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Austin ISD updates trustees on MTSS rollout tied to TEA agreed order; 100% of required walk-throughs completed
Summary
District leaders told trustees that Austin ISD completed the fall MTSS classroom walk-throughs required under the TEA agreed order and outlined next submissions and coaching steps. The update described investments in districtwide interventions, upcoming TEA submissions and the need to build Tier 1 instruction so interventions are effective.
Austin ISD administrators updated the Board of Trustees on Feb. 13 about progress implementing multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) under the TEA agreed order addressing special education priority improvements.
Crystal Kohlhoff, director of MTSS, and the academics team said the district completed the required fall walk-throughs for core-content, interventionist and inclusion teachers: 1,796 elementary walkthroughs, 954 secondary walkthroughs and 114 campus leadership implementation visits. "We are happy to report to you that 100% of our walkthroughs were completed on time, and this report was submitted to TEA," the team reported.
Leaders described the MTSS approach as a system-level initiative emphasizing universal screening, tiered interventions, progress monitoring and data-informed decisions. They said the district purchased consistent intervention tools and has begun placing content interventionists (supported by voter-approved tax measures) so intensive Tier 3 instruction can be delivered in small-group or pullout models. Administrators cautioned that systemic change requires multiyear work and said they expect some regression in scores initially as new practices are implemented and calibration occurs.
Key near-term deliverables include the March 31 submission of universal screening reports (reading and math) and the percentage of students identified for Tier 2/3 interventions; a May 31 submission on newly hired teachers and administrators who completed condensed Tier modules; and a June 30 comprehensive MTSS implementation report to TEA and the board. Trustees praised the cross-departmental effort and asked how exempt or specialty campuses were handled; administrators said several specialty campuses were excluded from the walk-through requirements based on student population and service models.
Administrators also described stronger campus accountability and a new MTSS student dashboard to centralize data for on-campus decision-making. TEA monitors were characterized as collaborative partners in the ongoing implementation.
