Date of Degree
2026
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Department
Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (LEPF)
Director
Summers, Kelly
Committee Members
Creed, Ben; Gibson, Lynn
Keywords
MTSS, Educator Knowledge
Abstract
Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) require coordinated implementation across the full educator workforce. This study examined MTSS knowledge and self-reported understanding across the Illinois educator workforce to identify the specific knowledge gaps a targeted professional learning solution would need to address. Using a quantitative descriptive design, 208 Illinois public school educators across 16 job roles and four experience bands completed an online survey consisting of an eleven-item true/false knowledge assessment, a ten-item multiple-choice knowledge assessment, and a 10-item Likert self-report inventory. Data were disaggregated by job role and by years of professional experience. Educators demonstrated strong understanding of MTSS structural concepts but persistent weakness on operational components. A leadership-overconfidence pattern emerged among key decision makers and a mid-career overconfidence-acceleration pattern emerged in the 6-to-10-year experience band. Findings suggest that MTSS knowledge in the workforce is acquired largely through experiential immersion rather than structured preparation or sustained professional learning, and that confidence in MTSS understanding rises with experience and seniority while demonstrated knowledge does not consistently keep pace. The study informs the design of an Illinois State Board of Education-approved micro-credential that is competency-based, differentiated by role and career stage, and embedded into district mentor and leadership-training pathways.
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses and dissertations are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors, unless otherwise indicated.
Recommended Citation
Valiente, Danielle, "Educator Understanding of MTSS: A Quantitative Descriptive Study" (2026). Dissertations of Practice. 128.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-disspractice/128
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