Continuous School Improvement
The Continuous School Improvement Department oversees the following:
- MTSS/RTI Process and Campus Budget Allocations
- DCSI Liaison for Targeted, Additional Targeted or Comprehensive Support of any identified Campuses in the district.
- Summer School Program
- Academic Coaching of New Teachers by a Team of Academic Coaches
Meet the Team
Director of Continuous School Improvement
Clotilde Gamez
clotildeg@uisd.net
Committed to providing support to all campuses.
Martin Garcia
Rebecca Casanova
Connie Bella
Rebecca Rodriguez
Driving Impact: Our Core Initiatives
Our commitment to fostering continuous growth and equitable learning opportunities every school year is driven by three interconnected areas of focus.
Strengthening our Multi-Tiered System of Supports to ensure every student receives the appropriate academic and behavioral interventions they need for student success.
Empowering educators through side-by-side collaboration, data-driven feedback, and professional growth.
Extended learning opportunities to bridge achievement gaps and sustain academic momentum year-round.
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Strengthening our Multi-Tiered System of Supports to ensure every student receives the appropriate academic and behavioral interventions they need for student success.
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Empowering educators through side-by-side collaboration, data-driven feedback, and professional growth.
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Extended learning opportunities to bridge achievement gaps and sustain academic momentum year-round.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
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Interactive Reference Manual
A Visual Guide to MTSS / RTI
A Data-Driven, Preventative Framework for Every Student's Academic & Social-Emotional Success
What is MTSS / RTI?
The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a proactive, systemic framework that addresses the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of all students. Response to Intervention (RTI) is a crucial subset of MTSS focused primarily on academic growth through targeted tiered supports. Rather than waiting for students to fall behind, MTSS uses screening tools and continuous progress monitoring to deliver increasingly specialized support.
The Three Tiers of Support
Hover over the pyramid tiers or cards below to see how interventions scale based on student need.
T3 ~1-5%T2 ~5-15%T1 ~80-90%Intensive Targeted UniversalIndividualized Interventions~1-5% of StudentsTier 3: Intensive Support
Highly tailored, individualized intervention protocols for students presenting significant, persistent academic or behavioral needs who exhibit minimal growth under Tier 1 or Tier 2 supports.
1-on-1 Instruction Specialist Consultation Weekly Progress TrackingSmall Group Interventions~5-15% of StudentsTier 2: Targeted Support
Strategic, curriculum-aligned supplemental small-group interventions targeting specific skills deficits to help student subgroups successfully catch up to classroom expectations.
Small Groups (3-5 Students) Guided Phonics/Math Bi-weekly Check-insCore General Education~80-90% of StudentsTier 1: Universal Support
Evidence-based instruction, comprehensive curriculum design, and supportive classroom environmental adjustments that serve all students within general education.
Core Classroom Instruction Differentiated Learning Universal ScreeningsThe Continuous MTSS Process Flow
This continuous instructional cycle relies on data checkpoints to pivot and scale learning paths dynamically.
1Universal Screening
System-wide benchmarks conducted 3 times a year to catch at-risk learning trajectories early.
2Tiered Instruction
Tier deployment based strictly on individual universal screening and historical performance evidence.
3Progress Monitoring
Frequent, reliable evaluations tracking response velocity over specified periods of support.
4Data-Based Decisions
Reviewing progress trend lines to either step up, step down, or dissolve targeted interventions.
Continuous Cycle of Performance, Analytics & Intervention AdjustmentsInteractive ToolIntervention Decision Assistant
Select a student pathway to visualize corresponding diagnostics and standard evidence-based strategies according to MTSS framework guidelines.
Tier 1 UniversalClassroom Practices
High-quality differentiated instruction with regular diagnostic evaluations.
- Multi-sensory phonics work
- Interactive partner reading
- Weekly mini-benchmarks
Tier 2 TargetedSupplemental Supports
Targeted skill groups addressing identified deficit zones.
