problem solving team mtss

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Understanding the MTSS Problem-Solving Process: What You Need to Know

The terms MTSS (Multi-Tier System of Supports) and RTI (Response to Intervention) are often used interchangeably among educators, but the truth is these two frameworks are NOT one in the same. MTSS is a set of evidence-based practices implemented across a system to meet the needs of all learners (Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports [MTSS]: Academic Structuring Guide, 2011). The MTSS framework is broader than Response to Intervention or a problem-solving process alone. It establishes a paradigm of support service delivery focused on leadership, professional development, and empowering culture within the context of assessment, curriculum, and instruction.

Within this system, there are typically three tiers of supports where students receive instruction and interventions to help them on their path to achievement. Determining the appropriate interventions for each student is vital to the success of this system, and MTSS utilizes a data-driven decision-making process to aid in those determinations.

The MTSS problem-solving process consists of four important steps:

Define the problem or goal

Analyze the problem and relevant data

Implement an intervention plan

Evaluate the intervention for effectiveness

1.  Define the problem

The first step in the decision-making process determines the goal and direction of the rest of the process. A team must identify what problem needs to be solved—such as lack of adequate academic progress or a non-academic situation such as poor attendance or behavior. Teams may look at the difference between the desired outcome in an area and the actual performance of a student in order to select the appropriate problem to highlight.

2.  Analyze the data

MTSS is a system driven by data. After a problem has been defined, it is necessary to review the data to determine the cause. The cause could be a specific skill deficit or various gaps in a particular domain of learning, or, alternatively, it could be based on a non-academic factor. In the second step of the problem-solving process, team members gather relevant information and data and then analyze it to not only determine the problem, but also pinpoint what barriers may exist to successfully achieving the goal.

The ICEL/RIOT matrix is a useful tool for identifying the proper type of data needed for decision-making.  

ICEL stands for four domains of learning to be assessed during the problem-solving process:

I  - Instruction

C - Curriculum

E - Environment

L - Learner  

RIOT includes four potential sources of data:

R - Review of records

I - Interviews of key stakeholders who are familiar with the student

O - Observation of student in a regular setting

T - Test student using various methods of measurement

The data collected provides a good overview of the student’s needs and is helpful in explaining the occurrence of a problem. It also serves as a foundation for designing an appropriate intervention plan in the next step of the process.

3.  Implement an intervention plan

Having focused on the process of defining the problem and analyzing the data, the problem-solving team is then ready to design and implement an intervention plan that is appropriate for a student’s specific needs as shown by the data.

The Florida Department of Education identifies specific criteria for interventions in “A Teacher’s Guide to Problem Solving Within the MTSS Framework.” These specific criteria indicate that interventions should:

Consist of evidence-based programs, strategies, and techniques

Be delivered with integrity and fidelity

Allow for intensified instruction

Be implemented for a sufficient time and an evaluated frequently, and be integrated across the tiers

Using the problem-solving process for decision-making allows for interventions to be designed to address the unique needs and situation of each student, and provides for flexibility in both intensity and implementation of a plan. Frequent progress-monitoring during implementation is important for proper execution of the last step of the process—evaluating the intervention.

4.  Evaluate the intervention

After spending time to create and implement an intervention, it is essential for teams to spend time evaluating. In this step, the decision-making team must determine if the intervention was considered successful and whether the student responded well to the intervention strategy.

If the data is showing adequate progress, the team can decide if continuing the intervention is necessary. If the data is not showing as much progress as expected, team members can make changes to the intervention plan. If evaluation shows that the intervention was not successful, the team can re-engage in the problem-solving process to complete further analysis of both the problem and the data to ensure that proper interventions are put in place.  

The MTSS problem-solving process allows teams to determine the appropriate interventions within a multi-tiered structure to provide for the academic and non-academic needs of all students. Each step of the process is necessary for ensuring that students are given the right interventions at the right time, allowing for the best possible path to achievement.

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MTSS Problem-Solving Team

Roles and responsibilities.

Collaboration among members of a school problem-solving team is an essential component to ensuring the success of the MTSS processes. A successful problem-solving team will accurately identify student needs and challenges and—with successful collaboration—can design and implement solutions and measure the effectiveness of interventions. It is imperative that the team analyzes all interventions a classroom teacher has completed and reviews a child’s academic and behavioral history to design the most effective and intensive program. When problem-solving teams engage in successful collaboration, student success can be achieved and ultimately maintained.

