Summer '26 Rewind: Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, with Brittney Bills, Ed.D.
Summer '26 Rewind: Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, with Brittney Bills, Ed.D.  
Podcast: Science of Reading: The Podcast
Published On: Wed Aug 12 2026
Description: On this encore episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, host Susan Lambert, Ed.D., is joined by Brittney Bills, Ed.D., educator and senior manager of literacy partnerships at Amplify. Brittney explains what a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is and how it centers on prevention, rather than intervention. She also talks about the intersection of universal screening data and an MTSS, and provides advice on evidence-based strategies and techniques to make a positive impact in your classroom. Drawing on examples from her former district, Brittney discusses how to prevent burnout, use data effectively, and support ongoing improvement.Show notes: Connect with Brittney Bills on LinkedIn.Listen to Season 3 of the Amplify podcast Beyond My Years.Join our community Facebook group.Connect with Susan Lambert.Quotes:"[An] MTSS is not a thing that lives outside of the Science of Reading. They're two things that complement each other very, very well." —Brittney Bills"We need better processes that we can apply more widely to effectively arrive at our outcomes for our students who need more intensive support." —Brittney Bills"It's the student's needs that should drive the decisions, not a cool presentation that we saw at a conference." —Brittney BillsTimestamps*:0:00 Introduction: Implementing MTSS with Brittney Bills, Ed.D.2:00 Brittney's Science of Reading journey5:00 Pursuing leadership6:00 Bringing literacy and MTSS together7:00 What is an MTSS?9:00 Universal tier as the first intervention11:00 Key MTSS components: screening, fidelity, and progress monitoring17:00 Student need should drive decisions18:00 Class-wide intervention and leveraging data efficiently21:00 Rethinking small-group instruction30:00 Data analysis tools for grade-level PLCs35:00 MTSS as continuous support42:00 Closing thoughts: "MTSS is not another thing, it is the thing."*Timestamps are approximate