The continuous improvement process includes four steps, each with their own processes and tools that utilize data to identify and address priority areas to focus on. These steps include:
- Evaluate: Collect, review, and analyze implementation data and student performance data;
- Prioritize: Analyze data to identify greatest area(s) of focus to support instruction and intervention;
- Plan: Create an action plan for the prioritized areas of focus; and
- Implement: Carry out the action plan and collect implementation and student performance data.
Each of these four steps requires active engagement of educators, administrators, and other stakeholders – which can be supported by effective teaming structures.
Consider your current role (school leadership or grade-level) and explore each step to learn more about what to do, and resources and tools that can assist you, at each step in the process.
Evaluate
School teams collect, review, and analyze implementation data and student performance data.
The School Implementation Team evaluates data to determine the health and quality of the current system and revisits data to inform decisions throughout the year.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“Which students are at risk for poor reading outcomes?”
“Is core instruction meeting the literacy needs of at least 80% of students in our school?”
What data sources are used?
- School Universal Screening Data is used to determine the “health” of your school MTSS-R components and to determine tiers of priority for school improvement. School Universal Screening Data is also used to assign students to tiers of support.
- Classroom Student Data identifies trends requiring leadership support or system changes, ensure data use systems are in place at each grade level, and plan professional development and coaching.
- Instruction Implementation Data informs areas to support in Tier I instruction and Tier II intervention and guides planning of Professional development and coaching
- Professional Development and Coaching Implementation Data helps the team plan or improve professional development and coaching.
- School Team Implementation Data is analyzed to improve the function of school teams.
Professional Learning Communities evaluate data to determine the health and quality of their current instruction and intervention practices and student reading outcomes.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“Which instructional groups in our grade level are not making adequate progress?”
“What are the implementation areas to explore, practice and implement?”
What data sources are used?
- Classroom Universal Screening Data is used to assign and adjust students to tiers of support.
- Classroom Progress Monitoring Data determines if students are on track, or getting back on track, to reach benchmark reading goals.
- Classroom Lesson Mastery Data determines if students are mastering the instruction they are receiving.
- Individual Student Diagnostic Data determines instructional needs of individuals not making progress.
- Grade-level Instruction Implementation Data determines areas to improve in instructional practices.
A tool for school leadership teams to assess the fidelity of implementation to identify what parts of their MTSS are already in place, what needs to be improved, and what still needs to be done.
The MTSS Fidelity of Implementation Rubric and Summary Sheet are for use by individuals responsible for monitoring the school-level fidelity of MTSS implementation.
Classroom observers can use these checklists to note various ways teachers are utilizing the following types of instructional strategies and practices: Explicit Systematic Instruction, Instructional Grouping, Scaffolded Practice, and Differentiated Instruction.
Prioritize
School teams use data to identify the largest area(s) of focus to support instruction and intervention.
The School Implementation Team selects implementation focus areas to improve instruction and intervention systems and considers why gaps in learning exist.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“What are the largest areas of reading need for our school?”
“Where should we focus our collective resources and time?”
Professional Learning Communities prioritize grade, classroom and student groups not making adequate progress.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“What is the greatest instructional need among students in our grade?”
“Does our instructional area of focus align with standards and evidence-based practices?”
A tool for school leadership teams to use to prioritize needs within a continuous improvement process.
Plan
School teams create a plan based on evidence-based practices for the prioritized area or areas of focus.
The School Implementation Team develops a timeline of actionable steps to support the school implementation focus. The team establishes a data collection plan to determine if the implementation goal is met.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“What are actionable steps to reach our goal?”
“How can we use research and evidence-based practices to inform our schoolwide priority areas?”
“How will we study the impact of the plan?”
PLCs plan grade, classroom and group instructional adjustments based on data.
They utilize instructional strategies aligned with evidence-based practices.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“How can instruction be intensified across tiers to better meet students’ needs?”
“What instructional practices will be explored and practiced to support the prioritized area(s) of focus?”
Implement
School teams carry out their plan and collect student data and implementation data for the duration of the plan’s implementation.
The School Implementation Team implements the timeline of actionable steps. They provide ongoing support and collect data related to the goal.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“How will we work as a team to implement the plan?”
“How will we provide ongoing support to staff?”
“Are we continuing to collect necessary data to inform and support implementation?”
PLCs deliver the planned instructional adjustments, engage in ongoing professional learning, and collect data to monitor student progress.
What questions are asked and addressed during this step?
“How will we sustain implementation of evidence-based practices?”
“Are we continuing to collect necessary data to inform and support implementation?”
NCII offers several tools to assess and support fidelity of DBI implementation at the school, interventionist, and student levels.
This webinar discusses evidence-based decisions about instruction and interventions within a framework of multi-tiered systems of support.