The resources shown are designed to provide helpful information. Resources are provided for instructional use purposes only and do not constitute NYSED endorsement of any vendor, author, or other sources. To the best of our knowledge, the resources provided are true and complete. In addition, the NYSED MTSS-I Framework is not yet a NYS approved framework. Hence, a draft of the Framework is being used to inform this work.

About NYSED MTSS-I Center

The MTSS-I Center’s mission is to improve outcomes for all students by building capacity in educational organizations (EOs) to deliver evidence-based practices within a tiered system. The MTSS-I Center will empower education stakeholders, and support teachers and other professionals in effective practices for improved students’ results.

Description of Program

NYSED was awarded the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) to focus on improving results for students, particularly students with disabilities, by establishing a statewide MTSS-I center. SPDG for 2020 - 2025 is focused on assisting teachers and leaders, with attention to State and local systems of support at the pre-service and in-service levels, to improve teaching and learning, and thus, student outcomes. Specifically, the work under the SPDG will strive to improve the current oversight of MTSS-I by creating a collaborative leadership team with statewide partners and staff within NYSED, expand MTSS-I application to identified districts, and help districts utilize evidence-based professional development for reading instruction and behavior using Implementation Science in an integrated model of MTSS.

NYSED’s MTSS-I will integrate academics and behavior to be promoted at the pre-service and in-service levels. MTSS-I will expand the work and successes begun through the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) to reach a greater number of districts, buildings, and teachers implementing evidence-based strategies and to scale up these practices for future sustainability through the work of the Office of Special Education’s (OSE’s) Educational Partnership (“the Partnership”). To this end, part of the SPDG award has been utilized to create the MTSS-I Center, which is located at the University at Albany.

Using the approved materials and in coordination with the Partnership (i.e., TAP for Academics, TAP for Behavior), the MTSS-I Center is supporting 29 public school districts (“districts”) through a grant-funded opportunity. These districts will work directly with the MTSS-I Center and the Partnership to implement MTSS-I. Each district will receive funding, professional development, and technical assistance to support their efforts.

The MTSS-I Center will provide: 

• technical assistance and ongoing support through attendance at meetings (both virtual and in-person) with coaches and teams, as well as email and telephone contact;
• pertinent materials as part of the training process to use with the team and staff in the building and district;
• assistance to the district and building in collecting, analyzing, and using student data (e.g., attendance, suspension, office referrals, etc.) and systems data (e.g., Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), Reading-Tiered Fidelity Inventory (RTFI), etc.), as well as other feedback mechanisms to set goals and monitor progress;
• coaching support in the form of systems-level coaching to the School Leadership Teams and to the grade-level teams;
• support technology integration including data systems;
• data coordination support (support with ongoing use of measures, and data systems post installation and initial implementation);
• content and implementation expertise; and
• a 2-day virtual learning summit for stakeholders.

District-level Administrator Commitment and Expectations

The 29 districts will invest in and support the implementation of MTSS-I for three years. This commitment will include the:

• identification of up to three schools within the district to implement MTSS-I;
• use of a draft framework to be piloted and revised;
• establishment of district- and school-level teams to support tiered implementation; and
• the allocation of time and resources to support the professional development of district and school level leaders, teams and staff on MTSS-I and related evidenced-based practice.

Cohorts

The MTSS-I Center will support up to 29 districts across the life of the project through the delivery of onsite and virtual training and coaching and will conduct and monitor fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices by coaches and teachers in demonstration districts.