The director of MTSS provides leadership and commitment to MTSS at all three tiers. Together with administrators, the director of MTSS leads implementation, participates on the MTSS team and provides relevant and focused professional development linked to MTSS, as well as supports to incorporate MTSS into the school improvement plans. Administrators also review universal screening data to ensure Tier 1 instruction is meeting the needs of a minimum of 80% of the school population. The director of MTSS and the MTSS Building Leadership team monitor the integrity of instruction at both the core and intervention levels.

Classroom teachers are the front line of MTSS. General education teachers have the best opportunity to enhance intervention and instruction in their classrooms by providing standards-based and differentiated core instruction for all students. Whether it is meeting the needs of students who are gifted, students who are learning English, or students who have IEPs, regular classroom teachers have the greatest daily impact on learning. Classroom teachers know and understand intervention plans for groups and individuals, allowing for follow-up and additional supports in the regular classroom. General education teachers and/or core subject teachers participate in data collection—both school-wide screening and progress monitoring. With this knowledge, these teachers are best able to change or adapt instructional strategies based upon information gained through the data collection process. Whether directly responsible for data collection or not, teachers review all their students’ data to understand performance levels and inform instruction.

Classroom teachers work with their MTSS team to identify and plan interventions for Tier 1 (in the classroom) and Tier 2. If a student demonstrates need for Tier 3 support, classroom teachers collaborate with the school’s MTSS Team.

Grade/Department-Level Teams (GLMs) serve a critical role in problem-solving at Tiers 1 and 2. They provide a collaborative learning environment to support effective differentiated instruction and classroom management strategies at all tiers. They plan for grouping, content, and delivery of instruction at Tiers 1 and 2. Professional Learning Committees (PLCs) review universal screening data and use this information to inform Tier 1 differentiated instruction.

Additionally, GLMs identify students who are not responding successfully to core instruction and supports, and utilize differentiated instruction to support them. GLMs make data-informed decisions to identify students in need of Tier 2 interventions. GLMs meet regularly for instructional planning, data review, intervention plan adjustment, paperwork completion and instructional decision-making (e.g., student movement between tiers). 

GLMs  work with the MTSS team to generate interventions based on individual problem-solving when students are considered for, or already receive, Tier 3 supports. MTSS teams review Tier 1 progress data to determine if Tier 3 targeted interventions are resulting in student success with core instruction and supports. Within an MTSS framework, it is recommended that classroom teachers manage students who are in Tier 1, while the MTSS team manage students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 (a teacher familiar with the student is generally a part of the MTSS team meeting).

Under the leadership and guidance of the site administrator, the MTSS team identifies key personnel to provide high-quality intervention and instruction, matches evidence-based instructional materials to student needs, and designs well-planned schedules to maximize the delivery of services within the three-tiered model. A critical resource in all schools is the highly-qualified support staff, who lend expertise to supporting student success. 

MTSS Problem-Solving Team Plan of Action

Monitoring core instruction.

• Are all students working with grade-level materials and standards? 
Are teachers well-supported in implementing adopted programs and items from the approved supplemental list?
 Is content for students appropriately paced?
• 
Does the movement through material attend to the developmental readiness of the student?
• Is there evidence of differentiated instruction?
• Is small-group, leveled instruction provided multiple days each week?

Monitoring Intervention Integrity

• Is the intervention plan implemented with integrity?
• Administrator signs off on integrity of instruction and intervention across tiers.

Establishing Feedback System Regarding Instructional Integrity

• Make quality instruction a part of the annual goals for all teachers.
• Acknowledge staff members who are delivering quality instruction and support those who are not to raise their level of performance. 
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• Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools »
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Collaborative Problem Solving »

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative Problem Solving ® (CPS) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed practice that helps students meet expectations, reduces concerning behavior, builds students’ skills, and strengthens their relationships with educators. The Collaborative Problem Solving approach integrates with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in educational settings. Though often thought of as an intervention to be utilized with students who have significant behavior challenges, CPS benefits all students and can be implemented across the three tiers of support within an MTSS framework.

Tier 1 (Universal Support)

Collaborative Problem Solving is both a universal approach to be used with all students and an intervention that can be used to meet the needs of students with emerging needs. Educators use the core mindset of “kids do well if they can” and the practice of CPS to increase positive interactions with all students. These practices improve classroom and school climate and build positive relationships. This shifts adults to view behaviors as skill-based, to model empathy and other thinking skills, and create classroom structure and routines that honor the varying developmental needs of groups of students.

