Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 505 - PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION
Chapter 505-3 - EDUCATOR PREPARATION RULES
Rule 505-3-.103 - Multi-Tiered System of Supports Facilitator Endorsement

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 505-3-.103

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through December 18, 2024

(1) Purpose. This rule states field-specific content standards for approving endorsement programs that prepare individuals to serve as the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) facilitator for schools in Georgia that use a systematic process to address the needs of the whole child (P-12). This rule supplements requirements in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.

(2) In-Field Statement. Completers of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports Facilitator Endorsement Program are qualified to perform the duties assigned to individuals in the MTSS Facilitator position.

(3) Requirements.

(a) A valid, level 4 or higher Induction, Professional, Advanced Professional, or Lead Professional teaching certificate, leadership certificate, service certificate, or Life certificate is required for program admission.

(b) To receive approval, a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation program described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing the following standards adapted from the essential components and fidelity rubrics from the Center for Response to Intervention (2014).
1. The Learner. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Are knowledgeable about the methodology of teaching and learning and stages of child development, including the importance of family, school, and peer contexts for understanding student academic performance and behavior and for intervention selection to address student difficulties;

(ii) Are aware of individual differences in learning, including but not limited to the influence of culture, language, and disability, in response to instruction/intervention;

(iii) Have knowledge of and communicate theories and practices of behavior and classroom management;

(iv) Have knowledge on the management of intervention and instruction, and differentiated instructional practices;

(v) Have knowledge of universal, targeted, and intensive levels of academic and behavioral interventions; and

(vi) Have knowledge of how to promote and assess treatment fidelity and integrity of implementation.

2. Leadership. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Collaborate with leaders about the rights and/or needs of students, secure additional resources within the building or district that support student learning, and facilitate effective communication with targeted audiences;

(ii) Foster a collaborative culture of responsibility, respect, and trust to support educator development and student learning;

(iii) Are knowledgeable about school improvement and research proven best practice frameworks;

(iv) Lead changes by modeling effective communication skills, building consensus, and utilizing data to generate solutions to issues of mutual importance;

(v) Access, disaggregate, and analyze MTSS, and other data sources to inform school and system improvement planning and improve student learning;

(vi) Help students to become self-advocates: understand their own learning and the need for self-directed learning skills; actively participate in the learning process; and know how to get assistance;

(vii) Facilitate discussion to compare student needs with curriculum standards to determine intervention intensity; and

(viii) Give and solicit continuous objective feedback and acknowledge credit due to others.

3. School-Family-Community Partnerships. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Communicate the MTSS Framework with parents through invitation, encouragement, and education, including explanation of their role and responsibilities;

(ii) Utilize knowledge and understanding of the different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages in the school community to promote effective communication and collaboration among colleagues, families, and the larger community;

(iii) Facilitate and encourage use of culturally responsive strategies, assessments, and interventions to enrich the educational experiences of students and enable high levels of learning for all students; and

(iv) Collaborate with all stakeholders to develop comprehensive supports to address the variety of educational needs of families and the community.

4. Professional Learning. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Engage the learning community (team, school, system, and community) to identify and systematically address professional job-embedded learning needs related to the effectiveness of MTSS;

(ii) Demonstrate understanding of how adults learn and differentiate ongoing education opportunities for an extensive variety of learning needs;

(iii) Collaborate with other professionals within and outside the system to share and engage in research, best practices, and pursue continuous improvement to achieve successful student outcomes;

(iv) Partner with school/system leadership to prioritize, monitor, and coordinate resources for educator learning; and

(v) Electronically manage documents, forms, data, and resources to effectively and securely share student information.

5. Legal and Regulatory Requirements. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Understand the judicial origin and legal intent of the MTSS framework;

(ii) Know and apply the laws, policies, and ethical principles regarding classroom management;

(iii) Know the rights and responsibilities of students, teachers, parents, and other professionals as it relates to implementation of MTSS; and

(iv) Understand and communicate pertinent aspects of applicable statutes and rules including but not limited to:
(I) State Board of Education SST Rule 160-4-2-.32;

(II) Section 504 of 1973 Rehabilitation Act, P.L. 93-112;

(III) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA/IDEIA);

(IV) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and confidentiality issues;

(V) Records retention schedule for SST records (where required by LUA);

(VI) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA);

(VII) System Improvement Plan, School Improvement Plan;

(VIII) Georgia HB 605: The Improved Student Learning Environment and Discipline Act;

(IX) Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators; and

(X) State reporting requirements, as applicable.

6. Screening. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Assist in identifying screening tools for all areas (i.e., academics and behavior);

(ii) Ensure that the screening tools are brief, valid and reliable, and that correlations between the instruments and valued outcomes are strong;

(iii) Establish procedures to ensure universal screening for more than once a year and for implementation fidelity (i.e., all students are tested, scores are accurate, cut points/decisions are accurate);

(iv) Utilize screening results, with at least two other data sources (e.g., classroom performance, curriculum-based assessment, state assessments performance, diagnostic assessment data, short-term progress monitoring) to determine the level of risk and to identify students who need further assessments;

(v) Use results to identify the needs of all students and to inform the data-based decision making process (i.e., tiered supports); and

(vi) Utilize a data system to store and access student data in a timely fashion.

7. Progress Monitoring. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Establish procedures to ensure progress monitoring occurs at recommended intervals based on tiered support;

(ii) Assist in selecting progress monitoring tools that have sufficient forms for all areas (i.e., academics and behavior);

(iii) Ensure that minimum acceptable growth is specified and benchmarks for minimum acceptable end-of-year performance are provided;

(iv) Make sure that procedures are in place to ensure implementation fidelity (i.e., appropriate students are tested, scores are accurate, decision-making rules are applied consistently); and

(v) Utilize results to inform the data-based decision making process.

