To ensure the success of all students, the Coweta County School District utilizes a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model (aligned with the Georgia Department of Education’s MTSS model) to provide academic and behavioral support in the general education classroom with the goal of preventing students from falling behind. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is defined as a whole school, data driven, prevention based, framework for improving learning and behavioral outcomes for every student through a layered continuum of evidence-based practices and systems. Each Layer (or Tier) offers increasingly intensive instructional efforts that are provided to students based on their individual needs.

A Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a data-driven prevention framework that uses Assessment (Screening and Progress Monitoring) to identify and predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes or who experience social/emotional needs, and/or behavioral concerns that may negatively impact learning.

A three layer, multi-tiered framework is used to organize resources and levels of support to ensure student success. The three-tiered system focuses on support intensity in a manner that aligns with levels of student need and differentiated services. The first tier encompasses the entire student body. The second tier comprises targeted students. The third tier focuses on students with intensive needs. Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions are implemented and documented in the general education program by the classroom teacher. Tier 2 interventions could also be implemented through school programs that exist outside of the classroom. If a student is not achieving success through Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports, research-based Tier 3 interventions will be implemented through the formalized Student Support Team (SST) process.

The MTSS process provides children early access to academic and behavioral interventions. It is a “response to intervention” approach designed to assist in determining who should be considered for possible additional services as a student with a disability. Students should not be considered for Special Education services if their difficulties are due to the “lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of instruction, instruction in math, behavior, or limited English proficiency” (State Rule 160-4-7-.03-2). “Finally, prior to, or as part of, a special education eligibility referral, a quality MTSS process ensures students were provided appropriate, high-quality, scientific, research-based instruction, and “data-based” documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction” (Federal Regulation Sec. 300.309(b)(2)).