Mass. Tiered System of Support


North Andover Tiered Behavioral Support Strategies


Tier 1
Core instruction that forms the base available for all students, in every classroom, and throughout the school. 
  • On-going direct instruction of school-wide positive behavior expectations and procedures (RAISE)
  • Post school-wide expectations in view of all students 
  • Provide positive reinforcement for all students related to core expectations 
  • Provide consistent consequences for problem behaviors 
  • Effective procedures and supervision in non-classroom settings 
  • Phase-in social-emotional learning and/or social skills curriculum across all classes.
  • Class-wide behavior management system (Zones of Regulation). 
  • Ensure that 6-8 positive gestures and comments are given per each corrective statement 
  • Arrange seating to prevent behavioral difficulties 
  • Include movement breaks and energizers during instructional periods 
Tier 2
These targeted interventions are implemented based on a systematic procedure that identifies students who are non-responsive to Tier 1 and require additional support. 
  • Ongoing small group social skills instruction or school counseling 
  • Check in- check out systems (Student meets with a staff person to review target behavior in the morning and reviews the student’s performance in the afternoon) 
  • Self-monitoring systems (Student records success/failure in specific time intervals in classes) 
  • Behavior contracting, behavior charts (Student, staff, family agree on specific goals for specific behaviors, and are contingently rewarded) 
  • Daily report cards with reinforcement for increasing behavioral success 
  • Utilize charts and graphs to monitor student performance 
  • Contact parents to facilitate parent support/strategies and improve home-school communication 
  • Frequent behavior pre-correction 
  • Re-teach school-wide expectations 
  • Preferential seating or other room design modifications 
  • Arrangement of physical space/materials to minimize disruptive movement 
  • Disciplinary actions that minimize the loss of educational opportunities for students and that enable students to remain in school 
  • Consultation services provided by school psychologist, guidance counselor, special staff, etc. 
  • Incorporate stress-release activities or movement breaks 

Tier 3
These interventions are highly individualized, intense supports based on non-responsiveness in previous tiers. 
  • Modification of social skills instruction (increase frequency, duration, intensity, and/or smaller group) 
  • Function based behavior planning 
  • Student receives a functional behavioral assessment 
  • Individualized, targeted behavior plan developed based on FBA. The plan addresses three pathways: 1. Supporting desired positive behaviors, 2. Reacting skillfully and safely to problem behavior, 3. Teaching and reinforcing functionally equivalent replacement behavior as an acceptable alternative. 
  • Multi-systemic wrap around services 
  • Increased parent collaboration and education 
  • Collaboration with student’s physician or mental health professional 
  • Intensive academic support (if needed) 

What is MTSS?

The Massachusetts Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a blueprint for school improvement that focuses on system structures and supports across the district, school, and classroom to meet the academic and non-academic needs of all students. It was developed to help guide the establishment of a system that provides high-quality core educational experiences in a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and targeted interventions/supports for students who experience academic and/or behavioral difficulties and students who have already demonstrated mastery of the concept and skills being taught.


Read more about MTSS and Systems for Student Success here:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfss