Systems Alignment and Integration for Students With Intensive Needs: Considerations for Promoting Sustainable Tiered Systems

Successful implementation of coordinated supports for students with intensive learning and behavior needs, including students with disabilities, is complex and challenging for a variety of reasons. A multi-tiered system of support framework has the potential to help educators organize this support, but implementation barriers persist. In this article, we discuss how alignment may help address common challenges. We discuss why alignment is important, gaps that often interfere with it, and we offer four recommendations for aligning implementation: (a) leverage the implementation cascade, (b) build local capacity with effective professional development, (c) plan for alignment and integration together to promote positive school experiences, and (d) use data for continuous improvement.