The Role of Special Education in a Multi-tiered System of Supports

The multi-tiered system of supports is an organizational system that was developed to ensure all students receive the required individualized academic and behavioral services. It is a proactive process that enables educators to determine the specific deficiencies experienced by students. This early warning system identifies students who do not make adequate progress and matches student needs with the appropriate interventions. If the specific interventions used do not meet student needs, other interventions are attempted. Students are less likely to be prematurely identified as eligible for special education as their needs may be met by specific intervention (Colorado Department of Education, 2012).

In my capacity as Special Education Coordinator, my job is to ensure that the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is in place and all team members, from teachers to parents, are aware of their roles in support of the students. It is the responsibility of each team member to know their part in the process and to ensure that students’ needs are met. This ensures that only students with true special needs are identified for staffing into the appropriate special education eligibility area (Bufum, 2012).

Colorado Department of Education (2012). Creating the conditions for success: A case study of three Thompson schools’ RtI and PBIS frameworks. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Bufum, A., mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IA: Solution Tree Press.