- 30 min, 3x a week group reading
- Phonological awareness practice
- Bi-weekly progress checks
Tier 3 IntensiveIntensive Protocols
Highly explicit 1-on-1 programs tailored to student specific pace.
- Orton-Gillingham explicit lessons
- Daily 1-on-1 instruction
- Diagnostic error analysis daily
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The integration of MTSS within Skyward provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to meeting the diverse needs of all learners. By leveraging data and facilitating a collaborative support system, schools can move from a reactive model of intervention to a proactive one that promotes success for every student. Skyward's role in this process is to provide a centralized platform for managing all aspects of MTSS.
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MTSS Campus Support forms are the operational backbone of the MTSS framework. They ensure that the process is consistent, data-driven, and well-documented, ultimately leading to more effective and equitable support for all students. MTSS Campus Support forms provide the structure and documentation necessary to effectively move students through these tiers of support.
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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides a comprehensive suite of resources for implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework through its Tiered Interventions Using Evidence-Based Research (TIER) initiative. These resources are designed to equip Texas educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to support all students' academic, behavioral, and mental wellness needs across a tiered structure.
The TIER resources are largely accessible through the Texas SPED Support website and the TEA Learn online training platform, offering a variety of materials, including guidance documents, online courses, and implementation support.
Hoja de datos para las familias
TEA Multi-tiered System of Supports
TEA Texas School Mental Health
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By understanding these common myths and the facts behind them, schools can more effectively implement MTSS and unlock its full potential to create a supportive and successful learning environment for every child.
MTSS FAQs
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MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. It is a proactive and preventative framework that schools use to provide academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support to all students. The goal is to identify struggling students early and provide them with the specific support they need to succeed.
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What is Tier 1?
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Who it's for: All students (~80% of the student population).
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What it is: High-quality, research-based instruction and support provided to every student in the general education classroom. This is the foundation of the MTSS model. It includes proactive classroom management and a strong core curriculum.
What is Tier 2?
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Who it's for: Some students (~15% of the population) who are identified through universal screening as needing additional support.
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What it is: Targeted, small-group interventions provided in addition to Tier 1 instruction. These interventions focus on specific skills that students are struggling with and are typically delivered for a set number of weeks. Progress is monitored frequently.
What is Tier 3?
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Who it's for: A few students (~5% of the population) who need the most intensive support. These students may not have responded to Tier 2 interventions or have significant needs.
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What it is: Intensive, individualized interventions. Instruction is highly specific, often delivered one-on-one or in a very small group, and occurs more frequently than Tier 2 support. Progress is monitored very closely (e.g., weekly). Branching Minds
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A successful MTSS framework is built on several key components:
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Universal Screening: Briefly assessing all students to identify those who may be at risk.
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Tiered Levels of Support: Providing support at varying levels of intensity (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3).
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Evidence-Based Practices: Using instructional strategies and interventions that have been proven effective through research.
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Progress Monitoring: Regularly tracking student progress to determine if an intervention is working.
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Data-Based Decision Making: Using data from screening and progress monitoring to make instructional decisions for individual students, groups, and the entire school.
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Family, School, and Community Partnership: Involving all stakeholders in the process.
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RTI (Response to Intervention) traditionally focused primarily on academic support and was often seen as a pathway to identifying learning disabilities.
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) is more comprehensive. It includes the academic support of RTI but also integrates support for behavior and social-emotional learning (often through a framework like PBIS - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports). MTSS aims to support the "whole child."
Response to Intervention: Preventing and Remediating Academic DifficultiesBranching MindsMTSS for Success
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It means using objective information, rather than just intuition, to guide actions. Teams will look at data to answer questions like:
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Screening Data: "Which students are at risk for reading difficulties?"
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Progress Monitoring Data: "Is the small-group phonics intervention working for this group of second graders?" The team will look at a student's data graph to see if the trend line is moving toward the goal.
