Support and Interventions

Somerville Early Education uses the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to meet children where they are and provide them the support they need to progress, stay on track, and thrive.

Our focus is to provide all children in Somerville with resources appropriate for their age and stage through a curriculum that is differentiated, diverse, linguistically responsive, and culturally sustaining.

All students are capable of success.

Student Support

MTSS supports all children’s access to high-quality learning. When needed, an additional level of support can be provided in small groups. Some children may require additional opportunities to practice the skills necessary to access classroom instruction. This second chance to practice skills may be all they need to master concepts. Based on caregiver concerns, screening results, classroom observation and/or teacher referral, small group instruction can be provided by the itinerant specialist team in the following areas:

Academic

Behavior Skills / Self-Regulation

Speech and Language

Fine Motor

Social Emotional

Sensory

Sometimes children need more intensive support through focused teaching and learning, individually or in very small groups. It is important to note that these services are not considered special education but are part of general education best practices.

The Itinerant Team

The Itinerant Team is made up of highly specialized educational clinicians in the areas of cognition, adaptive, motor, social-emotional, and/or communication. The itinerant clinician provides specialized individual or group instruction and/or indirect services to preschool students. Services are provided on an itinerant basis, meaning the itinerant specialist travels to the childcare or educational setting where the child attends during the day.

The Itinerant Team includes a Speech and Language Pathologist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Occupational Therapist, to deliver proactive interventions to students and specialized instruction through a child’s Individual Education Program (IEP).

MTSS supports all students’ access to high quality learning.

A Tiered Approach to Support

MTSS provides a continuum of supports across three levels of increasing intensity. These tiers represent the level of support a student may need in their classroom.

Download the Framework

%

increase in K readiness in the last 4 years

%

increase in instructional quality in partner centers

%

increase in instructional quality in public schools

%

of students who receive support through MTSS, no longer require direct intervention support.

Inclusion and Belonging

At SEE Inclusion and belonging are are essential values that shape every part of our early education system. We believe that equity and access must be embedded everywhere—from curriculum and classroom design to teacher development and family partnerships. That means every child, in every classroom, should feel seen, valued, and supported in becoming their fullest self.

Benefits of MTSS

Aligned with federal and state initiatives, MTSS is a nationally-recognized framework that has been adopted by Somerville Public Schools to support educators with proactively identifying and addressing the strengths and needs of all students.

Early Identification & Support
Equity and Inclusion
Improved Academic Outcomes
Better Use of Resources
Family and Community Engagement
Stronger School Culture and Climate
Alignment with Federal and State Initiatives

More information about the framework can be found on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Website.