
319: MTSS Explained: What Every Upper Elementary Teacher Needs to Know
From Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers by Sara Marye, Literacy Teacher, Elementary Teacher
August 13, 2026 · 14 min
About this episode
This episode breaks down the basics of MTSS and its importance for classroom teachers.
Episode 319: MTSS 101: What Every Teacher Needs to Know MTSS is one of those education acronyms that can quickly start to feel overwhelming. What does it all actually mean, and how does it fit together? What exactly is MTSS—and what does it mean for you as a classroom teacher? In this episode, Emily is breaking down the basics of MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) to help you understand what it is, why it matters, and how your everyday instruction fits into the framework. She also clears up one of the biggest misconceptions about MTSS: it's not a separate program just for struggling students. It's a framework designed to make sure every student gets the right level of support at the right time. You'll learn how Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 work together, why strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of an effective MTSS framework, and how data and progress monitoring can help you make better instructional decisions for your students. In this episode, you'll learn: What MTSS actually is and how it supports all students Why strong Tier 1 instruction is the foundation of an effective MTSS framework The key differences between Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support Why tiers should…
People in this episode
Host: Sara Marye
Guest: Emily
Topics covered
- MTSS
- education framework
- instructional support
- Tier 1 instruction
- data monitoring
- student intervention
Keywords
- MTSS
- Multi-Tiered System of Supports
- Tier 1
- Tier 2
- Tier 3
- instructional decisions
- student support
- data monitoring
- intervention
- learning gaps
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: MTSS, Multi-Tiered System of Supports
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