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Fidelity Data: "Are we implementing the intervention program the way it was designed?"
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There is no fixed time, as it depends entirely on the student's progress and the data reviewed. A typical "round" of a Tier 2 intervention might last 6-9 weeks. After that period, the school's MTSS team will review the student's progress monitoring data to decide:
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If the student has met their goal and can return to only Tier 1 support.
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If the student is making progress but needs more time in the intervention.
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If the student is not making adequate progress and the intervention needs to be changed or intensified (e.g., moving from Tier 2 to Tier 3).
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This can vary by school, but a typical team includes:
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A school administrator (Principal, Assistant Principal)
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General education teachers
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Special education teachers
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Counselor
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Reading interventionists
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Other relevant staff (e.g., speech-language pathologist, diagnostician)
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The classroom teacher is critical to MTSS success. Their roles include:
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Delivering high-quality Tier 1 core instruction.
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Assisting with the administration of universal screeners.
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Identifying students who are struggling.
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Implementing Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions (or collaborating with an interventionist who does).
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Collecting progress monitoring data and updating to Skyward.
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Collaborating with the MTSS team and parents.
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No. MTSS is a general education initiative designed to provide support early. It cannot be used to delay or deny a parent's request for a special education evaluation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The data collected during Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions can be extremely valuable information for a comprehensive special education evaluation if one becomes necessary.
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Coaching Essentials: Empowering Educators, Elevating Learning
This file "A Study Playlist of Jim Knight" outlines the work of Dr. Jim Knight, who studies how teachers learn and improve. He helps create programs to train teacher coaches and believes in collaborative work to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning. The document describes him as a "teacher for teachers" who helps them acquire new skills and refine their teaching methods.
Dr. Jim Knight primarily focuses on how teachers learn and improve, helping to create programs that train people to coach teachers. He believes that collaborative work among teachers can enhance their effectiveness and student learning.
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Collaborative Growth System
The Instructional Coaching Partnership
A non-evaluative framework designed to support your professional goals and enhance student learning outcomes.
Visualizing FrameworksCore Focus Areas
Our partnership is focused around five foundational instructional domains. Click any domain card below to view diagnostic goals and aligned inquiry pathways.
INQUIRETier One PathwaysTargeted Micro-Supports
Flexible, short-term interactions designed to provide rapid ideas, resources, and clarity for immediate questions.
💬Collaborative Sounding Board
Have a quick question, want to pitch a new lesson, or need to verify a sequence? Let’s organize a structured 15-to-20 minute reflective thought exchange.
Duration: 15-20 MinsðŸ”Strategic Resource Curation
Looking for high-yield graphic organizers, peer-reviewed pedagogical articles, or specific instructional technology tools? Let us handle the discovery and deliver custom options.
Duration: Immediate Delivery📋Instructional Accommodation Audit
Review IEP/504 accommodation requirements, translate designated supports into simple routines, and ensure equitable access is actively modeled in your lesson designs.
Duration: 1 Planning Blockâ°Schedule & Collaboration Design
Struggling to find time for student-centered work? Let's explore your routine to prioritize planning frameworks and optimize collaborative student growth.
Duration: 30 MinsTier Two PathwaysComprehensive Coaching Cycles
In-depth, collaborative cycles consisting of structured data review, co-planning, classroom modeling, and reflective debriefs over multiple weeks.
📊 Data-FocusedData-Driven Planning Cycle
A multi-session path focused on gathering student diagnostics, identifying conceptual gaps, and transforming insights into proactive lesson pathways.
SCOPE: 3-4 WEEKS📈 Systems-FocusedProgress Monitoring Systems
Co-design and implement practical formative tracking sheets, feedback loops, and student self-assessment checklists to make growth visible.
SCOPE: 2-3 WEEKS🎨 Design-FocusedLesson Design & Delivery Studio
Deep collaboration mapping targeted instructional standards to classroom practices. Features co-teaching sessions, model lessons, and observations.
