Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) serves as Notre Ecole’s Child Find special education process.

• Tier 1 represents the classroom instruction, the core education program, that is designed to meet the needs of the majority of the school population. Three critical elements of Tier 1 include an effective core academic program aligned with MN Standards, ongoing formative and summative assessments, and differentiated instruction to match students’ needs. Differentiation can refer to how a teacher manages muliple content skill levels as well as cultural differences in the classroom.

• Tier 2 instruction is used for students who are falling behind on basic academic skills and need additional support to meet grade level expectations. Most Tier 2 students are identified through the use of benchmarking, FastBridge data (starting in 3rd grade), and teacher input. Tier 2 students receive additional instruction in the area of difficulty. Notre Ecole’s MTSS team will be responsible for monitoring whether students are responding positively to the focused support. Parents will be invited to be a part of this process.

• Tier 3 instruction is for those students who have not made necessary growth with Tier 2 interventions and require a more intensive approach. Tier 3 interventions are very focused on specific student needs and may involve targeted academic support in a small group or one-on-one setting. A school’s MTSS team will be responsible for monitoring whether students are responding positively to the focused support. Parents will be invited to be a part of this process. If Tier 3 interventions are unsuccessful, team proceeds to other options such as General Education Plan, Functional Behavioral Assessment, and/or SPED Evaluation.