Implementing MTSS in Secondary Schools: Challenges and Strategies

Think Forward Educators is one of Australia's most influential communities dedicated to evidence-informed teaching practice, with over 23,000 members nationally. Founded by Dr Nathaniel Swain and now a registered charity, the organisation provides high-quality professional learning opportunities that bridge the gap between educational research and classroom practice. Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in secondary schools presents a distinct set of challenges that differ significantly from primary settings—siloed departments, complex timetables, gaps in foundational skills, subject-specific demands, and the complexities of adolescent motivation all create barriers that generic implementation guides don't address. In this session, Jessica Colleu-Terradas draws on her Churchill Fellowship research and firsthand experience establishing literacy interventions at Como Secondary College in Western Australia to share practical strategies for making MTSS work in secondary contexts. Jessica identifies the key non-negotiable components that schools must get right for effective MTSS implementation, offering an honest, evidence-informed perspective on what it actually takes to build sustainable intervention systems for adolescent learners. This is essential viewing for secondary school leaders and support staff grappling with how to systematically identify and respond to students who need additional support.