UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools

In this report, we present findings from the qualitative data collection and analysis of publicly available data of the California Multi-Tiered System of Support (CA MTSS) Pilot Phase II. This report aims to describe, through administrator interviews conducted by the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools (CTS) research team, the factors that influenced the implementation of the CA MTSS Pilot Phase II during the fourth year of participation in Phase 2A and the second year of participation in Phase 2B. The CA MTSS Pilot Phase II encompasses 35 schools from 26 districts across California as they implement the MTSS framework at the school level, focusing on school climate, positive behavioral supports, and social-emotional learning. Additionally, this report shares longitudinal findings from the qualitative data collection and analysis of the California Scaling Up Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Statewide (SUMS)for Phases 2A and 2B during the 2018–19 through 2022–23 school years. It presents findings based on publicly available data and approximately 60 administrator interviews conducted by the CTS research team during the CA MTSS Pilot Phase II. This pilot is part of an effort to expand “the state’s Multi-Tiered System of Support framework to foster a positive school climate in both academic and behavioral areas” (California Assembly Bill 1808, 2018).Learn more on the CTS website.

Study’s Purpose:

California’s public schools face significant pressure to improve across a range of metrics, to improve educational efficiency and reduce inequities between student groups. One student support framework is the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), which includes screening of students’ needs, monitoring their progress, data-based decision making and a multi-level prevention system. MTSS has the potential to maximize student success. However, to set MTSS in context, it is necessary to calculate the full economic consequences of failing to invest in MTSS (and other educational support strategies).

Here we investigate the economic consequences of failure to graduate from high school; chronic absenteeism; and disciplinary sanctions (suspension, expulsion, and restraint). Applying a standard economic model, we calculate the burdens to society, families, schools, and the California taxpayer. We find significant burdens from each perspective and that these burdens vary by race and student disadvantage. For example, there are racial inequities in how many students get suspended as well as the economic burden of these suspensions.

Research Methods:

We model the economic burdens across these three challenges—high school failure, absenteeism, and disciplinary actions—using a life-course trajectory model (Boardman et al., 2018; Levin et al., 2018) to estimate the long-term financial burdens of high school failure, absenteeism, and disciplinary actions in California. By assigning shadow prices—reflecting society’s willingness to pay for improvements—the model calculates lifetime costs and fiscal impacts from the perspectives of students, families, schools, and taxpayers. These costs are monetized using 2023 dollars and discounted to present value. The analysis reveals significant societal and fiscal gains from high school graduation, and substantial burdens from absenteeism and disciplinary sanctions, especially due to their effects on educational attainment and long-term earnings.

Key Findings:

Summary results show a social gain of almost one-half million dollars per extra high school graduate. For a 3 percentage point increase in the state-wide high school graduation rate, California would gain almost $10 billion in total and $3 billion in taxpayer savings. Economic calculations (Table S2) show the substantial economic burden for students who are off-track or have been disciplined. For each student who is chronically absent, the burden is $5,630. Disciplinary social burdens are also high: for each expulsion, for example, the social burden is $70,870.

Conclusion:

These calculations provide compelling evidence that educational support strategies such as MTSS are needed and that there is significant potential for them to be socially efficient.

Study’s Purpose:The MONARCH Room® model provides trauma-informed sensory processing spaces in schools as an alternative to punitive discipline. Students with histories of trauma—particularly foster-involved youth—are disproportionately suspended and expelled, yet most educators lack training to address their needs. This study examined the implementation of the MONARCH Room® in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) middle and high schools to understand its potential to reduce disciplinary actions and foster supportive school environments.

Research Methods:In partnership with Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS), the MONARCH Room® research team introduced the model in 12 LAUSD schools. School staff (“Champions”) completed baseline surveys (n=116) assessing trauma-informed knowledge and school climate. Champions also participated in training modules and two rounds of focus groups (n=62 total) between September 2023 and February 2024 to explore successes and challenges in implementation.

Key Findings:Champions expressed strong support for trauma-informed care but faced barriers including limited staff training opportunities, difficulty securing space, competing responsibilities, mixed teacher reactions, and funding challenges. Despite these obstacles, several positive outcomes emerged: students demonstrated improved emotional self-regulation, some schools reported fewer disciplinary referrals, and staff increasingly shifted from punitive practices toward supportive approaches. Champions also noted increased collaboration and buy-in over time.

Conclusion:The MONARCH Room® shows promise as a trauma-informed intervention that can improve student regulation, reduce punitive discipline, and build staff collaboration. Addressing implementation challenges—especially training, space, and funding—will be critical for sustaining the model and maximizing its potential to support vulnerable students.

This brief highlights findings from a study focused on how California’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (CA MTSS) framework serves English- Learner (EL) classified students. Our findings are based on analyses of interview data with district- and school site-based educators from three districts in California that are relatively successful in serving their EL-classified student populations and are diverse in their geographical locations, size, and linguistic demographics. Key findings include: Existing EL-related services were difficult to incorporate into the framework of tiered supports; Advocacy for EL-classified students was important within MTSS planning processes to encourage shared responsibility for these students; Engaging parents, families, and caregivers of EL-classified students in meaningful relationships was easier at the Tier 2 level; and EL-classified student density within a district or school affected how MTSS structures were organized. This brief is part of The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) series. Learn more on the CTS website.

