Based on a 2017 blog post originally published by Dr. Trish Hatch, this article has been updated to reflect the evolving landscape of the tiered prevention framework known widely as Multi-Tiered System of Supports. 

The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a comprehensive framework that addresses the academic and behavioral needs of all students within the educational system (Cowan, et al., 2013; Hawken et al., 2008). Proactive and prevention-based, MTSS integrates data-based decision-making with a continuum of supports, including high-quality instruction and evidence-based interventions, to maximize student achievement. 

Research shows that schools benefit from having available multiple evidence-based interventions of varying intensity to meet the range of behavioral, social-emotional, and academic needs of all students (Anderson & Borgmeier, 2010). One essential component of MTSS is the continuum of supports (see Fig. 1 below) with data-informed allocation of services and supports to identify and address the needs of all students:

Figure 1: MTSS Tiers

 
 

  • Tier 1 is foundational, prevention-oriented, and standards-based and represents the universal support ALL students receive through instruction and schoolwide programs and activities. Teachers, school counselors, and other educators utilize universal design for learning and proactively differentiate (modify/adapt) their instructional practices to support students’ individual needs, providing a more challenging or more supportive learning environment as necessary.

  • Tier 2 is comprised of supplemental supports and interventions for students identified through the use of data identifiers/indicators. After investigating the root cause, teams carefully and intentionally select evidence-based interventions that are likely to produce desired outcomes and are aligned with student needs and root causes.

  • Tier 3 is characterized by increasingly intensified, tailored, and individualized supports for students with the highest level of need.

MTSS and School Counseling

While MTSS is often described as focusing on two domains (academics and behavior), the work of school counselors spans three domains: 1) academic, 2) college/career, and 3) social/emotional (which encompasses behavior). To visually reflect a tiered continuum of supports that aligns with the three school counseling domains, the Multi-Tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports (MTMDSS) was created in 2016 (see Figure 2) and updated in 2024 (see Figure 3)

Figure 2: MTMDSS (2016 version)

 

Figure 3: MTMDSS (2024 version)

Similar to the MTSS continuum of supports, MTMDSS is the organization of school counseling program supports (ASCA’s “Deliver” component) and data-based decision-making across three tiers of intensity: Tier 1 universal supports, Tier 2 targeted supports, and Tier 3 intensified supports. These varying services provide the necessary support for ALL students in the three domains of school counseling: academic, college and career, and social/emotional. More information about each tier is discussed below.

“Although MTSS provides a framework through which to meet the varying academic and behavioral needs of students in schools, it does not provide a three-tiered approach for addressing the college/career needs of students” (Hatch & Hartline, 2021). MTMDSS was designed to address this gap, specifically with school counselors and college/career access partners in mind, by incorporating a tiered approach for college/career supports. The inclusion of college/career in the tiered framework helps practitioners visualize and operationalize the delivery of college/career supports to students according to demonstrated level of need.

Comprehensive school counseling programs are an integral part of the total educational program for student success. The entire school community is invested in student academic achievement, college and career readiness and social/emotional wellbeing. School-wide proactive, preventative and data driven intervention services and activities belong to the entire school. Therefore, it is recommended that schools add the third domain (college and career readiness supports) to their MTSS continuum of supports to fully embrace and reflect the importance of a tiered approach to college and career readiness supports.

This approach helps school counselors organize their program delivery and collaboration structures to meet the needs of all students with the following goals: 1) ensuring all students receive developmentally appropriate instruction from the school counseling program; 2) providing supplemental supports and interventions to students with data-driven needs; and 3) maximizing student achievement and positive outcomes by supporting the academic, college/career, and social/emotional/behavioral development of all students (Hatch & Hartline, 2021; Hatch et al., 2019; Hatch et al., 2018).

School Counseling Program Tiered Continuum of Supports

Similar to the continuum of supports within MTSS, the MTMDSS framework helps school counselors organize their program’s supports into three tiers of varying intensity:

TIER 1: UNIVERSAL SUPPORT

FOR ALL STUDENTS (100%)

The Tier 1 school counseling program is comprised of the delivery of universal supports that all students receive, including classroom lessons to enhance students’ academic, college/career, and social/emotional development, individual student planning (called “appraisal and advisement” in the 4th ed. of the ASCA National Model), and schoolwide programs and activities. Standards- and competency-based school counseling curriculum is developmental in nature, preventative and proactive in design, and comprehensive in scope. Schoolwide programs and activities align to the curriculum and may include assemblies, orientations, behavior initiatives, workshops, campaigns, and other programs. School counselors at the middle and high school levels also provide individual student planning, which includes helping students develop 4-6 year plans to meet their post-secondary goals.