8. Data-based Decision Making. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who can facilitate a data-driven, decision-making process and who:
(i) Analyze data from universal screeners and progress monitoring to determine the needs of all students;

(ii) Disaggregate and analyze data at different levels (school-wide, grade-level, classroom, student, etc.);

(iii) Use data to plan and support effective instruction, and to determine and support movement between tiers;

(iv) Determine the effectiveness of evidence-based practices and interventions based on frequent progress monitoring data;

(v) Utilize data to determine enrichment opportunities for students who need acceleration and to determine which students (and educators) need extra support;

(vi) Assist in facilitating school-based data teams focused on student achievement;

(vii) Use a variety of formative and summative data to drive instructional decisions;

(viii) Ensure there are consistent learning experiences among students in the same grade and subject with different teachers (effective collaborative planning);

(ix) Make data-driven professional learning decisions;

(x) Ensure that discussions about students are data-driven (academic and behavior);

(xi) Determine the fidelity of implementation of professional learning based on data;

(xii) Assist in establishing clear decision rules (e.g., movement between levels or tiers, determination of appropriate instruction or interventions);

(xiii) Choose realistic measurable instructional/behavioral goals for the student;

(xiv) Develop an educational plan that specifies research/evidence-based interventions and practices, progress monitoring and fidelity of measures, and implementation steps;

(xv) Implement a plan with fidelity, assess student progress frequently, and provide ongoing feedback to parents/guardians, students, and staff as appropriate; and

(xvi) Periodically evaluate an educational plan, adjust the plan, transition to a different tier, or close the case, as appropriate.

9. Instruction. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Use data and information about the student to access and identify research/evidence based practices and interventions to appropriately address the learner's instructional needs;

(ii) Prioritize and evaluate instructional alternatives/solutions and plan instruction;

(iii) Manage multiple components of effective teams, including communicating and defining roles and responsibilities of team members; developing procedures; identifying resources (personnel, materials, time); organizing documentation; record keeping; applying brainstorming strategies; utilizing conflict resolution techniques; evaluating procedures; and setting goals;

(iv) Communicate clearly and effectively in oral, written, and non-verbal forms; apply listening and responding skills (e.g., acknowledging, paraphrasing, reflecting, clarifying; elaborating, summarizing); and interview effectively to elicit/share information and explore problems;

(v) Draw upon expertise of staff, parents, and invited specialists for collaborative consultation, information, and support, creating an supportive and welcoming culture where ideas are welcomed in developing solutions;

(vi) Utilize the team process to communicate with team members, school personnel, families, and others as appropriate through various technological devices;

(vii) Advocate for specific student learning needs and recognize trends to direct instructional planning in the classroom and school wide; and

(viii) Access, disaggregate, and analyze MTSS, and other data sources to inform school and system improvement planning and improve student learning.

10. Multi-level Prevention System. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of an effective multi-level prevention system as an integral component of Georgia's Systems of Continuous Improvement Framework focusing on the systems and structures (the "what") that must be in place for sustained improvement in student outcomes;

(ii) Articulate the essential components of Georgia's Tiered System of Supports for students: Screening, Progress Monitoring, Multi-Level Prevention System, Data-Based Decision Making, and Infrastructure;

(iii) Identify and demonstrate knowledge of differentiated instruction, progress monitoring, screening, and specialized instruction as it applies to multi-level prevention systems to maximize student achievement and behavior outcomes;

(iv) Identify and support implementation of the three tiers of instruction:
(I) Primary level:
I. Demonstrate knowledge of cut scores and target scores for identification using universal screeners and progress monitoring tools;

II. Identify targeted students through established criteria;

III. Articulate and support implementation of the necessary dimensions of effective core curriculum instruction at the primary level; and

IV. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based curriculum, evidence-based practices, and high-leverage practices.

(II) Secondary level:
I. Identify targeted students through established criteria;

II. Articulate and support implementation of the necessary dimensions of instruction at the primary level;

III. Select, implement, and monitor fidelity of interventions at the secondary level;

IV. Demonstrate knowledge of required levels of evidence, content, frequency, and duration of instruction necessary at the secondary level;

V. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based curriculum, evidence-based practices, and high-leverage practices at the secondary level;

VI. Demonstrate knowledge of cut scores and target scores for identification using universal screeners and progress monitoring tools; and

VII. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate settings, group size, and schedule (frequency and duration) for selected interventions at the secondary level.

(III) Tertiary level:
I. Identify the targeted students through established criteria;

II. Articulate and support implementation of the necessary dimensions of instruction at the primary level;

III. Select, implement, and monitor fidelity of interventions at the tertiary level;

IV. Demonstrate knowledge of required levels of evidence, content, frequency, and duration of instruction necessary at the tertiary level;

V. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based curriculum, evidence-based practices, and high-leverage practices;

VI. Demonstrate knowledge of cut scores and target scores for identification using universal screeners and progress monitoring tools;

VII. Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate settings, group size, and schedule (frequency and duration) for selected interventions at the secondary level;

VIII. Design instructional interventions, strategies, and practices based upon assessment, data analysis, and teacher input;

IX. Redesign, maintain, or discontinue instructional interventions, strategies, and practices based upon ongoing assessment data from progress monitoring;

X. Develop and implement processes and procedures for assessing the effectiveness of the MTSS framework; and

XI. Document individual student instructional intervention plans, along with progress monitoring, redesign, maintenance, or completion of plan.

11. Technology. The program shall prepare facilitators of multi-tiered system of supports who:
(i) Identify and use various technologies to gather, monitor progress, and analyze data in order to use information to improve student learning and align education practices with school improvement goals.

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.

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