WCSD Academic Intervention Services/Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS)
Wallkill Central School District Academic Intervention Services/Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS)
Wallkill Central School District, 1500 Route 208, PO Box 310, Wallkill, New York 12589
(845) 895-7103, Fax: (845) 895-8079
Anthony White, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
The Wallkill Central School District is committed to helping all children succeed both academically and socially. In order to ensure that all of our children are receiving the curriculum and assistance they may need in mastering the curriculum, the District has adopted Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS), which is a multi-step process of providing educational support and instruction to children who are struggling learners. Individual student progress is monitored, and results are used to make decisions about further instruction and intervention. MTSS is most commonly used in addressing problems with reading, writing and math.
The key component of the MTSS process is that all students participate in universal screenings. Universal screenings review the progress of all students through State and District test scores and other academic screenings administered to all students. These screenings help the school identify students who may need more support or other types of instruction.
In addition to State test results, the Wallkill Central School District utilizes the following screening tools to identify students in need of assistance:
- STAR Math and Reading
- District Benchmark Assessments
- Report card grades
- Classroom assessments
- Wilson (FUNdations) (K-3) assessments
- Literacy Footprints
As a result of the screenings, a student may be identified as needing targeted assistance in addition to high quality instruction they are receiving in the classroom. Research-based interventions are used to support students in the areas they are experiencing difficulty.
The MTSS process is comprised of three tiers. Each tier provides differing levels of support for students.
In tier 1, all students receive high quality curriculum and instruction in the regular education classroom. The teacher assists all learners.
In tier 2, the school provides interventions to students who need more support in order to be successful. This support is based on individual student needs and is administered by the classroom teacher in the regular education setting. Small group instruction and additional teaching materials may be used to meet the needs of the learner. Student progress is monitored, and the interventions may change as a result of the progress the student has made.
In tier 3, students are often pulled from the regular classroom setting for additional instruction in reading, writing, and/or math. The instruction is provided in a small group setting and student progress is monitored on a daily basis.
In addition to MTSS, the District also provides academic intervention services (AIS) such as:
- Reduced class size numbers
- Classroom teacher aide time to assist with small groups in the Kindergarten classrooms
- Speech improvement services for those students in need of such at the elementary level
- After-school assistance
- Summer programs for students
- Small group instruction in the classroom setting
- Additional programming, such as homework labs, for 7-12 students
- Reading labs for K-12 students
- Math labs for 3-12 students
- Researched based computer programs such as: e-Spark, RAZ, Freckle, Lexia, IXL Math/ELA and Starfall
Multi-Tier System of Support/MTSS Links