Rumson School District Logo

Mission Statement - "Igniting Potential"
The Rumson School District ignites the potential of its learners by growing, inspiring, and cultivating personal excellence academically, socially, and emotionally.

 

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

A multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) such as the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports is an approach designed to improve outcomes for all students through a data-driven, prevention-based framework. When implemented well, this system is especially helpful for teaching struggling readers and learners from all social groups (Prestwich, 2014). Research shows the rapid growth of the brain and its responsiveness to instruction in the primary years make the time from birth to age eight a critical period for literacy development (Nevills & Wolfe, 2009).

In conjunction with MTSS, it is important to understand the basic principles of universal screening, the cognitive science of reading and literacy development, and specifically the potential indicators that serve as red flags for the common reading disability, dyslexia.  In Rumson, our MTSS model includes various screening and progress monitoring tools to determine if students are meeting academic and behavior standards, and provides targeted and tiered interventions, depending on student needs:

  • Dyslexia protocols include screening all K-2 students for indicators of reading difficulties such as dyslexia. 
  • Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) protocols, under a team of staff members, guide academic tiered support services.
  • The Social & Emotional/Conduct Learning Team, composed of identified staff members, guide the social, emotional, behavioral tiered support services.

View Rumson Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Plan  

View District Kindergarten Screening & Dyslexia Protocols

View Intervention & Referral Services Manual (I&RS)    

Rumson's MTSS model includes several components that contribute to the overall support needed to help students achieve excellence in all aspects of their learning.  It is the belief that these tiers serve to provide additional services for student success at each layer, and not replacement of services as additional tiers are implemented. For example, if students receive tier 2 services, they will still receive the tier 1 services.

Tier 1 -  Universal intervention delivered in the classroom through differentiated curriculum and instruction .

Tier 2 -  Targeted, small-group intervention delivered by a specialist.

Tier 3 -  Individualized intervention delivered by a specialist.