ISD MTSS Capacity Building

ISD Needs: What are the MTSS needs in my region?

• What are the needs in my county?

• What are local MICIP Plans indicating are areas of MTSS need?

• What are the data patterns in my county that might help determine where support would be beneficial (e.g., county-wide reading or behavior data).

• What are districts expressing as needs? If you’re not sure, a survey or focus group might be a great place to start.

•  In what areas (SEB MTSS, Reading MTSS, District Infrastructure, Pyramid Model) would they like support?

• How much support are they requesting?

• What does that support look like? (Training, Coaching, Data Coordination)

ISD/District Fit

• Is MTSS a framework clearly understood throughout your region?

• How does MTSS work fit with the priorities of your ISD? (e.g. align with ISD Strategic Plan, mission, vision and/or ISD MICIP Plan and/or ISD MTSS Plan)

• What other initiatives is my ISD supporting the implementation of? How will implementation of MTSS within a specific focus area (e.g. SEB, literacy) enhance current efforts? Conflict with other efforts? Over-extended staff?  If you’re unsure where to start, an initiative inventory might be a good place to start.

• What other initiatives are districts in my county currently trying to implement? How might implementation of MTSS in a particular area (e.g. SEB, literacy) enhance current efforts? Conflict with other efforts?, Over-extend district staff? 

ISD Capacity

• What areas related to MTSS does the ISD have capacity to support (e.g., district infrastructure, SEB, Reading)?

• What resources (e.g., FTE, personnel, money) can the ISD allocate to support local MTSS implementation? 

• What professional learning do ISD staff need to build capacity to support local districts, ISD programs and/or early childhood sites with MTSS?

• What organizational changes might need to be made to support this work?

• Do ISD leadership support engaging and sustaining this work? Do they understand what resources it will require?

The TA Center offers options to fit the varying needs, capacities, and goals of ISDs. These options can be organized into the following categories: planning, professional learning facilitation, coaching, data coordination, and Training & Coaching District Implementation Teams.

County-wide ISD Planning for MTSS

Implementation of MTSS is easier said than done and districts often look to their ISD for support that may include training, coaching and/or data coordination support. Engaging leaders across the county in MTSS visioning and planning provides a space to consider the MTSS needs of local districts and how to leverage or develop capacity to meet MTSS implementation needs.

ISD leaders wishing to develop or refine a county-wide MTSS plan may access technical assistance from a MiMTSS TA Center staff person who serves as a thought partner to engage in planning around leadership, organizational systems and staff competency to increase the likelihood that county-wide MTSS systems and practices will be implemented and sustained.

ISD leaders establishing MTSS as a county-wide priority allocate resources for implementation efforts that may include selecting someone to fulfill the roles and responsibilities of an ISD MTSS Coordinator. For identified ISD MTSS Coordinators who wish to learn more about ways to advance MTSS implementation, technical assistance includes an ISD MTSS Coordinator community of practice where MTSS coordinators from across the state connect with one another to learn, share experiences, and lift up challenges.

Upcoming offerings can be found on the professional learning page.

Professional Learning Facilitation

ISDs are accustomed to providing a variety of professional learning opportunities to their local districts. Professional Learning Facilitator sessions are designed to support the learning and skill development of any ISD staff member identified to serve as a local MTSS Trainer. Training topics include both MTSS systems and a variety of strategies and interventions. ISD professional learning facilitators will have the opportunity to engage in learning about how to facilitate learning around MTSS concepts while taking into consideration local contextual needs.

For ISDs who wish to develop regional training expertise, upcoming offerings for professional learning facilitators can be found on the professional learning page.

Coaching

Coaching is necessary for building implementer confidence and ensuring that implementers have the knowledge and skills necessary to apply what they have learned. ISD staff serving in a coaching role have opportunities to provide regular, embedded learning opportunities to support the implementation and use of MTSS systems and practices while also taking into consideration local contextual needs.

For ISDs who wish to develop coaching capacity to support local implementers with using MTSS systems and practices, upcoming offerings can be found on the professional learning page.

Data Coordination

Evaluation is a critical element of MTSS. Data coordinators ensure that capacity, fidelity and student outcome assessments are used properly. ISDs may identify staff to engage in professional learning to become a data coordinator and/or ISDs may support districts in assessing their local data coordination capacity. It is essential that assessments are administered by a trained facilitator. Training resources can be found on EduPaths.

For ISDs who wish to develop data coordination capacity to support local implementers with collecting and analyzing fidelity and student outcome data to inform continuous improvement, upcoming offerings can be found on the professional learning page.

Districts and schools can use Michigan’s Continuous Improvement Process (or MICIP) to guide their continuous improvement efforts. Resources to support integration of district and school MTSS efforts within the MICIP platform can be found in the MICIP drop-down on the District Capacity Building page.

Training and Coaching District Implementation Teams

To successfully install, implement and sustain MTSS data, systems and practices, districts need the infrastructure to support it. ISD Staff can provide training and coaching to District Implementation Teams in developing the needed infrastructure (e.g. barrier removal process, district coaching system, etc.). Technical Assistance to support ISDs in learning to do this includes ISD-specific learning opportunities with time to intentionally plan training and coaching supports of a mutually-selected district partner in building infrastructure to support SEB MTSS and then expand thinking to what is needed to replicate and scale the work across districts within the county. In addition, ISD staff observe MiMTSS TA Center staff delivering the district infrastructure content to the district implementation team and attend the coaching support sessions alongside an identified district coordinator. The ISD Capacity to support District Implementation of Social, Emotional and Behavioral MTSS resource can be used by ISDs to further explore need, fit and capacity for this work. For a district considering a partnership with their ISD to engage in this work, the DIT Series for ISD Capacity Building resource can be used by the district to further explore need, fit and capacity.