Educators know that meetings are a big part of the job—especially MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) meetings, which are all about figuring out how to best support students who need extra help. But without proper planning and focus, these meetings can quickly go from being super helpful to feeling like a total waste of time.

Jodee Nelson, a Title 1 Coordinator and K-3 Reading Specialist from Lincoln County, Wyoming, with nearly 20 years of experience, recently shared her tips on how to make MTSS meetings more effective for both students and teachers. 

One of the most effective ways to provide intervention for secondary students is through a school-wide WIN (What I Need)period. WIN is a scheduled but flexible time block where teachers provide targeted support and enrichment to students based on their individual needs. WIN time should be planned to include both intervention and enrichment.

When launching a school-wide or district-wide initiative like WIN time, several legitimate concerns arise:

• How do we schedule the time with all the competing priorities?
• What should teachers do with the time?
• How do we ensure dynamic groups allow students to move in and out as needed?
• How do we support teachers in effectively implementing interventions? 

Close your eyes (while reading this may be difficult, but just play along)… and imagine stepping into a Student Support Team Meeting with an automated agenda rich with recent student academic and behavioral context. As you start the meeting, real-time note capture kicks in and summarizes your discussion with colleagues and parents. 

Together, your team creates a plan that is laser-focused on measurable student outcomes. The meeting ends with a review of the plan along with clear, organized next steps. 

Now open your eyes! This scenario is not a dream but a new reality, thanks to the Branching Minds Meeting Assistant.💡

If you’re like me, you have questions about how it works. So as we dig in, I’d like to share the Branching Minds approach to AI in education!

As we bid farewell to 2024 (what a year it's been!) and prepare for the new year, it’s the perfect time to highlight some of the game-changing MTSS resources and stories you loved this year!

From improving reading outcomes to creating behavioral support systems that work for students and teachers, these resources can help enhance your MTSS intervention strategies for 2025. 

Educators and school leaders across the nation are navigating the complexities of implementing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). While the framework offers data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes, it requires significant effort to execute effectively. During our 2023 MTSS Summit, Dr. Judy Elliott and Dr. George Batsche, leading experts on MTSS, joined us to share their insights on the current trends, challenges, and methodologies shaping MTSS. 

Before becoming a professional development consultant with Branching Minds, I spent 34 years in the roles of teacher, interventionist, and instructional specialist; and I’m currently supporting a school district as they continue to improve their MTSS system. My roles allow me to spend time with teachers and administrators from all over the country. And while fall has everyone drinking, eating, and smelling all things pumpkin...for those in education, this season also ushers in a time of data and stress.

Universal Screening

At the beginning, middle, and end of year, scores from universal screening come rolling in.  Universal Screeners are a standardized assessment tool to help educators evaluate whether core instruction is effective, and to identify students who need additional support. (Jenkins, Hudson, & Johnson, 2007). 

After administering the universal screener to students, we want to see that at least 80% of students are achieving success with core instruction alone and do not need intervention support. This is the measure of an effective Tier 1 core instructional program!

Tier 2 and Tier 3 Supports in MTSS

Approximately 10% to 15% of students perform below their grade-level expectations and require additional Tier 2 instructional intervention beyond the universal classroom instruction all students receive. These students benefit from targeted small group sessions, allowing educators to address specific gaps in understanding and performance. Furthermore, about 5% of students exhibit performance well below their grade level, highlighting a need for Tier 3 individualized intervention. This involves intensive, often one-on-one, tailored instruction designed to meet unique learning needs and to bridge significant educational gaps.

“Literacy is the foundation of all learning. When students struggle with reading, they struggle with everything else in school,” Dr. Katherine McKnight 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days—from students using ChatGPT to “help” with essays, to teachers finding creative ways to use it for lesson planning. So, what does AI really mean for educators, and how can it be a tool to make their lives easier rather than more complicated?

Ah, the sweet sounds of “back to school.” If you work with preschool or elementary students, though, those sounds might include a screaming kindergartener who refuses to enter the classroom, the yelp of a teacher as a youngster surprises her with a swift kick, or the walkie notification that a student has escaped the building and is on top of the playground equipment. Tiny people can cause big disruptions!

Success in school and in life is not about being the smartest in the room; it’s about how well you can manage yourself and navigate the challenges you face every day.  Executive functioning—the ability to manage tasks, time, and emotions—plays a crucial role in students’ growth and learning. But what is the best way to help students develop these skills? One key lies in enhancing our own executive functioning skills, creating an environment in which we intentionally practice and model these soft skills in our daily interactions with students and colleagues.