Making MTSS Work: How OpenLiteracy Helps Schools Integrate High-Impact Tutoring Where It Matters Most

At OpenLiteracy, we talk to school and district leaders every day who are working hard to strengthen their Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Their question is almost always the same:

“How do we make sure our interventions move the needle for our students?”

This brief from the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) offers a clear answer: integrate high-impact tutoring directly into your MTSS. Not as a side program. Not as an afterthought. But as a core strategy for accelerating learning, especially in reading. That’s precisely what we’ve built OpenLiteracy to do.

High-Impact Tutoring is MTSS in Action

The NSSA brief presents a compelling case: when high-impact tutoring is integrated into MTSS, with clear structures, aligned materials, and consistent progress monitoring, it can yield growth of six months to over two years in a single year.

At OpenLiteracy, we see this every day. Our 1:1 and small-group tutoring program doesn’t live in a silo. It’s designed to fit within the MTSS framework by:

• Using a structured, evidence-based scope and sequence aligned with Tier I instruction.

• Targeting Tier II and Tier III students based on universal screening data.

• Supporting tutors and teachers with real-time, actionable progress monitoring.

• Scheduling during the school day, three to five times per week, just like the research recommends.

Coherence Is the Name of the Game

When schools add tutoring without connecting it to their MTSS system, they miss an opportunity to drive real improvement. It becomes “just another initiative” instead of part of a larger, aligned support system.

That’s where OpenLiteracy stands apart. Our curriculum doesn’t compete with core instruction; it complements it. Whether a district uses UFLI, Fundations, or another science-of-reading-based program, OpenLiteracy’s tutoring lessons reinforce the foundational skills students need to achieve grade level reading. And, when students complete the foundational skills sequence, we have a pathway that continues to build fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

Built for Tiers II and III, But Connected to Tier I

Effective MTSS relies on identifying the right students for the right supports. OpenLiteracy makes that easier:

• Tier II: We support small-group tutoring that aligns with classroom content and addresses skill gaps, which is ideal for students just below benchmark.

• Tier III: For students needing intensive, individualized instruction, our 1:1 tutoring program provides certified teachers as tutors to offer high impact

In both cases, tutors are working with the same sounds, skills, and strategies being taught in Tier I. That consistency is critical.

It’s Time to Think Differently About Tutoring

If tutoring still feels like an add-on in your school or district, the NSSA brief is a must-read. It reframes tutoring as a core lever for equity and acceleration, and it works best when tied tightly to your school’s MTSS.

At OpenLiteracy, we’re here to help you do exactly that. We provide:

• Structured, science-of-reading aligned lessons;

• Flexible implementation models; and

• Real-time data to track student growth.

Because when tutoring is done well and integrated into your MTSS system, it becomes one of the most powerful tools schools have to close learning gaps.

Ready to learn more about how OpenLiteracy can fit into your MTSS? Let’s talk!