Advancing Racial Equity With Multitiered Systems of Supports for Behavior in Self-Contained Classrooms

Abstract

Although the multitiered system of supports for behavior (MTSS-B) framework has emerged as a proactive, systemic framework to promote students’ social, emotional, and academic outcomes, its implementation may not benefit all youth equitably without explicit considerations related to culturally and racially equitable practice. In this article, we provide guidance to school and district leaders about ways in which the behavioral framework can benefit all youth by centering those with marginalized identities. This includes recommending explicit consideration of the ways in which whiteness permeates behavioral theory and educational systems. Leaders will be guided to consider how decentering whiteness allows for building more culturally responsive systems and practices to support the needs of youth in self-contained programming. We provide school leaders with suggestions to support the design and delivery of MTSS-B that is culturally responsive and advances equitable outcomes in self-contained settings.