NDMTSS training did not stop this fall but rather needed to shift in their format and delivery and through it all, this innovation has met more needs than originally intended. Through an NDMTSS ESSER grant through the NDDPI, participating schools were able to begin or continue the training in a safe and accessible way despite the pandemic.
The NDMTSS Academic Program Leads – Cheryl Hoggarth (SEEC) and Kayla Durkin (CREA) – in collaboration with lead training facilitator Wayne Callender (Partners for Learning) and NDMTSS State Co-Lead Jennifer Glasheen (SEEC) have been working to redesign, enhance, deliver, and evaluate state-wide professional learning for our Building Your System, Developing Academic Pathways (Year 1) and Evaluating Your System (Year 2) as outlined in the following table.
The work team engaged principals, the NDMTSS State Implementation team, and the NDMTSS State Advisory team in the redesign process while also acknowledging that the virtual format afforded greater access to schools located across the state, reduced travel time for school teams, and provided recorded sessions for greater flexibility in an uncertain year. Intentional engagement opportunities and work time with support from NDMTSS facilitators and Regional Support Liaisons allows school-based teams to engage in a Learn, Plan, Do, Reflect learning cycle and complete activities that move them from their current state to their desired state.
In an unprecedented year with a new format, training cohorts are remarkably large– with 19 teams participating in Developing Academic Pathways (155 participants) and 10 school teams participating in Evaluating Your System (87 participants). Mid-year adjustments have been made based on formative feedback from the first few sessions to extend training time, add coaching calls, and provide more access to the facilitators. Evaluation will occur this spring to determine the benefits, challenges, and recommendations for future NDMTSS trainings.
North Dakota’s Multi-Tier System of Supports (NDMTSS) is a framework to provide all students with the best opportunities to succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally in school. NDMTSS focuses on providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals. Data is used to allocate resources to improve student learning and support staff implementation of effective practices.
