Why MTSS Succeeds When Professional Development Is Human-Centered, Practical, and Connected to Real Work
Districts across the country are working hard to strengthen their Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)—and for good reason.
When implemented well, MTSS improves academic outcomes, reduces behavior challenges, and increases equitable access to supports. But district leaders also know that implementing a systemwide approach is complex. The biggest challenge is preparing and supporting the people who bring MTSS to life every day.
How PD Supports MTSS—and Why One-Size-Fits-All Models Fall Short
MTSS depends on teachers, support staff, school leaders, and district teams all working in concert—using data effectively, coordinating interventions, and maintaining consistent routines. That level of coordination may begin with a single training, but it cannot stop there. Initial training must be followed by ongoing support and embedded professional learning.
A single session—especially on a clearly defined need such as classroom management, Tier 1 instructional routines, student engagement, or foundational SEL practices—can give educators actionable strategies that immediately strengthen their MTSS work.
What a single PD session cannot do—no matter how well designed—is support the system-level change that effective MTSS implementation requires. MTSS depends on ongoing professional learning that is embedded in educators’ daily work: coaching and mentoring, opportunities to reflect and problem-solve in professional learning communities, and continuous use of data to refine practice over time.
Research supports this nuance. Workshops alone can raise awareness and spark initial shifts, but deeper changes to practice require sustained learning, coaching, and alignment across roles (Yoon et al., 2007; Darling-Hammond et al., 2017).
What Educators Really Need for MTSS to Work
For MTSS to function as intended, staff need more than information—they need confidence, clarity, and consistent opportunities to practice and refine how MTSS looks in their daily work. Effective MTSS-aligned PD has several common features:
1. Ongoing and connected to the broader MTSS journey
No district learns MTSS in a single session. Educators need touchpoints over time to revisit expectations, deepen skills, and adjust to evolving student needs. Regular PD—whether monthly workshops, PLC cycles, or coaching—keeps teams aligned and MTSS from becoming “one more thing.”
2. Role-specific and relevant
Because MTSS involves many roles, the learning needs of classroom teachers differ from those of counselors, administrators, or district leaders. Tailored PD helps each role understand how they contribute to the system—without overload or gaps in implementation.
3. Collaborative and team-centered
MTSS thrives when teams coordinate interventions and analyze data together. PD that supports PLCs and team-based routines strengthens shared understanding and promotes consistency across classrooms and grade levels.
4. Supported with coaching
Coaching turns professional learning into practice. Teachers, interventionists, and leaders benefit from real-time guidance as they implement referral processes, analyze data, or strengthen Tier 1 supports. Coaching accelerates mastery and reduces frustration—especially during early implementation.
5. Job-embedded and integrated into daily work
PD has the greatest impact when it’s tied to what educators are already doing—team meetings, data cycles, instructional planning, or family engagement. This reinforces MTSS as part of everyday practice rather than a disconnected initiative.
6. Anchored in two-way engagement
Strong MTSS systems evolve through listening. PD should invite educators to share challenges, reflect on routines, and co-create solutions. When staff experience shapes the system, MTSS becomes more responsive, more equitable, and more sustainable.
A Final Thought
MTSS is ultimately a people-centered system. When districts invest in meaningful, flexible, human-centered PD, educators feel supported rather than overwhelmed—and students benefit from more consistent, equitable supports.
Read about our approach in action
EDC’s Pathways to Effective MTSS for Education & Wellbeing
Professional learning is the centerpiece of EDC's Build pathway to effective MTSS.
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.
Districts use the Build pathway when they're looking for high-quality, adult learning–centered workshops that build districtwide capacity to promote student social-emotional development and academic success.
Featured services: SEL & Wellbeing Professional Development, SEL Adaptive Practice, SEL Leadership