Volusia links MTSS, mental-health training and security tools to lower referrals and support learning

Student services and safety leaders told the Volusia County School Board on Aug. 12 that a unified approach tying multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), mental-health training and layered security measures helped reduce disciplinary referrals and supported learning across schools. Mike McAuliffe, executive director for grad assurance and student services, described cross-department work that pairs teaching and learning with student services. MTSS coordinators said the district trained more than 170 staff as MTSS chairs and added an administrative accountability dashboard to track parent contacts and intervention plans. Presenters reported more than 7,000 parent contacts and a 7% growth in intervention plans for academics and behavior. Jessica McIntyre, coordinator for mental health services, said 84% of district staff had completed youth mental health training and that 722 adults had been trained to recognize and respond to early signs of mental-health concerns. McIntyre described Gaggle ReachOut, an expanded 24/7 outreach and monitoring service that the district used this summer for students with medium- and high-level threat assessments and that the district plans to broaden to more students and families. On safety and security, campus safety staff described technology and operational measures including Fortify Florida tip reporting, a weapons-detection canine (Maverick), random screenings, vape detectors, layered camera systems and drills. Captain Smith said there were an average of two firearms recovered per year historically, and that the district recorded no firearms brought onto campuses during the 2024-25 school year. McAuliffe and MTSS staff said the district decreased total referrals by 12,703 (from 68,517 to 55,814), with declines among students with disabilities (down 14%), English-language learners and economically disadvantaged students. They emphasized that early interventions, documentation and coordinated follow-up allowed staff to reach students before behavioral concerns became barriers to learning. Why it matters: Administrators said the link between academic supports and social-emotional interventions is central to sustaining academic gains. Presenters asked the board to support continued staffing and licensing flexibility for mental-health clinicians to fill vacancies and accelerate placement of trained interns.