Building Real MTSS Adoption

HOW A TWO-ELEMENTARY ROLLOUT BECAME A DISTRICT-WIDE DATA HUB

Where They Started

Maine-Endwell began putting data into the system (then called RTI Edge) roughly ten years ago, starting with a universal screener across both elementary buildings. Rather than switching everything on at once, the district layered in capability over time, moving from screening data to referrals, and then, within the last three years, to interventions, progress monitoring, and attendance.

“We started with just having a few students that they would put in, and we gradually got there…it was gradual and we didn't just force it on people, but then eventually we just had to say, this is what we're doing.” — Vanessa DuBrava, Director of Special Education

What Made It Stick

A consistent facilitator in every building

The single biggest driver Maine-Endwell points to is having one consistent, go-to person for the process; in their case, facilitator Alison Quick. Because a classroom teacher only touches a referral occasionally, having someone who can say “of course, I'll stop by. What's a good time?” removes the friction that stalls adoption elsewhere.

“Every district has their rockstars. You just have to figure out who your rockstar is, that can get it off the ground.” — Michele Osterhout, Director of Instructional Programs

Meeting staff where they are

Alison didn't rely on all-staff meetings where “nobody's listening.” Instead she ran small, 20-minute grade-level sessions, built screenshot walkthroughs of each screen, recorded real-time videos of creating a referral, and still sat one-on-one with staff when needed, deliberately tapping into every kind of learner.

“She's gone and created screenshots of each screen…and videos where she creates a referral in real time so somebody could actually see the whole process. She's trying to tap into every type of learning.” — Vanessa DuBrava

Making the system the hub for data

Loading all screening data (and now synced behavior, suspension, and attendance information) turned MTSSEdge into a genuine history for each student. A fourth-grade teacher can see a child's trajectory back to kindergarten, and psychologists doing new evaluations pull progress-monitoring charts straight into their reports as evidence of limited or lacking progress.

“Having that progress monitoring in the system allows for conversation in real time…it allows everybody to look at the same data at the same time.” — Vanessa DuBrava

Leadership holding the line

When staff wanted to revert to paper, district leadership took a clear stance: this is what we're doing, and this is how. That steadiness, paired with in-house support rather than top-down mandate, is what carried the program from early adopters to full participation.

Proof It's Working

Adoption is now pulling itself forward. Maine-Endwell's sixth-grade team, chosen for being data-minded and tech-comfortable, saw what elementary was doing and asked to be part of it, and the district is actively planning expansion into grades six through eight.

“We don't want this to just go away at fifth grade — we should be doing our part too.” — Sixth-grade team, as relayed by Vanessa DuBrava

Just as telling, the value shows up in the moments that matter: psychologists reusing progress-monitoring charts in evaluations, data-team meetings grounded in shared real-time evidence, and new staff able to read years of a student's history at a glance.

The Recipe, in Their Words

• Start where it makes sense: Maine-Endwell began with both elementary buildings so no one felt singled out, then grew from there.

• Get the data loaded first: They treat this as the crucial, non-negotiable first step.

• Find your champion: A consistent, accessible facilitator in each building matters more than any single feature.

• Teach in small groups: Short, 20-minute, grade-level sessions beat large faculty meetings.

• Stay the course: Steady, persistent leadership that won't let it drift back to paper.

The Results