Implementing MTSS in Secondary Education: Examining Teacher Perspectives and Concerns within the Secondary Framework
Presentation: 2:40-3:00, LTC Forum
Description
The implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) has been successful in multiple elementary systems across the United States. Providing three tiers of support for students struggling academically, social-emotionally, and behaviorally in the classroom setting and creating success for many students until they reach the secondary level, where MTSS often is not implemented. For secondary schools, the implementation of MTSS has not been as successful. Secondary teachers often note difficulties included understanding data from different sources, what sources are available, how it applies to interventions and student progress or growth, the lack of intervention blocks that are common in elementary levels, having students for less than 50 minutes a day, the number of students they have on their rosters in comparison to elementary teachers, limited classroom-based assessments, and how to apply it within their classrooms.This study employed qualitative narrative analysis. Purposeful sampling was conducted for semi-structured individual interviews. Participants discussed their experiences with MTSS and its implementation. A two-cycle coding approach began with a deductive coding approach based on literature reviews and common themes that interfere with interventions at the secondary level. The second cycle was inductive analysis through in vivo coding allowing the participants’ narratives to appear. Through the interview process, four main themes appeared: secondary education culture, specifically accountability, understanding and using data from different sources, lack of intervention blocks and having students for less than 50 minutes a day, and the number of students they have on their rosters in comparison to elementary teachers. The results of this study are vitally important in the implementation of interventions and student support in secondary education.
