EGUSD trustees hear MTSS spotlight emphasizing Tier 1 instruction, board asks for school‑level outcome data

Elk Grove Unified presented a two‑hour MTSS (Multi‑Tiered System of Supports) spotlight on March 31 that framed Tier 1 — universal classroom instruction — as the foundation for academic, social‑emotional (SEL) and behavioral supports districtwide.

Staff framed MTSS as a system and process that requires consistent Tier 1 instruction for most students and targeted interventions for those who need more. Dr. Collier opened the session and introduced a series of presenters who described classroom examples, district implementation work and evaluation methods.

Why it matters: presenters said Tier 1 work is the place to achieve the largest systemwide gains and that SEL and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) are being integrated with academic instruction to reduce exclusionary discipline and boost student connectedness. Jeremy, the district’s evaluation lead, summarized local evaluation methods and cited published meta‑analyses, saying the literature finds positive associations between Tier 1 SEL and outcomes for SEL skills, behavior and modest academic gains.

"Tier 1 is for everybody," Larae Bloomquist told trustees, describing the district goal that high‑quality first teaching reach all students and noting that "85% of the time, that's all students will need." The presentation included a short video in which Bethany Hancock, a third‑grade teacher and Sacramento County Teacher of the Year candidate, described weaving Tier 1 SEL and behavior supports into daily instruction: "I make sure my students understand why every subject I teach is important…" (Hancock, classroom video).

Staff described how the district measures implementation. Jeremy said implementation is rated on a 1–4 scale informed by surveys and classroom observations and that his analyses look for statistical associations between a school's implementation score and outcomes such as math achievement and suspension rates. "We find that increasing a level of implementation is associated with effect sizes that range from 0.43 to 0.84" for certain math outcomes, he said, adding that fidelity of implementation matters for impact.

Trustees pressed for more local, school‑level evidence. "I was just wondering if you could share some of that data," Trustee Heidi Moore said, asking staff to show which schools meet higher implementation levels and whether those schools show stronger outcomes. Multiple trustees echoed that request, asking staff to produce concrete school examples and to explain monitoring and timelines for expected results.

Staff response: presenters acknowledged variation in fidelity across the district and said they have tools (professional development, coaches, site coordinators and annual implementation measures) to support schools. Patty Tong described the district’s instructional framework and the rollout of targeted professional learning (LETRS, preservice modules and regional walkthroughs) aimed at increasing consistent Tier 1 instruction.

Board reaction and next steps: trustees praised the classroom examples and the emphasis on integrating SEL, PBIS and academic instruction, but several asked staff to return with district and school‑level reports that show where implementation is high, clarify effect sizes and list specific metrics (SBAC/ELA/math outcomes, suspension and climate measures). Staff said they have the data and offered to prepare a more detailed implementation‑outcomes report and to meet with trustees for deeper briefings.

The presentation concluded with trustees encouraging continued rollout and deeper reporting. The board then moved on to an informational item on project labor agreements. The district indicated it will provide more targeted data at a future meeting.

Ending note: Trustees applauded the instructional examples and asked that future MTSS spotlights include more school‑level evidence that links implementation to measurable student outcomes.