Multi-tiered Systems of Support in Elementary Schools: The Definitive Guide to Effective Implementation and Quality Control

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Elementary Schools is the leadership handbook and practitioner’s field guide to implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in elementary schools, leading to improved student outcomes and school safety. Schools can creatively customize replicable best practices using this in-depth operations manual to guide MTSS teams in planning and delivering tiers of academic and integrated social-emotional and behavioral supports to meet the needs of all students. This text introduces Healthy Minds, Safe Schools, an evidence-based program that significantly improves student well-being, school safety, and teacher feelings of self-efficacy for delivering social-emotional and behavioral curriculum in the classroom.

Featuring team exercises and real perspectives from educators, this text shows how to make incremental yet manageable changes at elementary schools in accordance with public policy mandates and evidence-based practices by developing smart teams and programs, identifying roles and responsibilities, implementing layers of academic support and services, improving social-emotional and behavioral health of students, and creating an inclusive school culture. It details organizational psychology and socially just educational practices and is a handbook aligned with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center guidebook for preventing school violence and with the National Center for School Mental Health Curriculum.

Alison G. Clark, EdS, is a school psychologist in high-risk inner-city schools. She has

expertise in mental health in schools, family wellness, positive behavioral instructional

supports, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, threat assessment, crisis response, and

systems change.

Katherine A. Dockweiler, EdD, is a policy researcher and practicing school

psychologist. Her particular interests include program design and evaluation as well as

advocacy and education policy analysis.