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Supporting Student Behaviors with MTSS

Support Students' Behavioral + Emotional Needs With Targeted Instruction

Wayfinder helps you respond to every student's needs—delivering Tier 1, 2, and 3 content, tracking progress with Counselor Dashboards, and using the Waypoints assessment suite to guide data-driven instruction.

Explore Wayfinder's MTSS tools below.

Explore Wayfinder MTSS
How to Support Your Students' Behavioral Needs With Targeted MTSS Instruction.

Understanding MTSS to Help Students Thrive

What is MTSS?
What is MTSS? MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. It’s a research-based framework that helps schools provide academic resources, behavioral coaching, and emotional support for students.
 
Schools use MTSS to identify student needs early, provide targeted interventions, and track student progress and outcomes. MTSS ensures students don’t fall behind—whether they need help with reading and writing, behavior, substance misuse, or emotional well-being. 
What Are the Three Tiers of MTSS?
What Are the Three Tiers of MTSS? MTSS is built around three levels of support, each designed to meet students where they are.
 
Tier 1 is universal instruction which works to improve common behavioral challenges and help students build more positive habits.
 
Tier 2 includes small-group interventions for students who need a bit more help building specific skills or working through challenges.
 
Tier 3 intervention involves one-on-one support for students facing significant or complex needs. 
How Does MTSS Help Students
How Does MTSS Help Students? MTSS gives students early support before their problems grow bigger and more complex. Personalized learning and proactive interventions help address students' specific needs.
 
MTSS also offers different behavioral coaching methods and academic resources that help students prepare for graduation, careers, and life. MTSS provides equitable support for every student, not just those who speak up or show signs of needing help.

For school counselors, MTSS makes it easier to meet the growing needs of students—especially around their mental health and emotional growth.
How Do School Counselors Use MTSS?
How Do School Counselors Use MTSS? School counselors are at the heart of MTSS, especially with Tier 2 and 3 interventions.
 
Counselors identify students who need extra support, deliver small-group and individual interventions, and track progress over time. Working across all three tiers, school counselors connect students to the right resources and keep teachers, families, and administrators in the loop about each student's needs.
Why is MTSS Important in Schools?
Why is MTSS Important in Schools? MTSS is important because it ensures every student gets the help they need—whether it’s reading support, behavior guidance, or emotional coaching.
 
It promotes early intervention and personalized learning for stronger student outcomes.
What is the Best MTSS Solution for School Counselors?
What is the Best MTSS Solution for School Counselors? If you’re searching for the best MTSS solution for school counselors, Wayfinder stands out as the trusted choice with research-backed curriculum and MTSS tools designed specifically for school counselors, by school counselors. 
 
Wayfinder is already used by many large districts and schools around the country. Learn more about Wayfinder’s MTSS and how it can help PreK-12 counselors support students in your school or district. 
Does MTSS Support Student Mental Health?

Does MTSS Support Student Mental Health? Yes! MTSS gives schools a structured, proactive way to address student mental health challenges before a situation becomes a crisis.

At Tier 1, schoolwide programs help all students build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and durable skills.

Tiers 2 and 3 let counselors step in with targeted support for students showing signs of stress, anxiety, or other learning challenges. It's about catching needs early and keeping students engaged with the right support at the right time.

How MTSS Helps Students Across Support Tiers

Create a strong foundation of belonging, confidence, and critical thinking with Wayfinder's Tier 1 content.
Universal Supports (Tier 1)

A strong foundation of universal support is the first step to supporting every student. 

Tier 1 is the proactive, whole-group instruction delivered to all students. It includes a core curriculum, skill- and community-building activities, and content that fosters a positive school culture. When Tier 1 is strong, most students thrive without needing additional support.

Create a strong foundation of belonging, confidence, and critical thinking with Tier 1 content.

Sample Tier 1 Content
Try Wayfinder MTSS for Tier 2 Small Groups
Small Group Support (Tier 2)

Some students need extra help with learning, emotional regulation, substance misuse, cellphone/device habits, and other challenges.