This brief depicts trends related to academic performance, namely trends in English-Learner (EL) classified student performance on Math and English Language Arts (ELA) SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment System) assessments. CA MTSS is a comprehensive framework that aligns academic, behavioral, social and emotional learning and mental health supports in a fully integrated system of support to benefit all students. By providing a comprehensive and individualized approach to academic support, MTSS can help EL-classified students overcome academic challenges and achieve academic success. Key findings include: A small percentage of EL students are meeting or exceeding standards: 9.2% in mathematics and 12.5% in English Language Arts, suggesting that the education system may not adequately support the progression and achievement of English Learners, particularly as they advance to higher grade levels; EL students are performing better academically in elementary compared to secondary grades; and The more proficient a student is in English Language, the more proficient they are in Math and English Language Arts. This brief is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support). Learn more on the CTS website.

Research and practice highlight the need for fewer student behavior problems in schools and the need for more equitable disciplinary outcomes. The empathic discipline program is an intervention for teachers that is designed to mitigate the consequences of bias on their students’ education outcomes, namely exclusionary discipline. The present research tested whether the empathic discipline program could be implemented through MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) networks in a large and diverse school district and whether it could mitigate yearlong suspension rates. As compared to control conditions, the empathic discipline program meaningfully reduced yearlong suspension rates and mitigated racial disparities in them. Implications and recommendations are discussed. Learn more on the CTS website.

This brief examines the notable trends and disparities in high school graduation rates between English-Learner classified students (ELs) and non-English-Learner classified students in California over the past five years. The analysis reveals that while overall graduation rates have shown a positive increase, English-Learner classified students continue to have consistently lower graduation rates compared to their non-EL peers. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and support systems to address the unique challenges faced by English-Learner classified students and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities. Key findings include: English Learners are less likely to graduate compared to their peers. CA’s 15 largest districts had an average gap of 11.64 percentage points. UC/CSU admission was even less likely for English Learners: among these 15 districts, there was an average gap of 24.31 percentage points between the rate of total students who met UC/CSU admission criteria and the rate of English Learners. This brief is part of The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) series. Learn more on the CTS website.

This brief presents key findings on English-Learner classified students (ELs) in California and their reclassification, offering valuable insights for policymakers and educators. Researchers depict trends in English-Learner classified student reclassification rates. Key findings include: The number of Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students has shown an upward trend, with an increase from 183,272 in 2017 to 193,899 in 2018. The overall enrollment of ELs has declined from 1,332,405 in 2017 to 1,062,290 in 2021. The percentage of ELs in the overall enrollment has decreased from 21.4% in 2017 to 17.7% in 2021. The reclassification rate for ELs has varied, with the highest rate of 14.6% in 2018 and the lowest rate of 6.9% in 2021. In the top 10 largest districts, the proportion of ELs who are Long-Term English-Learner classified students (LTELs) ranges from 13.1% to 21.9%. The percentage of Ever-ELs who are RFEP in the top 10 districts ranges from 37.1% to 53.9%. This brief is part of The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) series. Learn more on the CTS website.

California’s students face a number of challenges that have been greatly exacerbated by the pandemic. Low public funding state-wide, compounded over many years, has meant slow growth in learning and educational productivity. Disadvantaged and minority students lag far behind such that there are large inequities across California’s K-12 system. There is a compelling need for reform and for additional investment to address these challenges and to reduce systemic inequities. This brief summarizes our economic analysis of three specific –and related – issues facing California’s public school system: students’ failure to complete high school, chronic absenteeism, and disciplinary infractions. We identify substantial benefits if there are improvements across any of these domains. Improvements might be general – affecting all students — or they might be targeted – reducing gaps by race or level of disadvantage. Learn more on the CTS website.

This brief depicts demographic trends and the rich diversity of the English-Learner (EL) classified students enrolled in California’s public schools, including the number of language learners, geographic trends in where they live, their home language, and their race. Key findings include: The number and proportion of EL-classified students in California is decreasing; The majority of EL-classified students are Latinx and Spanish speaking, but within this classification there remain rich diversity; While Spanish remains the predominant language, the proportion of EL-classified students who speak Spanish has experienced a slight decline; and Only 5% of California districts have proportions of EL-classified students equal to or exceeding 50%. CA MTSS is a comprehensive framework that aligns academic, behavioral, social and emotional learning, and mental health supports in a fully integrated system of support for the benefit of all students. Understanding the landscape of language learners in California may be helpful in informing policy and implementation recommendations that help CA MTSS to provide targeted, impactful support to EL-classified students. The brief concludes with a discussion of the significance of these findings and policy recommendations related to CA MTSS. This brief is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support). Learn more on the CTS website.