Forming a District MTSS for Behavior Leadership Team
Who is Involved in the District MTSS for Behavior Team?
Implementation of MTSS for behavior starts with the formation of a district leadership team. The role of the district planning team is
to create the support system for implementation. Planning teams meet on a regular basis and members are intended to represent
key stakeholders from the following areas:
- Instruction and Curriculum,
- Safe and Drug Free Schools,
- Special Education,
- School Psychology and Counseling,
- Title Programs or Other Related Federal/State Initiatives,
- Student Health,
- School-Wide Discipline,
- Dropout Prevention,
- Character Education,
- Alternative Programming,
- Data or Information Management, and
- Multiculturalism and Affirmative Action.
In addition, strong district leadership teams include members who may represent:
- Paraprofessionals,
- Students,
- Family Members,
- Community Members,
- Mental Health and Human Services, and
- Bus Drivers/Transportation.
Effective planning teams are organized in different ways depending upon the unique school contexts in each district. Some
district teams choose to have one or two larger events each year with a broader representation of individuals, but schedule
planning meetings in between these events with a smaller number of individuals forming a working group. Other district teams
choose to schedule meetings with family, community, and student representation at every meeting.
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Integrating Behavior and Academic MTSS
District planning teams implementing MTSS for behavior and academics often consider efficient strategies for communication and planning. Some districts choose to create two separate leadership teams: one focused on action planning for academics and another focused on student behavior. If there are two separate teams, it is important that both teams meet together on a regular basis, and that a system of communication is established. The integration of MTSS becomes increasingly important at Tiers 2 and 3 for district planning and school team training.
The ways in which the district begins implementing MTSS may help decide how district teams will be meeting across academic and behavioral teams. School team training provided by the district for academics and behavior can be linked, with school teams participating in trainings where some events are scheduled that integrate academic and behavioral information, while other separate events are also scheduled that are dedicated exclusively to academic training and behavior support training.
Time for planning is needed for school teams to be able to focus on the details of implementing academic and behavioral interventions; however, it is also important for district teams to think carefully about how to structure opportunities that show how MTSS can be integrated. There are districts in Kansas that have naturally started implementing MTSS for academics first, and then began MTSS for behavior training later. Other districts have started with MTSS for behavior and moved to MTSS for academics.
In addition, there are districts in Kansas that have allowed each school to choose how to begin implementing MTSS. In these districts, schools are given the choice of either: 1) starting with MTSS for academics; 2) starting with MTSS for behavior, or 3) implementing both simultaneously. Districts that have made these three options available have enabled and empowered each school team and their faculty members to decide how to proceed. Districts that are integrating training for academics and behavior will naturally need to meet together more often than districts that have created two separate sets of MTSS trainings for academics and behavior.
The district MTSS team for both academics and behavior should establish a regular meeting process that is built into the district calendar and posted in advance. Each district should also create a meeting schedule that works best, given the size and organization of the district. Some MTSS for behavior teams meet on a quarterly basis while other MTSS for behavior teams decide to meet monthly and also schedule a joint MTSS academic and behavior meeting quarterly. The key is to schedule these district meetings well in advance, use meeting minutes to record actions and agreements, create a vision and mission statement, and start working on a self-assessment and district action plan.
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