MTSS By Design
  • Home
  • Our Approach
  • MTSS Leaders Fellowship
  • MTSS Leadership Institute
  • Upcoming Presentations
  • Published Insights
  • Podcasts
  • More
    • Home
    • Our Approach
    • MTSS Leaders Fellowship
    • MTSS Leadership Institute
    • Upcoming Presentations
    • Published Insights
    • Podcasts
MTSS By Design
  • Home
  • Our Approach
  • MTSS Leaders Fellowship
  • MTSS Leadership Institute
  • Upcoming Presentations
  • Published Insights
  • Podcasts

Our Approach

Rethinking MTSS

A Framework for Designing Coherent Systems for All Learners

For many schools, MTSS has become synonymous with intervention. While intervention is an important component of a responsive system, MTSS was never intended to function solely as a process for identifying students who need additional support.


At MTSS By Design, we believe MTSS works best when it is understood as a coherent system that responds to the needs of all learners. The question is not: "Which students belong in which tier?" The question is: "How does the system respond to learner needs?" This distinction changes everything.

OUR CORE BELIEFS

Tier 1 Is the Anchor

Every learner deserves access to high-quality core instruction and meaningful learning experiences. We believe Tier 1 serves as the foundation of a strong MTSS framework, creating the conditions that allow support, intervention, extension, and enrichment to operate within one coherent system.

Students Are Not Tiers

Students should never be defined by a tier designation. We believe tiers describe the level of response provided by the system, not the identity of a learner. As needs, strengths, readiness, and circumstances change, learners should move fluidly across available pathways.

Evidence Informs Action

Data should help educators determine the next best response for learners. We believe evidence is most valuable when it informs instructional decisions, guides learner movement, and strengthens systems, rather than being used primarily to sort, label, or categorize students.

Continuous Improvement Is Essential

Effective systems are never finished. We believe MTSS should function as a continuous improvement framework that helps educators regularly examine evidence, evaluate impact, identify barriers, and refine practices. Sustainable improvement occurs when schools consistently learn from their results and adjust in response to the needs of learners.

MTSS Is for All Learners

MTSS should be intentionally designed to serve every learner. We believe effective systems provide pathways for intervention, support, extension, and enrichment, ensuring that all students have access to the opportunities, challenges, and resources they need to grow.

Coherence Drives Results

Sustainable improvement occurs when systems work together toward a shared purpose. We believe schools achieve better outcomes when instruction, assessment, learner support, enrichment, collaborative teams, and leadership practices are aligned within a coherent and responsive framework.

Our Theory of Action

Schools are most effective when designed to respond to the strengths and needs of all learners

If schools intentionally design coherent systems anchored in strong Tier 1 instruction, use evidence to guide decision-making, create responsive pathways for support and challenge, and continuously improve how the system functions, then all learners will experience greater access, engagement, growth, and opportunity.

The MTSS Diamond

The MTSS Diamond positions Tier 1 as the anchor of the system and illustrates how learners move across multiple pathways based on their needs.


Unlike traditional models that can unintentionally emphasize intervention alone, the Diamond highlights the importance of designing equally intentional pathways for supplemental support, intensive intervention, extension opportunities, and enrichment pathways all anchored in Tier 1.

Learners Are Dynamic

The MTSS Diamond reflects the belief that learners continuously grow, change, and develop. Effective systems respond flexibly as strengths, needs, interests, and readiness evolve over time.

Pathways Matter

The MTSS Diamond reflects the belief that learners benefit from multiple pathways for growth. Effective systems respond intentionally through support, intervention, extension, and enrichment over time.

Movement Is the Goal

The MTSS Diamond reflects the belief that learners should move fluidly across pathways. Effective systems respond to evidence by providing appropriate support, challenge, and opportunity over time.

Outcomes we Seek

Strengthening Tier 1

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Designing Responsive Supports

Building instructional systems that provide all learners with access to high-quality learning experiences through strong core instruction and responsive, intentional planning.

Designing Responsive Supports

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Designing Responsive Supports

Creating structures for intervention, progress monitoring, attendance, behavior, and learner support that respond to need without creating fragmentation.

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Ensuring learners have access to opportunities that deepen learning, cultivate talents, expand interests, and encourage continued growth and improvement.

Improving Team Practices

Building Leadership Capacity

Expanding Extension and Enrichment

Developing collaborative structures that help teams use evidence effectively, engage in problem-solving, and make decisions that lead to action.

Building Leadership Capacity

Building Leadership Capacity

Building Leadership Capacity

Supporting leaders in creating conditions for implementation, alignment, continuous improvement, and long-term sustainability.

Elevating Learner Voice

Building Leadership Capacity

Building Leadership Capacity

Creating structures that ensure learners actively participate in goal-setting and decision-making while incorporating learner perspectives into improvement efforts.

Why This Matters

Too often, improvement efforts are implemented as separate initiatives, competing priorities, or disconnected programs.


The MTSS Diamond provides a framework for bringing those efforts together into a coherent system that responds to learners while strengthening the conditions that support success for everyone.


Because effective MTSS is not about where students fit within a framework.

It is about how the framework responds to students.

Interested in Connecting with Dr. Mullins

Complete the form below to begin a conversation

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

MTSS by Design

Copyright © 2026 MTSS By Design - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept