ALAMOSA — The Rural Summit for Colorado Multi-Tiered Support System (COMTSS) was held on the campus of Adams State University (ASU) in Alamosa last week. Hosted by the Colorado Department of Education, ASU, school districts and community partners, the summit was led by district, regional, state and community leaders with information and sessions designed to provide practitioners with skills needed to do their jobs. 

School districts are known for frequent use of jargon and acronyms but one – MTSS – is used quite often due to its data based, relevant approach to meeting the educational needs of all students.  

A multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) is a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student success from a strengths-based perspective. It offers a framework for educators to engage in making decisions on how to improve programs, deliver high-quality instruction and intervention and engage students all based on data and geared toward ensuring the best possible outcomes for districts, schools, teachers and students.  

The summit highlighted evidence-based practices for rural schools, opportunities for networking with peers and experts, strategies from implementation science, and systems-building for sustainable impact.  

With the ongoing changes related to budgets, funding, and workloads, the goal was to build a collaborative network of San Luis Valley Professionals.  

“In these trying times” says Sandra Gavin, SLV COMTSS Regional Coordinator, “we are going to need to rely on one another more than ever.” Gavin went on to describe the summit as “an incredible opportunity for all of us to serve the youth of the San Luis Valley in a trauma-informed and effective way.” 

 The topics that were presented at the summit are a good indicator of how expansive the MTSS approach is in providing a framework that promotes successful education of all students.  

Topics included Wrap-Around Services for Children, Tiered Approach to Support Children with Diverse Needs, Creating Belonging within our Schools, Building Consistent Regional Educational Approaches in the San Luis Valley, and Reinforcing School and Familial Relationships to Build a Comprehensive Community of Support. 

“It was an incredibly successful 2-day event,” says Jamie Madigan. Senior Consultant for Family, School and Community Partnerships with the Colorado Department of Education. Madigan was MTSS coordinator for Alamosa School District before moving to CDE. “The Leadership team met multiple times each month for an entire year to put this unprecedented event together.  When we were debriefing after the event, the team stood together in a circle and reminisced about the year of planning and all the dedication and hard work we put into making this event impactful, meaningful, and memorable experience that we plan to continue year after year.” 

The summit was attended by more than 150 professionals and included more than 55 guest presenters.