SCOPE: 4 WEEKSðŸ—ï¸ Curriculum-FocusedBackward Unit Design (UbD)
Unpack learning standards first, co-construct end-of-unit performance goals, and build authentic lessons with clear scaffolds from the start.
SCOPE: 3-5 WEEKS😊 Environment-FocusedClassroom Environment Design
Align classroom dynamics with active student learning. Focus on establishing positive routines, clear procedures, and supportive environmental design.
SCOPE: 2-3 WEEKSTier Three PathwaysStrategic Campus Initiatives
Targeted alignments designed to simplify state rubrics, team planning frameworks, and formal student intervention processes.
🧩State Appraisal Rubric Alignment
Deconstruct evaluation standards, map specific criteria directly to everyday lessons, and co-design measurable growth targets that align with professional appraisal timelines.
ðŸ¤Purposeful Professional Communities
Support instructional collaboration by co-developing meeting agendas, establishing learning protocols, modeling student-work audits, and strengthening team alignment.
🆘MTSS Diagnostic Coordination
Navigate systemic intervention steps with ease, translate designated support choices into clear classroom plans, and coordinate growth data inside official tracking platforms.
📣Socio-Emotional Practice Modeling
Co-plan and implement relationship-driven strategies designed to navigate difficult professional conversations, engage families proactively, and co-facilitate support sessions.
Interactive ToolFind Your Ideal Coaching Pathway
Select your primary objective below to find the level of support that best fits your classroom needs.
Select an objective above to view customized coaching pathways.
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Summer School at UISD is targeted to support students needing academic assistance or enrichment during the summer. From closing learning gaps to igniting new passions, summer school plays a crucial and evolving role in the lifelong journey of learning Eligibility criteria are provided for various grade levels, from Pre-Kinder to Fifth Grade, focusing on English Learner (EB) students, retention students, and those performing below grade level in specific academic areas.
Special Education students are eligible based on ESY criteria and ARD recommendations, with different ratios for units and resource students. Additionally, there are specific programs like FED-Enrichment Academy, 21st CCLC "Fit for the Future" for migrant, McKinney Vento, foster care, and military students, and Language Academy for recent immigrants and arrivals. The document specifies student-to-teacher ratios for each category, ranging from 10:1 to 15:1. These guidelines ensure targeted support for students needing academic assistance or enrichment during the summer.
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The Summer Literacy Project is a teaching method focused on enhancing students' reading, writing, comprehension, and communication skills to improve overall literacy development through
Reading and Science. Students will collaboratively explore and research literacy through choice-based projects to proactively address literacy gaps.
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Students work on a project over an extended period of time – up to a semester
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PBL engages students in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question.
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Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by creating a public product or presentation for a real audience.
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As a result, students develop deep content knowledge as well as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills.
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Project-based Based Learning unleashes a contagious, creative energy among students and teachers.
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Student-Centered Learning
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The summer school curriculum is strategically aligned with the most critical learning standards to effectively address the academic needs of eligible students. The Middle School curriculum outlines an instructional approach primarily utilizing "Maneuvering the Middle" resources. The curriculum emphasizes essential TEKS Clusters for future academic success, incorporating student notes, teacher guides, warm-ups, lessons, practice, and academic vocabulary. It also integrates Lead4Ward instructional strategies, gamification, Pear Assessment, and Quizizz activities for student engagement and assessment.
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The overall curriculum is based on the Most Assessed Content, and is targeted to address the needs of our eligible summer school students. The summer school program for high school principals offers instruction based focusing on readiness standards covering the most assessed TEKS. It incorporates engaging strategies, vocabulary previews, STAAR practice problems, and various assessment tools. The curriculum focuses on highly assessed content, and each lesson is structured with bell ringers, direct teaching, guided practice, review games, independent practice via DMAC, and exit tickets.
