Quick look: State leaders were briefed Thursday on the progress of the California MTSS framework, which has demonstrated success in both rural and urban settings by boosting student outcomes and aligning major initiatives. OCDE and Butte County are seeking continued funding to sustain and build on these gains.
Nearly 10 years into the statewide scale-up of the California Multi-Tiered System of Support framework, schools are seeing measurable gains in academic achievement, reductions in suspensions and absenteeism, and stronger alignment between major educational initiatives. But the job’s not finished.
That was the message delivered Thursday during a virtual state briefing hosted by the Orange County Department of Education and the Butte County Office of Education, which brought together legislative staff and education partners to highlight the outcomes — and the need for continued investment.
“Your investment throughout the years has truly just been so transformational in how we support every student — academically, behaviorally, and socially and emotionally,” said Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean. “This nine-year partnership has laid the foundation for a statewide framework that is equity-driven, data-informed and student-centered. Together, we have created a model that is not just a program, but a framework for transformation.”
California MTSS helps schools organize the way they educate and serve students through three levels of support: universal strategies for all learners, supplemental help for those who need more, and intensive interventions for students with the greatest needs. Educators say this approach allows schools to respond proactively to student needs while strengthening systems to be more coordinated, effective and sustainable.
The framework — OCDE was tapped to be the statewide lead in 2016 — has also proven adaptable across California’s diverse educational landscape, from small rural districts and alternative education settings to large urban and suburban school systems.
“California has become a leader nationally in supporting the MTSS framework for teachers, site staff, district and county leaders,” said Dr. Jami Parsons, OCDE’s executive director of Educational Services. “This provides the connective tissue of various initiatives to serve all students. California MTSS builds capacity to design and implement whole-child approaches to advance learning and the well-being of students.”
Aligning state initiatives
Parsons noted that California MTSS is not another new initiative to layer on top of others. Instead, it brings clarity and structure to what schools are already doing — reinforcing and enhancing statewide efforts like Community Schools, Universal PreKindergarten, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative.
“This is not about adding something new,” Parsons said. “California MTSS builds the foundation to help other state initiatives succeed.”
Speakers, including leaders from Butte County, shared numerous examples of success from the field, including increased assessment scores in English and math, reductions in special education referrals, and improvements in school climate and student engagement. Schools that fully implemented California MTSS outperformed comparable schools with similar student populations and demographics that did not use the framework.
To support that momentum, OCDE and the Butte County Office of Education are requesting approximately $18 million per year for four years, with two-thirds of that funding going directly to region leads, county offices, districts and schools — including those impacted by wildfires or other crises.
A strategic investment
Those dollars would fund coaching, professional development, research and trauma-informed practices, along with continued support for the statewide CA MTSS Professional Learning Institute, set to take place in July.
“MTSS implementation is an evidence-based, cost-effective and impactful approach to strengthening California’s education system,” Parsons said. “It’s a strategic investment that can diminish the future need for differentiated assistance and result in greater fiscal efficiency and educational equity.”
Dr. Bean concluded the session by pointing out that he struggled early in his education as an immigrant and a student with disabilities. It wasn’t until middle school, when a support system was finally in place, that he began to thrive.
“I will say this — in my years of experience, we often see initiative fatigue,” the county superintendent said. “But if people realize that those initiatives really fit under the MTSS umbrella, it begins to make sense in how we support individual kids.”