- Ferguson-Florissant School District
- Data Driven Decision Making
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
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Data Driven Decision Making to Inform MTSS Practices
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Student Screeners and Surveys
DESSA: The DESSA is a nationally standardized, strength-based behavior rating scale that assesses students’ social and emotional competence with editions that support students K-12. It has been used by districts across the country to support social and emotional learning. It is aligned to CASEL standards. We use the DESSA Mini to identify students who may need support. We use the DESSA Comprehensive Screener to drill down into exactly what would benefit each student who demonstrates a need for additional support. A team of professionals individualize support in a Care Team process. More Information about the DESSA
SECA: The SECA is a research-based, student-facing survey that measures self-reported social and emotional competencies of students in grades 5-12. Students respond to questions that measure their confidence in 8 social-emotional domains. We use the SECA result to identify areas we can address school-wide to help all students gain confidence in certain competencies. We can also support smaller groups of students in Tier 2 interventions. More information about the SECA and SEL screeners
- Self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses
- Self-awareness of emotions
- Self-management of emotions
- Self-management of goals
- Self-management of school work
- Relationship skills
- Social awareness
- Responsible decision-making
Culture and Climate Surveys: The School Climate Surveys are a set of four multidimensional surveys to measure student, teacher, administrator, faculty, and family perceptions of school climate: elementary, middle/high, school personnel, and family. The surveys are brief, reliable, and valid for assessing perceived school climate among students in Grades 3-12. We use climate surveys to determine how members of our FFSD community view the culture and climate of our schools. This information helps us plan for continuous improvement. More information about School Climate Surveys
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MTSS Fidelity Evaluation
Tiered Fidelity Index (TFI): School SELT teams take the TFI as a group to measure school implementation across one, two, or all three tiers, all in one survey. The survey helps teams check in on their PBIS efforts, for creating action plans for improvement, and for monitoring implementation progress over time. The TFI includes a school walk-through tool to measure implementation of Tier 1 systems evident in the building. The MTSS District Leadership Team coaches school teams to use TFI results. More information about the TFI
Effective Classroom Practices: Developed through our partnership with the University of Missouri (MU), the Effective Classroom Practices tool allows leaders to measure the use of research-based best practices to ensure student learning and engagement in a positive, safe, and predictable classroom climate. Leaders collect data and give teachers feedback on effective practices that benefit students.
District Systems Fidelity Inventory (DSFI): The purpose of the District Systems Fidelity Inventory (DSFI) is to guide District Leadership Teams in the assessment, development, and execution of action plans that promote the capacity for sustainable, culturally and contextually relevant, and high-fidelity implementation of multi-tiered social, emotional, and behavioral systems of support and practices. The DSFI and process have been designed to serve as a guide for initial action planning, progress monitoring and annual evaluation of fidelity of implementation and impact. More information about the DSFI

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Student Academic and Behavior Data
Academic Assessment Data: We collaborate across district departments to analyze academic assessment data, including Galileo benchmark assessments, dyslexia screening data, and other measures of how students are progressing toward learning goals. This information is used at the school and classroom level to inform Tier 1 instruction and develop effective Tier 2 and 3 interventions.
Credits/Grades/Standards Mastery: Students demonstrate learning of grade level content and skills every day through engagement in learning. We can measure student learning through credit accumulation towards graduation, report card grades, and mastery of Missouri learning standards. Secondary students who are deficient in credits or who are not passing classes have opportunities for credit recovery and remediation. We monitor student grades at multiple times in the school year and provide timely intervention. As we move towards Standards-Based Learning, we constantly check for student mastery of standards, understanding that students progress on different timelines.
Referrals: Office referrals are tracked and monitored to identify (1) trends in student behavior and (2) individual students who would benefit from targeted interventions. When students struggle to meet behavioral expectations, adults must support them in learning appropriate behaviors and addressing root causes.