{"id":25646,"date":"2025-09-16T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/?p=25646"},"modified":"2026-02-12T15:28:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T23:28:15","slug":"reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2025\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagining MTSS: 4 ways to move from intervention to empowerment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25648 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x300_hero.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x300_hero.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x300_hero-300x106.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x300_hero-768x271.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x300_hero-720x254.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/>Let\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The triangle that doesn\u2019t fit anymore<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve likely seen it, the classic MTSS triangle. It\u2019s been a staple in professional development slides and district frameworks for years. It illustrates three tiers of support:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Tier 1:<\/strong> Core instruction for most students<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tier 2:<\/strong> Targeted support for some<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tier 3:<\/strong> Intensive intervention for a few<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-25655 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x468_MTSSTriangle.png\" alt=\"A triangle infographic shows the three tiers of MTSS supports and indicates that, historically, 80\u201394% of students are in Tier 1, 5\u201315% are in Tier 2, and 1\u20135% are in Tier 3.\" width=\"850\" height=\"468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x468_MTSSTriangle.png 850w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x468_MTSSTriangle-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x468_MTSSTriangle-768x423.png 768w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x468_MTSSTriangle-720x396.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/>In theory, it\u2019s clean and simple. But in practice? It\u2019s no longer holding up. Education researchers are continuing to report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/research\/publication\/technical-brief-recovery-still-elusive-2023-24-student-achievement-highlights-persistent-achievement-gaps-and-a-long-road-ahead\/\">significant achievement gaps following COVID-19 school closures<\/a>, and educators are finding that more and more students are having difficulties with Tier 1 content. The \u201csome\u201d and \u201cfew\u201d categories are swelling, and the triangle\u2019s narrow base no longer reflects the reality in our classrooms. The model assumes a level of readiness and access that many students simply don\u2019t have in the wake of disrupted learning.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t a failure of educators; it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter the MTSS diamond<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike the triangle, the MTSS diamond widens in the middle, representing the growing number of students who need supplemental support. It\u2019s a more accurate, more compassionate model, one that reflects the current educational landscape and the lived experiences of students and teachers alike.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-26231 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1.png\" alt=\"A horizontal diamond displays the three tiers of MTSS support.\" width=\"2958\" height=\"1013\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1.png 2958w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-300x103.png 300w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-1920x658.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-768x263.png 768w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-1536x526.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-2048x701.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/reimagining-mtss-4-ways-to-move-from-intervention-to-empowerment_850x330_MTSSDiamond-1-720x247.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2958px) 100vw, 2958px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the diamond is more than a visual shift; it\u2019s a philosophical one. It challenges us to rethink how we design support\u2014not 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.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructional coherence: The key to acceleration<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructional coherence is the engine of acceleration. When Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports are aligned with Tier 1 instruction, students don\u2019t 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\u2019s not about remediation. It\u2019s about access.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of Tier 1 as the main highway. Tier 2 and Tier 3 are the on ramps. They\u2019re 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\u2019re aligned, students gain both.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This alignment requires intentional planning, shared language, and a commitment to seeing all students as capable of achieving at high levels. It\u2019s not easy, but it <em>is<\/em> essential. Without coherence, instructional delivery becomes fragmented, and students are left navigating disconnected experiences. With coherence, every support becomes a strategic step toward proficiency.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A district that leaned into coherence<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of our partner districts recognized early on that recovery couldn\u2019t be a temporary fix. With more than 9,000 students across 17 schools, the district understood that piecemeal interventions wouldn\u2019t be enough. Instead, they leaned into instructional coherence and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2025\/how-to-use-map-growth-data-to-ask-meaningful-questions\/\">MAP\u00ae Growth\u2122 data<\/a> to guide their MTSS work.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019t pull students away from grade-level content; they pulled them closer to it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MAP Growth provided timely, actionable insights into each student\u2019s 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\u00a0beginning, middle, and end of the year, it offers a consistent rhythm for reflection and recalibration. This cadence allows educators to:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Identify students<\/strong>\u00a0who are just below proficiency and could benefit from short-term, high-impact support<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monitor growth trajectories<\/strong>\u00a0to determine whether interventions are working or need to be adjusted<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reshuffle support groups<\/strong>\u00a0based on evolving needs, ensuring that MTSS remains fluid and responsive rather than static and siloed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MAP Growth also strengthens MTSS frameworks by providing:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2025\/whats-new-in-the-2025-map-growth-norms\/\"><strong>Norm-referenced data<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>that compares student performance to national peers, helping educators understand how students are performing relative to grade-level expectations<\/li>\n<li><strong>Linking studies<\/strong>\u00a0that connect MAP Growth scores to state summative assessments, allowing educators to\u00a0predict proficiency\u00a0and intervene early\u2014before students fall behind<\/li>\n<li><strong>Growth comparisons to like peers<\/strong>, which help educators evaluate whether students are growing at expected rates compared to others with similar starting points<\/li>\n<li><strong>Instructional area breakdowns<\/strong>\u00a0to pinpoint specific skill gaps, enabling more precise and personalized support<\/li>\n<li><strong>Growth goals<\/strong>, which empower students to take ownership of their learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>A <strong>35% decrease<\/strong> in students requiring foundational <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2025\/5-ways-to-boost-reading-fluency-for-middle-and-high-school-students\/\">reading intervention in grades 6\u20138<\/a><\/li>\n<li>A <strong>27% decrease<\/strong> in students needing Tier 2 intensive comprehension support<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>41% drop<\/strong> in students classified as two or more years below grade level in math<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students are not the numbers\u2014or the tiers<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to get lost in the metrics. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/map-growth\/\">MAP Growth<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2025\/how-the-map-growth-rit-scale-offers-valuable-insights-into-student-growth\/\">RIT score<\/a>, growth percentiles, and proficiency bands are all useful tools, but they\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as students are not the numbers, students are not the tiers. A child receiving Tier 3 support is not a \u201cTier 3 student.\u201d These tiers are meant to describe the intensity of support\u2014not 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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is why the purpose of MTSS must be clear. It\u2019s not about sorting students. It <em>is<\/em> about supporting them. It <em>is<\/em> about ensuring that every learner, regardless of where they start, has a pathway to grade-level outcomes. Because outcomes are what unlock opportunity. They\u2019re what determine whether students can access rigorous coursework, graduate with options, and pursue futures they choose.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 best practices for a strong MTSS framework<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So how do we build a system that lasts? One that\u2019s not just reactive, but proactive? One that\u2019s not just efficient, but capable of reaching all students? It all starts with foundational structures that support coherence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.<\/p>\n<h2><em>1. Ensure grade-level meetings (GLMs) are anchored in both quantitative and qualitative data<\/em><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GLMs should be more than a review of spreadsheets. They should be spaces for storytelling, reflection, and action.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/p>\n<h2><em>2. Prioritize unified WIN time across grade levels to target instruction<\/em><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat I Need\u201d (WIN) time is a powerful tool\u2014when it\u2019s used with intention.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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\u2019s okay. WIN time becomes a space for acceleration, not just remediation.<\/p>\n<h2><em>3. Offer common planning periods to foster collaboration and collective efficacy<\/em><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructional coherence doesn\u2019t happen in isolation. It requires time, trust, and teamwork.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">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.<\/p>\n<h2><em>4. Support ongoing data chats and reshuffling to ensure supports evolve with student needs<\/em><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MTSS is not a static system. Students grow, circumstances shift, and supports must evolve.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular data chats\u2014where teams review progress, reassess needs, and reshuffle groups\u2014keep 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.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What you can do tomorrow<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re ready to rethink your MTSS system, here are a few steps to get you started:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Audit your instructional coherence.<\/strong> Are your supports aligned with core instruction, or are they operating in silos?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use data to guide, not define, students.<\/strong> Look beyond the numbers. Create space for reshuffling, reflection, and growth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Embrace the diamond.<\/strong> Recognize that many students need support and that\u2019s not a problem to fix, but a reality to honor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These aren\u2019t just technical shifts; they\u2019re cultural ones. And they start with you.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We often celebrate growth, and rightly so. It reflects effort, resilience, and progress. But growth alone isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we prioritize outcomes, we\u2019re not abandoning growth; we\u2019re giving it purpose. We\u2019re saying that every student deserves to reach grade-level proficiency, not just move closer to it. Because proficiency isn\u2019t just an academic benchmark. It\u2019s also a gateway to opportunity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MTSS is more than a framework. It\u2019s 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\u2019s make that promise real.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":25651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"MTSS isn\u2019t just a framework. It\u2019s a promise that support leads to success, every student can thrive, and outcomes are reachable by all.","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[622,924,647],"grade_level":[830,831,832,833],"product":[835],"theme":[],"coauthors":[{"id":298,"name":"Samantha Mullins, NWEA","link":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/author\/samanthamullins\/","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Samantha-Mullins-bio-pic-3-24x24.jpg","48":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Samantha-Mullins-bio-pic-3-48x48.jpg","96":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Samantha-Mullins-bio-pic-3-96x96.jpg"}},{"id":350,"name":"Dave Harwell, HMH","link":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/author\/daveharwell\/","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/David-Harwell-bio-pic-24x24.png","48":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/David-Harwell-bio-pic-48x48.png","96":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/09\/David-Harwell-bio-pic-96x96.png"}}],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.14 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Reimagining MTSS: 4 ways to move from intervention to empowerment - Teach. 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