CA MTSS Research Consortium Briefs: Building Equitable Systems of Support in CA
This NEW series of 8 research briefs from our CA MTSS Research Consortium serve as resources to support educators implementing CA MTSS. They provide information for best practices and evidence-based resources to support CA MTSS implementation as it pertains to teaching, racial equity, approaching school discipline, students in foster care and CA English Language Learners.
Mary-Louise Leger, M.S.Ed., Lucrecia Santibañez, Ph.D., Olivia Obeso, M.A., Sarah Perez
University of California – Los Angeles
This brief is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support). This brief depicts demographic trends and the rich diversity of the English-Learner (EL) classified students enrolled in California’s public schools, including the number of language learners, geographic trends in where they live, their home language, and their race.
The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS: The State of Academic Performance
Mary-Louise Leger, M.S.Ed., Lucrecia Santibañez, Ph.D., Olivia Obeso, M.A., Sarah Perez
University of California – Los Angeles
This brief is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support). This brief depicts trends related to academic performance, specifically trends in English-Learner (EL) classified student performance on Math and English Language Arts (ELA) SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment System) assessments.
Travis Dumas, Ph.D., Angela James, Ph.D., Joseph Bishop, Ph.D.
University of California – Los Angeles
Homelessness is a condition that is intersectional with the educational experiences and outcomes of youth. This brief highlights state and school officials’ perspectives to examine relevant challenges, policies, and practices related to the youth homelessness crisis. In addition to identifying pertinent challenges, participants provided insights into established and emerging practices and approaches that have been effective in meeting the needs of homeless youth.
The Economic Benefits of Equity Across California Schools
Clive Belfield, Ph.D., Viviana Rodriguez, Ph.D., A. Brooks Bowden, Ph.D., Julia Oas, M.S.Ed.
Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education (CBCSE), University of Pennsylvania
There is a compelling need to reform California’s K-12 system and for additional investment in disadvantaged and minority students that lag far behind, to address these challenges and to reduce systemic inequities. This brief summarizes an economic analysis of three specific – and related – issues facing California’s public school system: students’ failure to complete high school, chronic absenteeism, and disciplinary infractions.
Sierra Wollen, M.S.W., University of Washington
Anthony Gómez, M.S.W., University of California – Berkeley
Angelique Day, Ph.D., University of Washington
Tamarie Willis, Ph.D., Society for Research in Child Development
Elvia Estrella, Ed.D., Foster & Homeless Youth Education Services, Sweetwater Union High School District
This brief looks at the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and identifies effective strategies that address the needs of students with foster care experience (FCE). It details the findings of a case study of Sweetwater Union High School District, based in Chula Vista, California, and its practices, programs, and policies that promote the academic well-being of students with FCE. Conjointly, drawing from interviews with California high school graduates with FCE, the brief includes students’ recommendations for schools.
Through MTSS, Empathic Discipline Program Can Mitigate Racial Disparities in Suspension Rates
Jason Okonofua, Ph.D., Sierra Semko
University of California – Berkeley
This brief includes an empathic discipline program: an intervention for teachers that is designed to mitigate the consequences of bias on their students’ education outcomes with a focus on exclusionary discipline. Researchers tested whether the empathic discipline program could be implemented through MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) networks in a large and diverse school district and whether it could mitigate yearlong suspension rates.
Lessons from the Pilot of MTSS School Site-Implementation
Seenae Chong, Ph.D., University of San Francisco
Izamar Ortíz-González, M.Ed., University of California – Davis
Danfeng Soto-Vigil Koon, J.D., Ph.D., University of San Francisco
Lawrence Winn, J.D., Ph.D., University of California – Davis
This brief distills key lessons from the pilot phase of the Scaling Up MTSS Statewide Initiative and found that educators’ experiences with other tiered intervention programs fundamentally shaped how MTSS implementation unfolded at school sites. This was due in large part to the MTSS framework being too broad in scope to provide schools with clarity and guidance; too narrow in how student behaviors are assessed and addressed to facilitate innovation; and silent on issues of race and culture.
Using Equity Data from Classrooms to Support Teacher Learning for Racial Equity
Niral Shah, Ph.D., University of Washington – Seattle
Daniel L. Reinholz, Ph.D., San Diego State University
Audrey Harris, University of Washington – Seattle
Teachers—especially White teachers—rarely have opportunities to learn how to teach for racial equity. This study explored a teacher professional development model organized around EQUIP (https://www.equip.ninja/), a research-based classroom observation tool that generates quantitative data on equity patterns in students’ classroom participation.
