Effective MTSS requires clear direction through complex system work. EDC guides districts through four interconnected pathways—Build, Assess, Focus, and Create—to align, strengthen, and sustain your MTSS practices across academics, behavior, and mental health.
Effective MTSS
Implementing an effective multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is complex work that requires long-term capacity building, thoughtful change management, and system-wide transformation.
Districts often launch MTSS initiatives with enthusiasm but struggle to make progress as competing priorities pull schools in different directions. Many experience MTSS as inconsistent, fragmented, or overwhelming.
Whether your district is just beginning or building on past work, EDC helps you move forward through coordinated professional development, planning, implementing, coaching, and evaluation.
Our pathways function as flexible entry points or continuation routes, helping districts take the right next step while keeping the broader goal of effective MTSS in sight.
EDC's Four Pathways
- BUILD foundational skills and buy-in
The Build pathway supports districts that need to establish shared understanding and develop common MTSS language. High-quality professional learning builds staff capacity and prepares school communities for deeper MTSS work.
Use this pathway when your district needs to:
- Develop a unified understanding of MTSS
- Clarify expectations across roles and schools
- Strengthen integration of SEL, mental health, and academic practices
- Increase readiness and buy-in for consistent implementation
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Featured services: SEL & Wellbeing Professional Development, SEL Adaptive Practice, SEL Leadership
- ASSESS practices to identify next steps
The Assess pathway helps districts examine current MTSS systems to identify strengths, areas for growth, and opportunities to increase alignment across academic, SEL, behavioral, and mental health supports. Through structured assessment and reflection, districts gain clarity on where MTSS is working well and where strengthening is needed.
Use this pathway when your district needs to:
- Identify strengths and opportunities for growth across schools and systems
- Increase alignment between MTSS design and daily practice
- Gather actionable insights to guide decision-making
- Prioritize next steps and develop action plans to strengthen effectiveness
Featured services: MTSS Audit, Rapid Assessment and Action Planning for MTSS
- FOCUS on priority student and staff needs
The Focus pathway supports districts in strengthening MTSS implementation by targeting specific system elements or priority areas where greater clarity, consistency, or alignment is needed. Districts may use this pathway to deepen implementation of core MTSS processes or to address urgent or emerging student and staff needs within an existing MTSS framework.
Use this pathway when your district needs to:
- Strengthen implementation of specific MTSS components (e.g., data systems, student support team processes, or tiered interventions)
- Improve alignment and consistency of practices across schools or tiers
- Address priority SEL, behavioral, mental health, or wellbeing concerns
- Build momentum while staying connected to broader MTSS effectiveness
Featured services: Multi-Tiered Suicide Prevention for Schools, Educator Wellness, Digital Wellbeing Professional Development
- CREATE customized district tools and plans
The Create pathway is for designing or refining the tools, resources, and procedures needed to operationalize MTSS effectively and consistently across schools. This pathway focuses on translating MTSS goals and priorities into practical, usable products that support day-to-day implementation.
Use this pathway when your district needs to:
- Develop or refine tiered curricula, interventions, or instructional resources
- Create or update MTSS tools such as referral forms, student support team templates, or implementation monitoring tools
- Clarify procedures, roles, and decision-making routines within MTSS
- Strengthen coherence and sustainability of MTSS practices across schools
Featured services: Education & Wellbeing Consultation, SEL Leadership
Ready to Strengthen Your MTSS Approach?
No matter where you are on your MTSS journey, EDC is here to help you chart a clear, achievable path forward.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is effective MTSS?
Effective MTSS is aligned, strengthened, and sustainable in practice. It means academic, behavioral, SEL, and mental health supports are coordinated across schools, roles, and tiers—and implemented in ways educators can maintain over time.
- Where should our district begin?
Anywhere. The four pathways—Build, Assess, Focus, and Create—are flexible entry points or continuation routes depending on your district’s current priorities.
- Can we use multiple pathways at once?
Yes. Districts often move between pathways or use several simultaneously. Every route supports forward progress on the MTSS journey.
- How long does MTSS effectiveness take?
Every district’s path is different. Some begin with foundational professional learning, others with evaluation or targeted supports. We help districts make steady progress at a pace that matches their goals and capacity.
- What makes EDC's approach different?
We don’t push a one-size-fits-all model. Our pathways allow districts to progress in ways that match their context, capacity, and needs while still moving toward coherent alignment.
- How do I get funding for my district to do this work?
Districts typically use a mix of federal, state, and local funding sources to support MTSS-related work. Many EDC services align with allowable uses under mental health, school improvement, and related grants. We can help clarify funding options and provide language for proposals or budget requests.