Before Summer...
End of Year Wrap-Up for MTSS Schools
I know most people this time of year are just hoping to make it to the finish line - the celebrated last day of school. You have navigated absences, schedule changes, data meetings that ran long, and probably a few initiatives that showed up uninvited. That is the reality of this work, and it deserves to be named.
In light of that end-of-year vibe, here are a few questions to ask yourself before you close out the books on this academic year. Ideally your MTSS schoolwide leadership team can get together for one last meeting to celebrate your accomplishments and to identify a few areas to re-envision for next year.
Don’t forget to party!
Before you dive into what needs to change, take a breath and name what worked. This is not a nice-to-have — it is the part of the meeting that will determine whether your team shows up next fall with energy or exhaustion.
Ask your team: What is one thing we did this year that we are genuinely proud of? What student outcome or team moment stands out as evidence that our work mattered? Write it down. Say it out loud. Let it sink in.
Celebration is not the reward for perfect implementation. It’s the fuel that makes sustained momentum possible.
Consider MTSS Sustainability
Training/Coaching
Which trainings and coaching supports did teachers like the best/feel were the most useful? And how can we continue to build on that success?
Which practices/trainings were flat out not successful (i.e. maybe teachers complained about too many steps or a confusing process)? Which of those practices can we cut altogether and which ones can we redesign to make it more streamlined?
Were there any requests that teachers made this year that we were not able to accommodate? Is there a way to plan for them for next year?
Assessments and Data-based Decision Making
Reflect on the data collection and data entry methods used this year. Did we have consistent data entry procedures and staff to carry them out? What needs to work better?
Were teachers able to make use of all the data to make decisions in a timely and responsive way? If not, what can be done to create an easier process for teachers and teams to use and review data efficiently?
Did you incorporate any fidelity tools into your MTSS SW leadership team actions and planning? If not, what are two tools you can bring to the team next year for them to choose from to add to the overall MTSS system?
Staff Survey
Here’s a bonus idea if you can squeeze it in before the end of the year.
Method 1. Ask your leadership team members to speak to their colleagues about what they would improve or change about the MTSS model at your school.
Method 2. If you can put together a quick Google form to send out to all the staff in your school here’s a quick three questions that you could pose to all staff.
If you could wave your magic wand what would you change about our MTSS process? (Give multiple choice option of larger topics if you don’t want an open text box.)
In 1 -3 sentences what is one MTSS lesson learned that you would share with staff new to our building?
Is there an area that you would like to be a part of next year? (Again you can offer multiple choice here of available teams, workgroups, or aspects of your MTSS model if you don’t want to have an open text box.)
Once you have the responses, resist the urge to share every piece of feedback in a staff meeting. Instead, bring a summary of two or three themes to your leadership team and ask: what is within our control to act on before fall? Identify one change you can commit to and communicate it back to staff early in the new year. When people see that their input led to a real shift, they participate more honestly the next time you ask.
One last thought before you head into summer. Two things are worth doing while the year is still fresh: schedule your first fall MTSS leadership team meeting before everyone scatters, and take 20 minutes to jot down three things you want to do differently in September. You will thank yourself in August when the details have faded.
And here is a question to sit with over the break: What is the one structural change — not a new program, but an actual routine or role or decision rule — that would make next year feel more coherent for your team?
That answer is worth writing down somewhere you will find it again. If your team is asking bigger questions about what your MTSS system needs next year, that is exactly what the MTSS Implementers' Network was built for. We open doors in June. Click the button above to learn more.