Let’s be real. Educators are navigating a landscape that looks nothing like it did five years ago. The pandemic may be in the rearview mirror, but its impact on student learning is still very much present. Achievement gaps have widened, growth has slowed, and more students than ever need support. So what do we do? We reimagine the MTSS model, not just as a framework, but as a living, breathing structure that adapts to the needs of our students. We move from a model of intervention to one of empowerment where support is not a signal of failure, but a pathway to success.
The triangle that doesn’t fit anymore
You’ve likely seen it, the classic MTSS triangle. It’s been a staple in professional development slides and district frameworks for years. It illustrates three tiers of support:
- Tier 1: Core instruction for most students
- Tier 2: Targeted support for some
- Tier 3: Intensive intervention for a few
In theory, it’s clean and simple. But in practice? It’s no longer holding up. Education researchers are continuing to report significant achievement gaps following COVID-19 school closures, and educators are finding that more and more students are having difficulties with Tier 1 content. The “some” and “few” categories are swelling, and the triangle’s narrow base no longer reflects the reality in our classrooms. The model assumes a level of readiness and access that many students simply don’t have in the wake of disrupted learning.
This isn’t a failure of educators; it’s a signal that the system needs to evolve. The triangle, once a helpful visual, now risks oversimplifying the complexity of student needs and the depth of support required.
Enter the MTSS diamond
Unlike the triangle, the MTSS diamond widens in the middle, representing the growing number of students who need supplemental support. It’s a more accurate, more compassionate model, one that reflects the current educational landscape and the lived experiences of students and teachers alike.
But the diamond is more than a visual shift; it’s a philosophical one. It challenges us to rethink how we design support—not as a hierarchy of deficits, but as a continuum of access. It invites us to build systems that are flexible, responsive, and deeply rooted in the mission to serve all students. In the diamond model, Tier 2 and Tier 3 are not destinations but pathways to proficiency. Because every student, regardless of where they begin, deserves access to grade-level learning and the opportunity to thrive.
Instructional coherence: The key to acceleration
Instructional coherence is the engine of acceleration. When Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports are aligned with Tier 1 instruction, students don’t just catch up; they move forward faster. Coherence ensures that no matter what tier a student is in, they are still connected to grade-level learning. It’s not about remediation. It’s about access.
Think of Tier 1 as the main highway. Tier 2 and Tier 3 are the on ramps. They’re not detours or side roads but are, instead, designed to lead students back into the flow of grade-level content. When supports are disconnected from Tier 1, students lose time and traction. But when they’re aligned, students gain both.
This alignment requires intentional planning, shared language, and a commitment to seeing all students as capable of achieving at high levels. It’s not easy, but it is essential. Without coherence, instructional delivery becomes fragmented, and students are left navigating disconnected experiences. With coherence, every support becomes a strategic step toward proficiency.
A district that leaned into coherence
One of our partner districts recognized early on that recovery couldn’t be a temporary fix. With more than 9,000 students across 17 schools, the district understood that piecemeal interventions wouldn’t be enough. Instead, they leaned into instructional coherence and MAP® Growth™ data to guide their MTSS work.
Rather than treating Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports as separate tracks, they focused on aligning all instruction to Tier 1 goals. Their interventions didn’t pull students away from grade-level content; they pulled them closer to it.
MAP Growth provided timely, actionable insights into each student’s proximity to grade-level standards, allowing educators to design supports that were not only targeted but also accelerated student progress. Because MAP Growth is administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the year, it offers a consistent rhythm for reflection and recalibration. This cadence allows educators to:
- Identify students who are just below proficiency and could benefit from short-term, high-impact support
- Monitor growth trajectories to determine whether interventions are working or need to be adjusted
- Reshuffle support groups based on evolving needs, ensuring that MTSS remains fluid and responsive rather than static and siloed
MAP Growth also strengthens MTSS frameworks by providing:
- Norm-referenced data that compares student performance to national peers, helping educators understand how students are performing relative to grade-level expectations
- Linking studies that connect MAP Growth scores to state summative assessments, allowing educators to predict proficiency and intervene early—before students fall behind
- Growth comparisons to like peers, which help educators evaluate whether students are growing at expected rates compared to others with similar starting points
- Instructional area breakdowns to pinpoint specific skill gaps, enabling more precise and personalized support
- Growth goals, which empower students to take ownership of their learning
By integrating these insights into their MTSS system, the district ensured that every support was not only evidence-based but also focused on accelerating access to grade-level learning for all students. The results were powerful:
- A 35% decrease in students requiring foundational reading intervention in grades 6–8
- A 27% decrease in students needing Tier 2 intensive comprehension support
- A 41% drop in students classified as two or more years below grade level in math
Students are not the numbers—or the tiers
It’s easy to get lost in the metrics. A MAP Growth RIT score, growth percentiles, and proficiency bands are all useful tools, but they’re not the whole story. Behind every data point is a learner with unique strengths, lived experiences, and aspirations. Data can help us understand where a student is, but it can never fully capture who they are.
Just as students are not the numbers, students are not the tiers. A child receiving Tier 3 support is not a “Tier 3 student.” These tiers are meant to describe the intensity of support—not the identity of the learner. When we begin to equate students with the level of intervention they receive, we risk turning temporary scaffolds into permanent labels. MTSS must be fluid, not fixed. It must reflect the belief that every student can grow, accelerate, and reach grade-level proficiency with the right support.
This is why the purpose of MTSS must be clear. It’s not about sorting students. It is about supporting them. It is about ensuring that every learner, regardless of where they start, has a pathway to grade-level outcomes. Because outcomes are what unlock opportunity. They’re what determine whether students can access rigorous coursework, graduate with options, and pursue futures they choose.
A comprehensive, thoughtful MTSS system sees students as whole people. It integrates academic data with social-emotional insights, cultural context, and educator expertise. It goes beyond tracking progress to building possibility.
4 best practices for a strong MTSS framework
So how do we build a system that lasts? One that’s not just reactive, but proactive? One that’s not just efficient, but capable of reaching all students? It all starts with foundational structures that support coherence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
1. Ensure grade-level meetings (GLMs) are anchored in both quantitative and qualitative data
GLMs should be more than a review of spreadsheets. They should be spaces for storytelling, reflection, and action.
When educators bring together assessment data, classroom observations, and student work, they gain a fuller picture of student needs. These meetings become opportunities to co-design supports, share strategies, and celebrate growth. They also ensure that decisions are grounded in both evidence and empathy.
2. Prioritize unified WIN time across grade levels to target instruction
“What I Need” (WIN) time is a powerful tool—when it’s used with intention.
A unified WIN structure across grade levels ensures that every student receives targeted instruction, not just those with the loudest needs. It creates a predictable rhythm for support, allows for flexible grouping, and reinforces the idea that everyone needs something, and that’s okay. WIN time becomes a space for acceleration, not just remediation.
3. Offer common planning periods to foster collaboration and collective efficacy
Instructional coherence doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires time, trust, and teamwork.
Common planning periods give educators the space to align instruction, co-plan interventions, and reflect on student progress. These moments of collaboration build collective efficacy, the belief that, together, we can make a difference. And when teachers feel supported and connected, students benefit.
4. Support ongoing data chats and reshuffling to ensure supports evolve with student needs
MTSS is not a static system. Students grow, circumstances shift, and supports must evolve.
Regular data chats—where teams review progress, reassess needs, and reshuffle groups—keep the system dynamic and responsive. These conversations reinforce the idea that support is fluid, not fixed, and that every student deserves the opportunity to move forward.
What you can do tomorrow
If you’re ready to rethink your MTSS system, here are a few steps to get you started:
- Audit your instructional coherence. Are your supports aligned with core instruction, or are they operating in silos?
- Use data to guide, not define, students. Look beyond the numbers. Create space for reshuffling, reflection, and growth.
- Embrace the diamond. Recognize that many students need support and that’s not a problem to fix, but a reality to honor.
These aren’t just technical shifts; they’re cultural ones. And they start with you.
Final thoughts
We often celebrate growth, and rightly so. It reflects effort, resilience, and progress. But growth alone isn’t enough. What truly matters is where students land. Outcomes are what shape futures. They determine whether students can read proficiently, reason mathematically, and engage critically with the world around them. They are the difference between limited options and limitless possibility.
When we prioritize outcomes, we’re not abandoning growth; we’re giving it purpose. We’re saying that every student deserves to reach grade-level proficiency, not just move closer to it. Because proficiency isn’t just an academic benchmark. It’s also a gateway to opportunity.
MTSS is more than a framework. It’s a promise. A promise that support leads to success. That every student can thrive. That outcomes are not reserved for some and are reachable by all. Let’s make that promise real.
