An Analysis of Mediating Effects of School Leadership on MTSS Implementation

Abstract

The present study investigated relationships among technical assistance, school leadership quality, and multitiered system of support (MTSS) implementation. The findings indicated technical assistance improved school leadership quality, and improved leadership significantly mediated the relationship between technical assistance and MTSS implementation for both behavior and academic systems. These results provide support for the foundational role of school leadership in MTSS implementation. Implications for providers of technical assistance are discussed.

Preparing Teacher Educators for Statewide Scale-Up of Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)

“…Partnership agreements with the states and districts contained data-use agreements, which allowed SWIFT to use its fidelity of implementation tool (Algozzine et al, 2016; Morsbach Sweeney et al, 2014) to provide systematic analyses to determine the impact of implementation in the schools on student outcomes associated with reading, math, behavior, and inclusion. Results to date from that effort, which ended in 2017, are in the early stages of dissemination as of this writing (e.g., Choi et al, 2019; Sailor et al, 2018) and are supportive of a growing body of research indicating significant associations of positive student outcomes with MTSS when implemented with fidelity (McIntosh & Goodman, 2016).…”

“…Equity-based inclusion considers the whole school environment rather than specific classrooms as the focus of concern for instructional delivery (Choi et al, 2019; Hicks et al, 2018; Sailor, 2017). Instead of the traditional pull out/push in service provision, students are served through a complex master schedule with grouping and/or one-on-one arrangements in accordance with their instructional requirements.…”

“…The theoretical framework of the MTSS IC is reflected in Figure 1. MTSS is a primary transformative instructional practice and has been shown to have a direct and positive relationship with student academic and socio-behavioral outcomes (Choi et al, 2019; McIntosh & Goodman, 2016). Several of these reported analyses examined measures of fidelity of MTSS installation and implementation in relation to annual state assessments of grade-level math and reading proficiencies.…”

“…Several of these reported analyses examined measures of fidelity of MTSS installation and implementation in relation to annual state assessments of grade-level math and reading proficiencies. Furthermore, investigators using statistical modeling procedures demonstrated that the four evidence-based practice domains supporting MTSS implementation produced associated impacts on student outcomes (academic, behavioral, social, and emotional; Choi et al, 2019). For a review of the evidentiary basis for each of the five domains covered by the IC maps, see Sailor et al (2017).…”

Perceptions of response‐to‐intervention practices: results from a cross‐sectional survey of school‐board directors and support service professionals

“…New collaborative models using multiple tiers, flexible movement within tiers, and a graduated approach to services (e.g. multi‐tiered systems of supports (MTSS) (Choi et al ., 2019; Leonard et al ., 2019), and which focus on broad collaboration among education and health professionals and families are emerging in the literature (Missiuna et al ., 2012; Anaby et al ., 2019). Such models move beyond traditional RtI models, incorporate greater flexibility within screening along with more dynamic movement of children among tiers, and may provide good examples of how professionals could be involved to support all students with disabilities.…”