Date of Award
2-14-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Emilie Johnson
Second Advisor
Robyne Elder
Third Advisor
Roger "Mitch" Nasser
Abstract
As students arrive at school with more and more diverse needs, due to different and sometimes traumatic life experiences, the obstacles students must overcome to be ready to learn are oftentimes unsurmountable. However, as an experienced educator, the scholar-practitioner has observed that students demonstrate academic growth when the whole child's needs (academic, attendance, behavioral/social-emotional) are regularly observed, measured, addressed, and progress monitored. This quantitative study aimed to examine the influence and effectiveness of implementing multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) with fidelity. The scholar-practitioner used two data points to determine the effectiveness of a prescriptive embedded MTSS professional development. The first quantitative data point was a Qualtrics pre- and post-Likert Scale MTSS survey administered to the two participating second-grade teachers in an economically disadvantaged school district. The scholar-practitioner used the survey to compare the knowledge and confidence level of the two educators before and after receiving the prescriptive embedded MTSS professional development. The second quantitative data point was the Renaissance Star Math Benchmark Assessment administered to the students in the fall and winter of the study. The scholar-practitioner used the math benchmark assessment results to see if there was an increase in math scores from fall to winter, after the teachers received the prescriptive embedded professional development. Participants in the study were two second-grade teachers in an economically disadvantaged school district in St. Louis, Missouri. Results from the study revealed significant improvement in educators' knowledge and confidence levels with collecting, analyzing, and tiering student academic, attendance, and behavioral data.
Furthermore, the study's findings indicated a positive increase in student academic gains from the fall to winter Renaissance Star Math benchmark after students received multi-tiered systems of support from their teachers throughout the study. The scholar-practitioner recommends that teachers and building leaders use student tiering documents weekly to track and monitor each student's academics, attendance, and behavior. This approach allows educators to meet students' individual needs, address obstacles, and give every child the opportunity to succeed.
Recommended Citation
Mott, Kimberly C., "Bridging Learning Gaps: Enhancing Student Success Through Multi-Tiered Systems of Support" (2025). Dissertations. 791.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/dissertations/791
