Quick look: At the 2025 California MTSS Professional Learning Institute in Anaheim, four educators led personal TED-style talks that showcased how the MTSS framework can rebuild trust, strengthen family‑school partnerships and transform schools — sharing their educational experiences with over 2,400 attendees.
“MTSS isn’t just an initiative, it’s a necessity — it’s the foundation where every student has the opportunity to succeed.”
That’s how Humboldt County Office of Education Program Manager Marci Zeppegno closed her story during the “Voices of Impact” session at this year’s California MTSS Professional Learning Institute, drawing applause from teachers, counselors and district leaders in the arena.
In just 15 minutes each, four speakers — a principal, a program manager, a parent-turned-advocate and an assistant superintendent — shared deeply personal accounts of how they have used the California Multi-Tiered System of Support to build trust, foster growth and change outcomes for students, families and staff.
Held July 22–24 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the 2025 California MTSS Professional Learning Institute welcomed more than 2,400 educators, school support staff, administrators and community leaders under the theme “Unite, Empower, Impact.”
California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support is a comprehensive framework that helps schools respond more effectively to student needs through existing resources and programs. Utilizing universal, targeted and intensive tiers of support, educators rely on data-driven approaches to ensure student’s academic, behavioral and social-emotional growth.
With 260 presenters sharing their insights on putting data-driven supports in place for students, the three-day conference featured experts across the nation, from Harvard scholars to educational consultants, while centering the voices of everyday educators making a difference.
The eighth annual institute also placed a spotlight on the students at the heart of MTSS, with performances from La Quinta High School’s dance team and Los Alamitos High School’s marching band.
Creating lasting change
Among the sessions was “Voices of Impact,” a TED-style storytelling series held on the final day. Orange County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean opened the session with a reminder of the importance of educating and leading with empathy.
“When we unite as educators, families, leaders and human beings, when we lead with heart, power and purpose, we don’t just change outcomes — we impact lives,” said Dr. Bean.
Principal Salvador Arias of Community Learning Center in Bakersfield was the first featured speaker. To better serve the needs of his seventh- through 12th-grade students, Arias described how the staff integrated California MTSS practices to improve academics, reduce discipline issues and, most importantly, rebuild trust with families and the community. Their goal was to reduce suspensions by 10 percent — and they exceeded it.
One of his students, 14-year-old Jose Mendoza, shared how he went from being labeled a “bad kid” in sixth grade to reconnecting with learning through visual aids and individualized instruction led by his teacher.
Next was Zeppegno, the Humboldt County Office of Education program manager, who connected her own experiences of feeling seen and heard as a young student to her current work creating inclusive environments at schools and districts throughout Humboldt County.
Through the implementation of the California MTSS framework, Zeppegno detailed how “replacing isolation with collaboration and ensuring that no child fell through the cracks” changed learning communities for the better.
“Belonging is more than a feeling, it’s a condition for learning,” Zeppegno said.
Rowland Unified School District parent and community leader Betty Garcia followed with a story about how a moment of frustration opened a new chapter in her relationship with her child’s school. When her son faced behavioral and academic challenges, she considered pulling him from school — until the principal invited her to partner with teachers on a plan for support.
That collaboration helped her son succeed and showed Garcia the power of school-family partnerships, a key element of the California MTSS framework. She now helps other families engage through Rowland Unified’s Family Resource Center, the Parent Teacher Organization and Family Connect program, ensuring more students flourish.
Assistant Superintendent Tina Keene of the Chico Unified School District closed the series by sharing how her district prioritized “intentional success” by aligning its goals with the California MTSS framework. Once an assistant principal at a school described as chaotic and failing, Keene now helps lead districtwide adoption of MTSS across all 23 school sites. By focusing on universal, supplemental and intensive supports, Chico Unified has transformed learning environments and strengthened the connection between belonging and academic instruction.
Bringing systems into focus
In his final remarks, Dr. Bean encouraged the more than 2,400 attendees to continue sharing, learning and carrying forward the impact reflected in the stories told onstage and throughout the learning institute.
“Unite, empower and impact don’t begin with programs,” Dr. Bean said. “They begin with you.”
The ninth annual California MTSS Professional Learning Institute is slated to take place July 14-16, 2026 at the Anaheim Marriott. For more information about the California MTSS framework or upcoming professional development opportunities, visit the CA MTSS PLI webpage.