Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Young Children: Driving Change in Early Education

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for delivering effective and efficient services and supports to meet the needs of all young children and their families so they can achieve essential developmental and early academic learning outcomes. With this evidence-based planning book and video set, you'll discover how to design, implement, and monitor successful MTSS for children ages 3–5 across various early learning environments, including classrooms, programs, districts, and the state level.

Learn How To:

• assess readiness for systems-level change including modifying existing practices
• employ shared-leadership and Implementation Science (IS) strategies for shifting into MTSS
• set up a successful system of data-based decision making to ensure children’s needs are met
• identify children who need additional supports and provide targeted or intensive interventions
• develop, provide, and evaluate evidence-based primary, secondary and tertiary programming
• provide effective instruction in key areas, including language, early literacy, and social-emotional skills
• use MTSS to meet the needs of dual language learners and children with disabilities
• engage families in designing a MTSS built on their strengths and needs
• scale up MTSS implementation across a state
• evaluate how well your MTSS is working and determine how to make improvements

Filled with the wisdom and research findings of more than 25 experts, this book brings you foundational information about MTSS plus concrete guidance on creating a system to help all learners reach their potential. Practical tools (reproducible and available online) help your team with key steps of MTSS implementation, and six videos (available online) enhance your application of important concepts covered in the book.

The ultimate MTSS guide for leaders at all system levels—and a visionary textbook for tomorrow's professionals—this book will help early childhood education professionals usher in big-picture change that will benefit all young learners.

Practical tools and resources

• Six videos (available online) illustrating an Instructional Leadership Team coming to consensus and using Implementation Science to shift into MTSS and application of a four-step, data-based, decision-making process at the program/school, classroom and individual-child levels
• Language Exposure Evaluation Report
• Self-Assessment of Family Engagement Practices
• Home–School Plan
• Tune-Up Checklist

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Table of Contents

About the Editors

About the Contributors

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Early Education - Judith J. Carta
2. Leadership Practices to Design and Operationalize MTSS Frameworks for Young Children - Robin Miller Young
3. Employing Implementation Science to Transition Early Childhood Systems into MTSS - Allison J. Metz, Jennifer Schroeder, and Robin Miller Young
• Appendix 3A: A Stage-Based Active Implementation Planning Tool
• Appendix 3B: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Early Childhood: Stages of Implementation Analysis
4. Using Data-Based Decision Making to Improve Learning Outcomes for All Children - Robin L. Hojnoski and Joy C. Polignano
5. Developing and Sustaining High-Quality Tier 1 Early Literacy and Language Practices - Judith J. Carta, Charles R. Greenwood, and Mary Abbott
• Appendix: Tune-Up Checklist
6. Designing and Implementing Tier 2 Instructional Support in Early Literacy and Language - Arnold Olszewski, Christa D. Haring, Xigrid T. Soto, Lindsey Peters-Sanders, and Howard Goldstein
7. Designing and Implementing Tier 2 Instructional Supports to Promote Social-Emotional Outcomes - Mary Louise Hemmeter, Lise Fox, Phillip S. Strain, Jessica K. Hardy, and Jaclyn D. Joseph
8. Creating and Providing Tier 3 Instructional Support - Ruth A. Kaminski, Kelly A. Powell-Smith, and Katherine Bravo Aguayo
9. Meeting the Needs of Young Dual Language Learners in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - Lillian K. Durán and Alisha Wackerle-Hollman
• Appendix 9A: Language Exposure Evaluation Report (LEER)
10. Meeting the Needs of Young Children With Disabilities in a Blended ECE and ECSE Multi-Tiered System of Support - Robin Miller Young, Lynette K. Chandler, and Judith J. Carta
11. Scaling Up Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - Lise Fox, Barbara J. Smith, and Deanna Pearce Law
12. Engaging Families in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support - Lisa L. Knoche and Susan M. Sheridan
• Appendix 12A: Self-Assessment of Family Engagement Practices
• Appendix 12B: Home-School Plan
13. The Path Forward for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Early Education - Scott R. McConnell

Index

Videos

• Introduction video
• Video 1 Consensus Building
• Video 2 Implementation Science
• Video 3 Problem-Solving Process: School/Program Level
• Video 4 Problem-Solving Process: Classroom Level
• Video 5 Problem-Solving Process: Individual Child Level

"This is a ground-breaking resource that will help early educators navigate and organize early education practices into systems of support matched to the specific needs of young diverse learners."
- Virginia Buysse, Ph.D., Principal Researcher, American Institutes for Research

"If you care about young children, read this book. This game-changing book brings together the best available evidence that takes you from leading a system improvement effort to the how-to ingredients of data-based decision making; effective implementation of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 instruction; and support for social-emotional, language, and literacy development. This book is a change-driver because it calls attention to the current state of evidence that too many children experience less than optimal core instructional support for the mastery of foundational skills that pave the way for success in primary school. Going a step further, the authors (and invited contributors) walk the reader through making the needed upgrades with specific examples, checklists, and video demonstrations. Drs. Carta and Young have provided a book that can equip readers to make a difference in the lives of young children."
- Amanda VanDerHeyden, Ph.D., President of Education Research & Consulting, Inc. and Founder of Spring Math

"With the growing use of multi-tiered instructional support systems in the early childhood field, this volume provides a valuable handbook focused on implementing MTSS in ECE programs. It offers clear guidance and real-world examples to help put these ideas into practice."
- Ellen Peisner-Feinberg, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute

"Carta and Young have gathered the best-of-the-best in early education to operationalize how MTSS is implemented by early childhood educators and is experienced by young children and their families. Their research, practices, examples, and explanations make this book the best available go-to resource on MTSS and young children"
- George Sugai, Ph.D., Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut at Storrs