TIER 2: SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT

FOR SOME STUDENTS  (~20%)

Tier 2 school counseling supports are designed for students who: 1) exhibit barriers to learning; 2) are struggling to achieve academic success; and/or 3) are identified as deserving of supports beyond Tier 1. A hallmark of Tier 2 is the data-driven identification of students through screening metrics that have been agreed upon by the student support services team and pre-scheduled for review on a recurring basis (e.g. every grading period or every quarter). These data, such as attendance, behavior, and grades, are also regularly disaggregated to identify evidence of equity and access issues such as disproportionality and gaps. After conducting a root cause analysis, evidence-based interventions are selected, implemented, and evaluated by the team to determine effectiveness in producing the intended student outcomes. Tier 2 supports are intended to be short-term, goal-focused, and collaborative.

TIER 3: INTENSIFIED SUPPORT

FOR FEW STUDENTS (~5-10%)

Tier 3 intensified school counseling supports are intended for students experiencing emergency or crisis events or those with needs that remain unresolved at Tier 2. These supports (see ASCA Position Statement on MTSS, 2021) are provided on a short-term, limited basis through consultation and collaboration with student services personnel, teachers, families, and others until the concern is resolved and/or referral to appropriate services can be made. School counselors are reminded that best practice is to spend the bulk of their time providing proactive Tier 1 and intentional Tier 2 supports, with minimum time spent in reactive Tier 3 crisis response circumstances.

Learn more about MTMDSS and tiered school counseling supports by watching this 3-minute animated video:

 
 

Alignment with the ASCA National Model

The implementation of a Multi-Tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports falls in the “Deliver” component of the ASCA National Model, 4th edition. It is important to note that MTSS, MTMDSS, and the ASCA National Model are inherently aligned. Schools are encouraged to approach their student supports through the lens of all three frameworks.

Within the ASCA National Model framework, school counselors spend approximately 80% of their time providing both direct and indirect service to students. Previous versions of the ASCA National Model suggest that school counselors spend between 20-35% of their time (approx. 4-7 days per month) delivering Tier 1 school counseling instruction, depending on their grade level. For example, elementary counselors are recommended to teach more lessons and high school counselors are recommended to teach fewer lessons. School counselors are encouraged to refer to use of time recommendations as a guide when designing, implementing, and evaluating their program.

Value of a Prevention-Focused School Counseling Approach

Providing a strong prevention-oriented framework is key to teaching students foundational and developmentally appropriate skills such as treating others with respect, learning organizational strategies and study strategies, understanding the college readiness and application process, resolving minor conflicts, and beginning the career exploration process. Devoting significant time to teaching classroom lessons and school-wide activities within the Tier 1 framework provides a strong foundation of evidence-based prevention education programs and services that students need to succeed, which reduces the likelihood of students needing Tier 2 and 3 interventions.

On the other hand, when school counselors spend most of their day mired in crisis response and reactive services (much like a doctor in an emergency room), they don’t have time for prevention education and thus reinforce a crisis-only program. School counselors in these circumstances often share their frustration that they are too busy to implement curriculum. However, without a strong prevention system in place, the need for reactive services will continue. By implementing a strong Tier 1 system with classroom instruction and school-wide programs and activities, students will gain the attitudes, skills, and knowledge to prevent them from needing Tier 2 and 3 services, thereby reducing time spent in these tiers.

Making the Shift

Transforming a school counseling program from a primarily reactive approach to a proactive approach takes intensive commitment, planning, shifts in adult mindsets and behaviors, and cooperation from administration and staff alike. As school counselors begin to focus more on Tier 1 supports, consideration should be given to addressing the potential challenges of finding balance between the time spent in classrooms and the amount of time spent on reactive services they previously provided. 

School counselors and their supervising administrators often find that planning for this shift to take place gradually over 3-5 years best supports the school community. In some cases, schools begin this process by providing classroom lessons to just one grade level and then add another grade level each year until the comprehensive scope and sequence is completed. In other cases, schools begin by providing 1-2 lessons to all grade levels in year one and then add additional lessons each year until the scope and sequence is complete.

In addition to collaborating with supervising administrators, school counselors often find that collaboration with teachers, support staff, families, students, various district office departments, and others is necessary for the development of new systems, policies, and processes that support the implementation of MTMDSS. The ultimate goal is the establishment of a comprehensive school counseling program that is well-organized to identify and meet the needs of all students.

Need support in making the shift? Hatching Results offers a wide range of services to support districts, regions, and states in the transformational change progress. Learn more!

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APA Citation:
Hatch, T. (2017). [Updated by W. Triplett, 2024). Multi-tiered, multi-domain system of supports. https://www.hatchingresults.com/blog/2017/3/multi-tiered-multi-domain-system-of-supports-by-trish-hatch-phd