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District details MTSS, universal screening and progress monitoring as tools to raise outcomes
Summary
District presenters described a multi‑tiered system of support (MTSS) built on universal screening (FastBridge/STAR), diagnostic assessments and weekly progress monitoring, saying those systems are driving classroom interventions and modest gains in MCA and literacy scores.
Grand Rapids Public School District staff spent the board meeting detailing the district’s data framework and multi‑tiered systems of support (MTSS), saying universal screening, diagnostic testing and frequent progress monitoring have enabled targeted interventions and helped some students close gaps.
Anna, director of special services, told the board the district aims to screen 97–100% of students with universal tools and use diagnostic assessments to form homogeneous intervention groups. “Universal screening is the same thing. It gives us a good indicator as to the health of the system and the health of the student,” Anna said, explaining how screening guides follow‑up diagnostic work and intervention placement.
Classroom teachers and interventionists described concrete practices: three screening windows (fall, winter, spring), weekly or biweekly probes for progress monitoring, diagnostic phonics screeners for students who fall below benchmarks, and fidelity checks to standardize test administration. One teacher described using progress probes weekly, adjusting instruction on the fly and sending short reports home so families see student graphs and growth.
Presenters credited curriculum adoption (Orton‑Gillingham for early literacy and Wit & Wisdom for K–8) and targeted interventions, noting district spring FastBridge and STAR trends show gains: presenters reported a roughly 17% rise in spring early reading scores since 2021 for K–1 students and small MCA gains in several grades (examples cited: grade‑level increases of about 2–3.6% at specific grades).
Officials also cautioned that scaling the model requires more tier‑1 capacity and leadership at building level and that budget cuts and reduced technology support pose constraints. Staff said they have improved fidelity checks, teacher training and administrative walk‑throughs to keep implementation consistent.
What’s next: staff will continue winter screening and revisit early‑out cycles and building‑level plans in January to refine groupings and interventions based on the latest diagnostics.
