From Tier 2 to Tier 1: Tracking MTSS Success Across 12 Buildings

Tier 1/2 Students

Baseline (2022) Steadily declining

Improving

Buildings Using Platform

0 12

District-wide

Intervention Alignment

Inconsistent Structured & shared

Unified

Symptom

With 12 buildings across elementary, middle, and high school, Shenendehowa had no way to see whether MTSS was working at a district level. Each building tracked interventions differently. Some used spreadsheets, others used paper, and a few didn't track at all. The district knew it had an MTSS plan but couldn't answer: "Is it actually reducing the number of students who need intensive support?"

People

Aaron Girard synchronized data across all buildings. Sara Schneller tracked district-level outcomes. Team: - Aaron Girard — Elementary Data & Instruction Coach - Sara Schneller — Director of Student Learning & Data Accountability - Vanessa Cramer — 6-12 Instructional Coach - Building-level intervention teams

Data

Girard and Cramer synchronized data from all 11 buildings, ensuring that teachers had meaningful, actionable insights into their students' progress. Intervention services teachers use the platform to share goals, progress, and strategies with classroom teachers. "We've seen our numbers of Tier 1 and Tier 2 students steadily decline since implementation," says Schneller. "It's helped us confirm that we're identifying the right students."

Plan

The district built a unified tracking system across all buildings: 1. Standardized data entry: All buildings use the same platform with consistent factor definitions and assessment schedules. This makes cross-building comparison meaningful. 2. Shared intervention protocols: Academic intervention services teachers share goals, progress, and strategies with classroom teachers through the platform rather than informal hallway conversations. 3. District-level reporting: Schneller can pull tier counts across all buildings to see whether MTSS is working at scale — not just in individual classrooms. "This structured approach ensures that everyone is aligned and working toward the same goals for each student," says Girard. "The possibilities it offers — whether through streamlining processes or enabling deeper data analysis — are transforming how we work."

Resources

Shenendehowa Case Study (PDF)

Full case study from Mr. Elmer