WPCSD developing MTSS handbook to strengthen student support

Administrators, teachers and support staff across the White Plains City School District are collaborating to develop a comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) handbook designed to ensure consistent, effective student support in every building. 

Once complete, the handbook will provide clear guidelines to help educators strengthen core instruction while delivering appropriate academic, social, and emotional support for all students. 

The work represents a formal shift away from the traditional Response to Intervention (RTI) model toward a broader, more inclusive MTSS framework. Even as the handbook is being finalized, schools have already begun expanding and aligning their practices to meet the district’s MTSS goals. 

What Is MTSS? 

MTSS is a proactive, data-driven framework that provides layered levels of support to all students — not just those who are struggling. 

At its foundation is strong Tier 1 core instruction for every learner. Students who need additional help receive targeted Tier 2 supports, while those requiring more intensive intervention receive Tier 3 services. 

Unlike RTI, which primarily focused on academic intervention, MTSS integrates academic support with social-emotional learning and behavioral supports, creating a comprehensive system designed to meet the needs of the whole child. 

MTSS Steering Committee 

The development of the handbook aligns with the district’s Strategic Plan, which prioritizes educating and supporting students while strengthening partnerships with families and the community. 

Representatives from every school and grade level serve on the MTSS Steering Committee, ensuring broad input from across the district. 

“(We are) recording all the processes that are in place in our buildings in a very organized way and building on those to make sure that we are making the shift from RTI (Response to Intervention) to MTSS, which is a more inclusive framework,” said Dr. Katherine Barpoulis, Director of Elementary Teaching, Learning and Assessment. “It’s a much more comprehensive system because it includes social-emotional learning support in addition to academic support.” 

While many MTSS-aligned practices are already embedded in district schools, the committee’s goal is to formalize those processes and ensure consistency from building to building. 

“We have representatives from every building, every grade level, so everyone is weighing in,” said Dr. Barpoulis. “Then, when you go back to the building, you already have built-in expertise from those who have served on the committee.” 

Christopher DeMattia, Director of Secondary Teaching, Learning and Assessment, added: “There’s not a single person connected to teaching and learning in the district that isn’t connected to the system, so we’re very mindful about how we bring cohesion to a districtwide system.” 

Mr. DeMattia and Dr. Barpoulis co-lead committee meetings and provide shared resources through a centralized dashboard. One key resource that offers guidance on effective MTSS implementation is the book In Support of Students by Katie Novak, a consultant, who previously worked with the district on a comprehensive MTSS Needs Assessment report. 

One recommendation from that report was to adopt a universal screener. The selected screener is the NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) in Reading and Mathematics, which is used across designated grade levels to measure student achievement and track student growth over time. Students are assessed at the beginning, middle and end of the school year, allowing educators to monitor progress. 

Building-level MTSS data teams — composed of administrators and teachers — meet regularly to review data and proactively determine the level of support students need. 

Part 2 of this series will explore how MTSS supports are implemented in elementary and middle schools to help students grow academically and organizationally.