Living in Tier 2: educators’ perceptions of MTSS in urban schools

ABSTRACT

Despite multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) being implemented for over a decade in the United States, practitioners are continuously challenged with implementing the framework to meet the needs of their students. This qualitative study aimed to examine the perspectives of educators in high-need urban schools regarding the implementation of academic MTSS. Nineteen educators were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed to identify teachers’ understanding of the MTSS process, tiered interventions, and their experiences with MTSS. Two major themes emerged: (a) due to frequent changes in school-wide MTSS, educators felt confused about the process and (b) educators thought Tier 2 interventions were effective for students needing limited assistance, but schools struggle to intensify interventions for non-responders. Further research is needed regarding the use of evidence-based practices in high-need urban settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)
• response-to-intervention (RTI)
• teacher perceptions
• high-need schools
• urban

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Gina Braun is a doctoral student in the Special Education Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests include enhancing teachers instruction by intensifying reading interventions, supporting the needs of students with autism spectrum disorder.

Skip Kumm is a doctoral student in the Special Education Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research interests include using tiered systems of support for academic and behavioral interventions.

Christerralyn Brown is a doctoral student in the Special Education Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests include coaching teachers through the cultural adaptation process to decrease negative/unwanted behavior and increase or promote student engagement.

Samantha Walte is a doctoral student in the Special Education Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests include adapting and intensifying evidence-based practices in under-resourced schools to increase inclusion and instruction quality for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Dr. Marie Tejero Hughes is a Professor of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her research interests focus on enhancing teachers' instruction of reading across the curriculum, supporting the literacy needs of students with learning disabilities, and involving Latino families in the education process. She teaches graduate courses in literacy designed to assist general and special education teachers working in urban communities meet the needs of students struggling with literacy.

Dr. Daniel M. Maggin is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research interests focus on the development and implementation of evidence-based behavioral supports for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD).