MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. It is a framework for using data to align resources to meet the needs of all students. MTSS ensures equitable outcomes for all students through preventative practices, data-informed decisions, evidence-based curriculum and instruction, and collaboration.

RtI stands for Response to Intervention. It is a framework for identifying and providing support to students who are struggling with academic or behavioral issues. According to the National Center on Response to Intervention, "RTI integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavior problems. With RTI, schools identify students at risk for poor learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence-based interventions and adjust the intensity and nature of those interventions depending on a student's responsiveness, and identify students with learning disabilities or other disabilities".

A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Response-to-Intervention (RtI) are both frameworks used to ensure all students receive support to be successful. While there are some differences between the two conceptually, in application schools tend to call their practices RtI or MTSS, or even something else, based on state and local initiatives and history. If you’re reading this and thinking that you use practices described as MTSS, but call it an RtI, that’s OK! There is more overlap than differences, and in practice, schools implement the two fairly interchangeably. I don’t get too hung up on what we call it.

Having said that, there are a few main differences between the MTSS and RtI concepts:

Scope | MTSS is a broader framework that includes academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports for all students, while RtI is typically focused primarily on academic success.

Implementation | MTSS is implemented as a school-wide framework that involves all students, while RtI is typically implemented in individual classrooms or for individual students, typically those who are struggling to meet grade level standards.

Focus | RtI models often are associated with intervention provided as part of Child Find practices for special education services. While data collected within the MTSS Tiers of support may aid in Child Find, the goal of an MTSS is not Child Find.

MTSS and RtI share common practices such as universal screening, progress monitoring, and evidence-based intervention to support student success. While there are nuances in the MTSS and RtI concepts, school implementation is impacted by local context, as opposed to the differences described here.

The tiers within a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) represent all the resources available to support students. This includes things like instruction, standards, curriculum, and assessment.

Tier 1 | This includes the supports provided to all students. Tier 1 includes evidence-based instruction and support provided universally. The goal of Tier 1 is to ensure that all students are receiving high-quality, equitable, and differentiated instruction toward grade-level standards.

Tier 2 | This level of support is provided to students who need additional help beyond what is provided in Tier 1. Tier 2 supports are targeted interventions, usually provided in a small group setting. The goal of Tier 2 is to provide students with additional support to help them gain missing skills and meet grade-level standards.

Tier 3 | This level of support is provided to students have significant skill gaps and require the most intensive, individualized intervention. Tier 3 resources are those that are most intensive and sometimes include the use of specialized instruction or services.

Both Tier 2 and Tier 3 includes resources to support accelerated learning for students not successful with Tier 1 resources alone. Tier 2 resources typically include supplemental intervention targeted toward skill gaps identified through universal screening and are delivered in small group settings immediately following that screening. Tier 3 resources are more intensive and individualized and are often times guided by more diagnostic assessment and use of programmatic data and progress monitoring data.

Students with emerging bi-literacy require services that support their access to grade level standards, as well as supports that leverage the strengths they bring to learning to maximize their progress toward language proficiency.

An MTSS is uniquely supportive to this group of students in several ways. It’s focus on data-driven decisions allows educators to use all data about student’s proficiency, growth, and language development when allocating resources to their success. Additionally, the focus on evidence-based practices and early intervention allow schools to support all student’s needs, regardless of the services they qualify for. Finally, the focus on system improvement and data use within an MTSS means that bias within systems are identified and acted upon, better supporting all students, including those who have emerging bi-literacy.

MTSS can be used to support gifted students by providing them with challenging and enriching learning opportunities that are tailored to their individual strengths and needs. This is typically done through acceleration.

Within Tier 1 instruction, high-achieving students receive differentiated instruction within the regular classroom setting to accelerate their learning and ensure they aren’t spending all instructional time practicing skills they already have mastered.

Students identified as gifted may also have unique needs that require specialized supports and acceleration beyond what is typically provided with Tier 1 supports. In those cases, schools provide coursework for grade levels above where the student is currently placed, grade acceleration, and/or access to gifted and talented programs.