Multi-tiered systems of Support for Students’ Whole Person Growth, School Sustainability, and Social Justice
This study explores how U.S. 3rd-grade classroom teachers use the multi-tiered systems of Support (MTSS) to promote students’ holistic growth, school sustainability, and social justice. MTSS is a comprehensive, three-tiered framework incorporating universal, targeted, and intensive interventions to address general and special education students’ academic, social, and emotional needs. This descriptive qualitative research investigates the challenges and strategies of 3rd-grade teachers in employing MTSS effectively. Participants included 12 U.S. 3rd-grade teachers (6 males and six females) from various elementary schools across the United States, recruited via purposive and snowball sampling within semi-structured and open-ended interview protocol. Findings reveal three primary challenges faced by these teachers: (1) implementation difficulty, (2) meeting diverse and equitable needs, and (3) data-driven decision-making. To address these challenges, teachers identified the need for (1) continuous training, (2) instructional resources, and (3) collaboration and support systems. Furthermore, teachers employed three key strategies to enhance student learning and school effectiveness: (1) Academic support, (2) Integration of social-emotional well-being, and (3) Promotion of equity and inclusion. Future research should expand the scope to include a more diverse and extensive sample of teachers across different grade levels and geographic locations. More implications and recommendations are suggested.
Keywords: Elementary School Teachers, Holistic Approach, Multi-tiered systems of Support, Qualitative Research, Social Justice, Sustainability
