Name: Learning How to Dance: Using Attendance to Build an MTSS System That Actually Moves
Start: 2026-11-20T10:15:00-0500
End: 2026-11-20T11:30:00-0500

Learning How to Dance: Using Attendance to Build an MTSS System That Actually Moves

Friday November 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am EST

Learning how to “dance” within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is not always easy, especially when systems feel fragmented, inconsistent, or unclear. This session presents a practical approach to using attendance as a strategic entry point for building a coherent MTSS system that moves from data collection to meaningful, system-wide action.
Grounded in research on early warning systems and MTSS frameworks, this work positions attendance as a leading indicator of student risk and a critical lever for improving access to instruction, engagement, and outcomes. Evidence-based practices highlighted include tiered intervention systems, data-based decision-making cycles, and fidelity tools such as the R-TFI and District Capacity Assessment, ensuring alignment to Michigan’s MTSS framework.
Participants will learn how one Michigan district redesigned its approach to attendance - shifting from passive monitoring to proactive, tiered responses across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. This shift included not only systems and interventions, but also intentional changes in adult language emphasizing presence, belonging, and engagement rather than absence and compliance. As a result, the district saw reductions in chronic absenteeism, earlier identification of student need, and increased consistency in adult practices across buildings.
This session explicitly connects attendance to both academic outcomes and social, emotional, and behavioral health (SEBH), reinforcing its role in improving access to high-quality instruction and supporting student success. Participants will leave with practical, replicable resources, including a tiered attendance framework, data protocols, team structures, and intervention strategies that can be implemented immediately to strengthen MTSS systems in their own contexts.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will identify how attendance data can be used as an early warning indicator within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to guide Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 responses.
Participants will describe key components of a tiered attendance framework, including aligned data protocols, team structures, and intervention practices that support student engagement and access to instruction.
Participants will explain how intentional adult practices, including consistent response systems and the language used to promote presence and belonging, impact student attendance and overall MTSS effectiveness.

Speakers

Cory Snider

Principal, Hemlock Public Schools

Lindy Beckman

Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Hemlock Public School District

Lindy Beckman serves as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction in a Michigan public school district, where she focuses on advancing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) through strong systems, data use, and instructional leadership. She works closely with principals and district... Read More →

Friday November 20, 2026 10:15am - 11:30am EST

Breakout Session

2026 MiMTSS Conference

Cory Snider

Lindy Beckman

Get help with the event

2026 MiMTSS Conference

Cory Snider

Lindy Beckman

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