Universally, a problem-solving structure (Plan B) is utilized to gain perspectives from students in everyday situations and class discussions and is used with groups of students to proactively work on common “hard to meet” expectations, i.e., coming in from recess, having a substitute teacher, engaging in group discussions, etc. When the components of CPS are used in the classroom, it helps to develop essential skills that allow students to effectively communicate and collaborate with others, understand different perspectives, problem solve, think flexibly, manage emotions, and build positive relationships with peers and adults.

Tier 2 (Targeted Support)

Educators embed structured problem solving, Plan B,  into existing targeted intervention times such as counseling groups, academic support classes, and/or morning meeting to practice thinking skills and problem-solving. Progress with Plan B interventions can be monitored using data from CPS assessment and planning tools and thinking skills checklists.

Tier 3 (Intervention Support)

CPS provides an assessment process and a proven intervention centered around problem-solving that builds skills for students requiring the most support. Additionally, the individualized information gathered in the assessment process is used to inform Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA), to write goals for Behavior Support/Intervention Plans (BSP/BIP) or Individualized Education Plans (IEP), and to monitor progress towards those goals. The assessment data and Plan B interventions can also inform accommodations for 504 plans.

Bring CPS to Your School

We can help you bring a more accurate, compassionate, and effective approach to working with children to your school or district.

Collaborative Problem Solving integrates well with the goal of MTSS to effectively identify and meet the diverse social emotional and behavioral needs of students in schools. CPS can be utilized across all three tiers of support to foster strong adult and peer relationships, teach important cognitive thinking skills, and foster a learning environment that is grounded in collaboration, empathy, and curiosity.

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Developing and Using an MTSS Problem-Solving Team

Self-paced 2 credits

Full course description

This course provides leaders with action steps for forming a problem-solving team, planning and holding effective team meetings, and creating consistent expectations campus-wide when using a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). This course is designed for leaders, including campus and district administrators as well as Education Service Center (ESC) staff supporting school leaders; however, all learners are welcome.

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5 Questions to Ensure Efficiency with MTSS Teams & MTSS Meetings

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Meeting ( meet·​ing | \ ˈmē-tiŋ) : A n act or process of coming together, first used in the 14th century. ( Merriam-Webster,n.d.)

While your meetings may not look like the medieval one above, at times, it can seem that school leaders, teachers, and staff participate in a never-ending cycle of meetings. Some meetings, such as the beginning-of-year and end-of-year professional development, are planned months in advance. Grade-level meetings are scheduled regularly, and other meetings are ad hoc and dedicate time to addressing shifting school and student needs.

And, of course, urgent last-minute meetings emerge because of an immediate need or action required. All these meetings can leave staff feeling a bit dizzy and questioning, “ What is the point of this meeting? ”, “ What is my role in this meeting ?” and even “ At what point do we discuss if we even needed this meeting?”.

Given these questions, it is vital to consider the risk of creating a culture of “meeting overload” or, in other words, holding too many meetings without clearly defined purposes, ultimately leading to “meeting fatigue.” It is especially pertinent to consider how to avoid this overload when implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process.

MTSS is a collaborative system of supports that wraps around an entire school. As a system-level structure, it provides academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and attendance support for all students. Data is gathered and utilized to address academic and non-academic needs, such as attendance and social-emotional concerns, ensuring a holistic approach to support.

Question 1: What Is the Overall Mission of the MTSS Team?

The first step in building an MTSS team is understanding why an MTSS team is necessary. If the team does not have a clearly defined purpose in the school, it will flounder in gaining traction among the team members and other school staff who might benefit from the work of the MTSS team. 

The MTSS team is a school-based problem-solving team, the engine that drives the MTSS system. The MTSS team proactively addresses system needs by reviewing school-wide data (within grade levels and classrooms) and supports individual student growth by helping to monitor progress and make decisions regarding support. 

This means that the MTSS team works at both a macro- and micro-level in a school building. At the macro-scale, the MTSS team helps to identify school-wide data trends that can diagnose the health and effectiveness of a school’s core curriculum instruction which impacts all students. On the micro-scale, this team supports grade levels and teachers in creating and carrying out targeted intervention plans for small groups of students and individual students who might need intensive support beyond the differentiated instruction they receive in the classroom. 

Question 2: What Are the Distinct Roles for Each Person on the MTSS Team?

Collaboration is vital to the MTSS team as they will need to solve problems and support various stakeholders within the school community. MTSS team membership is determined by standing members who contribute expertise from their respective disciplines and those who may be invited to address a specific concern. 

Research about building effective teams discussed in the Harvard Business Review found that “collaboration improves when the role of individual team members are clearly defined and well understood…without such clarity, team members are likely to waste too much energy negotiating roles…rather than focus on the task” (Gratton & Erickson, 2007). With this understanding, several individuals within a school have essential roles on the MTSS team.