The CA MTSS Research Consortium is a network of expert scholars from across the country who were brought together to investigate how to support educators as they implement CA MTSS across academic, behavior and social emotional learning domains of the CA MTSS framework. The diversity of researchers comprising the consortium allowed for a multifaceted understanding of the CA MTSS framework by bridging perspectives from the disciplines of social work, education policy, psychology, economics and educational leadership. Consortium scholars draw on their expertise in alternative discipline approaches, racial equity, the development of educator training programs, and educational cost-benefit analyses.
About the Pilot
How can we reorganize schools to foster positive, healthy learning environments for all students, especially students of color?
The CA MTSS pilot is a 5-year, statewide program we’ve undertaken in partnership with Orange County Office of Education and Butte County Office of Education to support schools in building positive school climates by ensuring that all students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs are met.
Students of color—especially Black and American Indian students—are more likely to experience lower achievement outcomes than their white peers; and are more likely to receive punitive, exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions) than their peers for the same behaviors.
Decades of research have shown clearly that punitive and exclusionary discipline like suspensions don’t improve student behavior, and can push vulnerable students even further behind. Instead, positive behavior programs and restorative practices are effective tools to prevent and redirect misbehavior. To adopt practices that benefit classrooms and students, we have to change the way school staff approach disruptive student behavior. We must also acknowledge the ways in which historically marginalized students continue to bear the brunt of exclusionary discipline practices, and address these inequities directly.
Our team works collaboratively with students and educators to design, refine and implement training modules that will promote improved relationships, especially across race, language and socio-economic differences. Now, we are piloting this effort in 35 school sites, 26 districts and 7 geographic areas to help schools change the way they approach discipline—and in doing so help them to address the underlying causes of behavior problems and academic disengagement.
Currently, our team is exploring the process through which educators implement the CA MTSS framework through both successes and challenges, with a particular lens to understand how educators think about—and address—racial discipline disparities.
About the CA MTSS Research Consortium
The CA MTSS Research Consortium is a network of expert scholars from across the country who were brought together to investigate how to support educators as they implement CA MTSS across academic, behavior and social emotional learning domains of the CA MTSS framework. The diversity of researchers comprising the consortium allowed for a multifaceted understanding of the CA MTSS framework by bridging perspectives from the disciplines of social work, education policy, psychology, economics and educational leadership. Consortium scholars draw on their expertise in alternative discipline approaches, racial equity, the development of educator training programs, and educational cost-benefit analyses.
Implementation Reports & Resources
CA MTSS Pilot Phase 2A Participation Year 3 & Phase 2B Participation Year 1 Summary
This report includes findings from the CA MTSS Phase 2A Pilot Project’s Year 3, and Phase 2B Pilot Project’s Year 1 of qualitative data collection and analysis.
CA MTSS Pilot Phase 2A Participation Year 2 Summary
This report includes findings from the CA MTSS Phase 2A Pilot Project’s Year 2 of participation qualitative data collection and analysis.
CA MTSS Pilot Phase 2A Baseline Data Summary
This report includes findings from the CA MTSS Phase 2A Pilot Project’s Year 1 of participation qualitative data collection and analysis.
Resource: Equity-Oriented Restorative Justice Resource Library
The library focuses on prioritizing restorative and racial justice in education and includes materials that schools can use to integrate restorative mindsets, practices and policies during a time of extraordinary challenges for young people, families, educators and communities. In response to the goals of CA MTSS, the materials in this library focus on approaches that can reduce racial disparities in discipline by improving school climate.
All materials in the library have been catalogued by implementation domain, type of material, and primary audience. The titles are hyperlinked to additional information about the materials including the primary audience, overview of what the material entails, a suggestion for how to use it, and a link to the original source.
CA MTSS Seed Network
The CA MTSS SEED network is a network of educators from around California working in partnership with schools and districts to continue testing innovative models or better understanding the efficacy of existing efforts that align with the CA MTSS framework the CA School Climate and Conditions Work Group. Utilizing improvement science methods, this network meets monthly for educators to share their knowledge and support each other as they use PDSA cycles to understand ways to improve or change their learning communities.
Related Work
