Originally published: . Volume 9, No. 5. Source pages: 13.
The LSUHSC Human Development Center presented an array of national experts for their 4th Annual Conference on Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Response to Intervention, “Trauma-Informed MTSS/RTI: Practical and Evidenced-Based Practices. The event was held in conjunction with Data-Based Conferences in New Orleans on April 12th and 13th, 2018. Dr. Alan Coulter was a key in the design of the conference.
Dr. Coulter and Dr. Kim Gibbons presented “Blame Free Implementation Fidelity: Fixing the Weak Link in MTSS,” and “Strategic Doing: Interactive Session to Enhance Your MTSS Implementation Plan.”
Dr. Coulter is Director of Education Initiatives at the Human Development Center and the T.I.E.R.S. Group that assists SEAs and LEAs to implement Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and response to intervention (RtI), Dr. Coulter served on the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education in 2001–02 and was director of the National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring.
Dr. Gibbons is associate director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota. Her work has received national recognition for its pioneering use of RTI.
Dr. Frank Gresham presented, “Don’t Let Disruptive Behaviors Impede Instruction: Practical, Evidence- Based Strategies.” Dr. Gresham is Professor at Louisiana State University and has developed social skills assessments (Social Skills Improvement System- Rating Scales – SSIS) and interventions for students with or at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. He is a past recipient of the Lightner Witmer Award and the Senior Scientist Award given by the Division of School Psychology of APA for outstanding research contributions. He has been elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Other nationally known presenters included Nancy Marchand-Martella and Mark R. Shinn, who presented a keynote, “Powerful MTSS Implementation Begins with Core Language Arts Instruction Aligned to the Needs of Students, Not Adults.” Dr. Marchand- Martella is department chair and professor of education psychology at the University of Oklahoma and Dr. Shinn is a professor of school psychology at National Louis University.
“Using Trauma-Informed Behavioral Supports to Make MTSS Bigger and Better,” was also a keynote address, delivered by Clay Cook. Dr. Cook is the University of Minnesota John and Nancy Peyton Faculty Fellow in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing and Associate Professor of School Psychology.
“MTSS TEAM Unity: Balancing the I-Me-We,” focused on effective teaming structures that emphasize equity, advocacy, and mindfulness that improve the quality of MTSS implementation and was presented by Drs. Alisia Moutry and Ramel Smith.
The two also delivered the keynote: Decreasing Aggressive Behaviors: Interventions to ‘Build a Better Man’ in America’s Schools.” Dr. Moutry is President/CEO of 4AM Consulting, LLC and a Regional Director for SWIFT (University of Kansas-School- Wide Integrated Framework for Transformation Center). Dr. Ramel Smith is a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin and the team psychologist for the Milwaukee Bucks, a professional NBA team.
Dr. Alan Coulter presenting at the 4th Annual MTSS and RTI conference held by the Human Development Center. (Courtesy photo)
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