Below is a list of each of the MTSS team members and their roles and responsibilities:

Question 3: When Will the MTSS Team Meet, and What Is the Purpose of Each Meeting?

As all educators know, the school year quickly fills up with obligations. As a result, prioritizing the cadence of MTSS meetings will help this team to be proactive and efficient.

The School Leadership Meeting

This meeting is conducted three times a year by school leadership, aligned with the universal screening schedule. These meetings aim to understand the school-wide health and wellness around MTSS. In addition, the School Leadership team reviews school-level data (assessment scores, tier demographic distributions , tier movement and referral rates, etc.) to answer the question, "Is this a healthy school?"

The Grade/Content Team Community Meeting

This meeting happens monthly during a dedicated grade team meeting time. This meeting aims to discuss and problem-solve for students the teachers are concerned about because they aren't making sufficient progress , typically students receiving Tier 2 support , and to check in on students receiving Tier 3 support . In addition, grade/Content teams create/review ongoing intervention plans and refer students for a Student Check-in Meeting if needed.

The Individual Student Support Meeting

This meeting provides the time and space for individualized deep dive problem-solving for students not making sufficient progress when supported by the Grade/Content Team Community Meeting.

Question 4: What Efficiencies Will Be Taken During MTSS Team Meetings? (So they don’t go on and on and on…you get the point)

Per the meeting cadence suggested above, MTSS meetings will be happening at the school-wide, grade level, and for individual students. To preserve efficiencies and make the most of the valuable time all attendees spend together, the well-known mantra “ no agenda, no attenda” must be followed. Providing agendas ensures all team members understand the goal of the meeting, why it is essential, discussion points, and their role/responsibilities. As a result, consider the following responsibilities below for MTSS meetings:

MTSS team members and meeting attendees are responsible for:

• Reading the agenda before each meeting and meeting notes after each meeting;
• Complete any pre-work needed before each meeting (i.e., review student universal screening data, progress monitoring data, attendance data, etc.); and
• Actively participate in each meeting.

MTSS Team Leaders are responsible for:

• Keeping agendas concise, avoid any access verbiage;
• Including the time, date, the purpose of the meeting, and attendees;
• Providing a list of topics to be discussed, in the sequential order to be covered;
• Using a consistent format for each agenda throughout the school year; 
• Assigning roles to participants as needed; 
• Ensuring technology is not a barrier to accessing the agenda (provide a user-friendly format adopted by the campus: PDF, Google Doc, Paper, etc.);
• Disseminating MTSS meeting notes aligned to the agenda, so all attendees have a way to understand what was discussed.

➡️ Related Resource: Communication Planning for MTSS

Question 5: What Are the Norms Expected at Each MTSS Meeting?

The practice of developing and providing norms before meetings can be beneficial. Norms help ensure all attendees understand what is expected before they even walk in the door (or log on), and they are not left wondering how or when to participate or give feedback. At Branching Minds, norms have been created for our meetings, which can be used as a foundation for MTSS meeting norms.

Please note that different types of meetings may need different norms, and the list below was created by soliciting feedback from our team when working to make meetings more efficient:

• Meetings are Inclusive - every attendee has a voice;
• Meetings are a Shared Experience - everyone has an active role and is contributing;
• Meetings are Productive - we get in with a purpose, we get out with action steps toward that purpose; and
• Meetings are Responsive - the meeting structure evolves based on the needs of the team. 

For more information about applying best practices to MTSS meetings, check out this resource !

Gratton, L., & Erickson, T. J. (2007, November). Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams. Harvard Business Review . Retrieved May 23, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2007/11/eight-ways-to-build-collaborative-teams. 

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Meeting definition & meaning . Merriam-Webster. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meeting#h1 

Najjar, Y. (n.d.). Best practices for meetings and how to apply them to MTSS . Branching Minds, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from https://www.branchingminds.com/blog/best-practices-for-meetings-and-how-to-apply-them-to-mtss

Kismet Lantos-Swett

Kismet Lantos-Swett is a Branching Minds Educational Consultant based in Chicago, IL. Kismet has served students, educators, and leaders through various roles throughout her career including as a classroom teacher, learning specialist, literacy interventionist, and as a Leadership for Educational Equity Fellow in the Rhode Island Department of Education. She is passionate about helping teachers feel empowered to have a strengths-based mindset in supporting their students so that students can grow and find success in a safe, curious, and compassionate environment. Kismet has both a Masters of Education in education, policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Masters of Teaching in Elementary Education from Marian University.

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