Multi-tiered systems of support: what are they, where did they come from, and what are the lessons for Australian schools?

In this chapter, we explore Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) as a system-wide means to achieve both equity and excellence in school education. To understand the purpose and defining characteristics of MTSS, it is important to know the history and circumstances that led to its development in school education, and the equity issues it has been designed to address. In the sections that follow, we explain how reforms in policy and research created scalable systems and how, over time, an integrated MTSS evolved from two key frameworks that focused on academics and behaviour: Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behaviour Intervention and Supports (PBIS). We provide an overview of the key characteristics of MTSS, as well as the evidence underpinning it, and conclude with a checklist to guide implementation.