Dodgeville School
District Taking the Lead in MTSS Integration
Last August, all district staff packed into an overheated
DHS Music Room, and heard about the “marriage of RtI and PBIS.” (See Dodgeville
Progress #1, "District Initiatives" to learn about RtI and PBIS.) “MTSS” stands for a Multi-Tiered
System of Supports, a way to merge academic and behavioral systems in the district.
Since summer, we have worked to be as efficient as possible in using data to
make decisions about student progress. And, as the district grows and develops
along these lines, our efforts are being recognized across the state!
Along with other district representatives, I met for a
second time today with technical assistance staff from the Wisconsin
RtI Center, a statewide collaboration between the Cooperative Educational
Service Agency (CESA) Statewide Network and the Wisconsin Department of Public
Instruction (DPI). Lynn Johnson and Heidi Erstad from the Center spent over 2
hours interviewing us about our MTSS Systems and the integration of RtI and
PBIS in our schools.
The Center is creating long-term relationships with a small
handful of districts around the state where high-quality MTSS practices are
being implemented, and we have been chosen to be one of the first districts!
The other districts currently being highlighted include Sun Prairie, Hudson,
and Crandon. Franklin Elementary in West Allis-West Milwaukee has been chosen. Over time, other schools and districts that are also
integrating high-quality MTSS practices into their systems will be brought into
what amounts to an information campaign and technical assistance program.
The campaign and projects will include ongoing stories in
the Center’s newsletter, training opportunities for other districts around the
state reflecting on the models being used in Dodgeville and the other
districts, and use of our district’s practices as examples in networking
sessions for MTSS coaches and others interested in studying our practices.
At the networking sessions, school and district leaders will receive technical
assistance and opportunities to network with peers while planning for fidelity
and sustainability. Conference presentations by Center staff will also use
examples from these districts, including disaggregated student outcome
data. These data will show how our students have grown and how we have closed
achievement gaps for students of color, students with disabilities, and
students who receive free and reduced lunch.
In talking about why Dodgeville was chosen to be among these
select districts, Lynn Johnson said, “Efficient systems are sustainable, and districts
become more efficient by integrating RtI and PBIS systems. Dodgeville has made
enormous strides integrating RtI and PBIS into an MTSS system in a short period
of time.” She continued, “Dodgeville School District recognizes the hard work
that is involved when making a deep systems change. Careful planning at each
level of implementation, along with strong communication is a priority for the
district.”
The WI RtI Center was created to assist Wisconsin schools to
build capacity, adopt and implement high quality practices, ensure
sustainability of efforts and increase success for all students. The Wisconsin
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Network operates within
the Wisconsin RtI Center with a specific focus on behavior. The Center provides
professional development and technical assistance to help schools implement culturally responsive MTSS. They offer statewide workshops on the components in order to establish
consistent foundations upon which schools should build their systems. Considering
the research that has linked academics and behavior achievement, the Center
recommends the implementation of an integrated, culturally-responsive
MTSS. The center’s vision, mission, values, preferred
future, and goals were built around this recommendation.
This post was updated 3/25/14 to avoid confusion with the RtI Center's School of Merit and School of Distinction awards, which includes alignment with research-based practices and validation of student outcomes.
For more information about "Dodgeville
Progress" please contact:
John Humphries, Director of Pupil Services at jhumphries@dsd.k12.wi.us
