As school districts across the country are devoting more and more resources to implementing high-quality Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) practices, many district personnel are trying to figure out where the money will come from to fund such initiatives. While some funds may be available for school districts to improve their MTSS practices, many funding sources are available for school districts to implement specific components of MTSS—either across the school/district or specifically for specific targeted populations of students.  

As MTSS is a long-term practice, federal funding remains the most sustained source of funding for school and district programs. State formula funding is variable and subject to state education budgets, while state competitive grants are often funded annually but will require districts to file grant applications for each cycle. Districts may have to look to several grant sources and combine them to fund MTSS..

Federal funding for your Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) can be complicated. Districts face limited resources and relatively inflexible traditional federal funding streams. But, it is worth revisiting available funding mechanisms and considering new funding approaches to implement MTSS and MTSS Software.