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Gardner reports MTSS/PBIS gains districtwide; middle school shows higher suspensions and restraints
Summary
District presenters reported the percentage of classrooms using the MTSS/PBIS classroom support system rose from 34% to 63% in one year; Gardner Middle School accounted for much of the district rise in suspensions and restraints and will be a focus next year.
District staff told the Gardner School Committee that the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and PBIS work showed measurable gains in classroom practices but that Gardner Middle School drove increases in suspensions and restraints.
The presenter reported that "in May of 2024, we were at 34% of the classrooms ... and, by, May of 2025, we went from 34% to 63%." The presenter attributed the gain to coaching: "With just 1 or 2 classroom visits, 15 minute classroom visits with feedback has a huge impact on, teacher, practice."
Staff described MTSS goals including increasing classroom support-system fidelity to 80% of classrooms, closing equity gaps, reducing chronic absenteeism and discipline referrals, and improving family and school partnerships over a three-year period through 2027. The presenter said chronic absenteeism improved districtwide versus state targets for most grade bands but remained slightly above the state at the high school level.
On disciplinary metrics, staff reported that office discipline referrals have risen in raw counts but that disproportionality by subgroup remains below the district threshold of 1.5 and well below the state threshold of 3. The presenter provided school-level numbers: Gardner Elementary School suspensions decreased from 10 to 8; Gardner Middle School suspensions increased from 107 to 150; Gardner High School and Gardner Academy reported decreases. For restraints, the presenter said Gardner Elementary had fewer restraints overall while Gardner Middle School saw substantially more; several students in substantially separate programs accounted for repeated incidents.
Staff also reported a 48% decrease in recorded time-out uses at Gardner Elementary School (from 344 times to 178 times) and noted family survey participation remained low at about 138 respondents districtwide. The presenter called out family engagement as an area for targeted work next year. The presentation concluded that the district met or progressed on six of nine MTSS goals after the first year of the plan.
