academic standards.
Questions to ask yourself during this step:
- What evidence-based tools are we using to address students’ needs?
- How are we screening students and adequately addressing their individual needs?
- How are we monitoring student progress?
- How are we offering high-quality instruction for all students?
Step 7: Choose evidence-based interventions that are aligned with these goals and objectives
Here are some general tips that can be useful when choosing evidence-based practices for a multi-tiered system of supports:
- Make sure data guides the intervention. In other words, you should have a clear idea of what problem you’re trying to solve with the intervention and then select a solution that is grounded in student data and is effective in addressing that particular issue.
- Make sure the intervention is aligned with your state’s academic standards.
- Assess your progress and make adjustments as needed.
It is a good idea to take a data-based approach, looking at students’ performance data, test scores, behavioral data, and survey results. By having frequent discussions about progress and implementing changes as needed, you can ensure that all students receive the high-quality instruction and support they need for success.
Step 8: Maintain MTSS student support meeting documentation
Maintain MTSS student support meeting documentation by having support staff evaluate accommodations for students and assemble resources that will help. Keep customizable resources for MTSS coordinators during or after meetings with teachers, support staff, family members, and students.
Usually, these meetings aim to review the effectiveness of specific support strategies for a student or track student progress towards academic or behavioral goals. These meetings are often connected with a student’s individualized education plan (IEP) or MTSS at Tier 2 or 3, and so documentation is necessary.
Creating a supportive environment
MTSS provides a framework to support students of all abilities, and with thoughtful implementation, it can foster a culture of respect and belonging. Families and caregivers should be kept informed and actively engaged in conversations about their child’s progress so they feel equipped to advocate for their needs. Educators should prioritized creating safe, supportive environments where student needs are met with understanding and every student feels valued. Just as important, teachers can empower students by inviting them to take an active role in their own learning, encouraging them to share what helps them succeed, ask questions about their progress, and participate in decisions about the strategies used to support them.
Why MTSS matters
A strong MTSS framework ensures that every student receives the right support at the right time. By designing systems based on research, implementing them with consistency, and using data to guide every decision, schools can ensure sustainable improvement in student outcomes.
Consider the following questions: Are students growing? Are gaps closing? And are supports matched precisely to student need? When those answers are “yes,” MTSS becomes a powerful driver of equity, acceleration, and meaningful student success.
Implement an MTSS plan in your school today
An MTSS plan provides a framework for improving student achievement. Implementing MTSS can identify students who need extra support and develop mechanisms to provide that support. MTSS can also ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education. Plus, data from MTSS can be used to inform decisions about instructional practices and the allocation of resources. All of these factors make MTSS an essential part of any school’s efforts to improve student achievement. Good luck with your school’s MTSS journey!
This article was adapted from a blog post initially developed by the education technology company Classcraft, which was acquired by HMH in 2023. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.
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This blog, originally published in 2023, has been updated for 2026.
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