Small-group sessions that focus on building specific skills, like conflict resolution or emotional coping strategies, are meant to improve student well-being and increase academic engagement. 

How? Small groups give students more focused, personalized attention while still allowing them to learn alongside their peers who may have similar needs. This creates a sense of community and a safe space where students feel supported and understood. 

Deliver effective Tier 2 interventions through these engaging small group activities. 

Tier 2 Samples
Try Wayfinder MTSS for Tier 3 Individual Student Support
Individual Student Support (Tier 3)

A few students may have significant challenges in school or life due to a neurodivergence, financial stress, or other personal challenges. These students will require one-on-one counseling referrals, individual academic tutoring, or more personalized learning plans that address their specific needs.

When students need intensive, individualized support, Tier 3 interventions can offer great support with customized plans that address their unique challenges.

Explore Tier 3 activities that build the core skills students need to succeed.

Tier 3 Samples

Wayfinder’s research-backed MTSS solution is designed for all tiers of intervention.

Our all-in-one platform allows counselors to  monitor student progress, save time, and get in-the-moment feedback, which lets them quickly respond to students’ needs. Talk with our team to learn more.

Talk With Our Team

Why Choose Wayfinder for Counselors?

Watch a quick video to learn how Wayfinder’s MTSS tools help counselors provide lessons for students who need extra support, and see how Wayfinder's assessment suite can monitor student progress and growth over time. 
 
Counselors can access ready-to-use counseling activities and lessons aligned to all MTSS tiers. Give educators and counselors the resources they need by customizing which tiers of content they can access based on their role or responsibilities. Wayfinder helps your team navigate the MTSS process with comprehensive training, implementation guides, ongoing support + coaching, and professional learning.
 
Wayfinder makes MTSS easy to implement, with tools built by counselors, for counselors.

Wayfinder MTSS Outcomes:

88% of educators said they engaged in meaningful conversations with students about their futures. 

Nearly 3 in 4 (72%) educators claimed they experienced improved student behavior.

Nearly 3 in 4 (72%) educators claimed they experienced improved student behavior with Wayfinder.
Kelsey Jaeckel is a K-12 Licensed School Counselor at Sisters School District using Wayfinder's MTSS Counselor Tool
“Wayfinder is the best curriculum I have used in the 10 years I have been a school counselor. The content of the lessons and activities is modern, up-to-date, and super relevant to today's youth.”
Kelsey Jaeckel
K-12 Licensed School Counselor, Sisters School District
Wayfinder MTSS Tier 2 + 3 Collection for PreK-12 School Counselors
How does Wayfinder Support MTSS + School Counselors?

Wayfinder provides research-backed Tier 1 curriculum and more targeted interventions for students at the Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels of support. School counselors use Wayfinder’s lessons and progress tools to personalize learning to help every student build essential life skills, no matter what challenges they face. 

Try it today. Get our most popular MTSS activities for Tiers 2 + 3.

Try Tier 2 + 3 Activities
Streamline Your MTSS Process with Wayfinder
How to Get Started with MTSS and Wayfinder

Looking for the best MTSS platform for school counselors? Wayfinder helps schools implement MTSS, support future-ready skills curriculum, and provide real, measurable outcomes for students. Our solutions are perfect for schools and districts of all sizes and integrate with your existing systems.

Have questions about funding or implementation? Talk with our team of experts to learn how Wayfinder can make MTSS work for your school or district.

Talk with Wayfinder
88% of educators said they engaged in meaningful conversations with students about their futures.
Jen Walker Headshot
“Members of the Wayfinder team are former educators, so they really understand the system that they’re working with. They understand some of the roadblocks we have, and they’re creative in knowing how to work around those roadblocks. They have good ways of connecting with teachers and principals that even I don’t have as a district administrator. That has been really helpful."
Jenn Walker
School Counseling Administrator, Omaha Public Schools