Unfulfilled Expectations for Equitable Schools & Education Futures: Findings from the CA Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Scale Up

• In Event: Measuring Impact, Imagining Futures: What Works (and Doesn’t) in Education Reform

Abstract

This paper applies Honig’s policy coherence framework to analyze five years of qualitative and quantitative data from California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (CA MTSS) Phase II pilot. Drawing on longitudinal data—including more than 60 interviews with school and district administrators—alongside publicly available school-level outcomes, the study explores whether coherence across state, county, district, and school levels influenced equity-centered strategies of the MTSS model. Key enabling conditions for successful implementation are identified, including the strategic use of disaggregated data and the central role of relationships in fostering alignment. The paper concludes by examining how these findings can inform the implementation of the California Community Schools Partnership Program—a multi-billion-dollar initiative—with broader implications for scaling justice-oriented education reforms.

Authors

• Brian Huff, University of California - Los Angeles

• Joseph P. Bishop, University of California - Los Angeles