Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the application of improvement science within education as a structured framework for strengthening the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) to improve elementary students’ reading outcomes. Grounded in the six guiding principles of improvement science: problem-specific, focus, variability acknowledgment, system recognition, evaluation, and systematic inquiry learning. This study applied a Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) methodology and practical insights. The study emphasized the utilization of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle as a trial-and-learning methodology to instigate continuous improvement in educational practices. Using a mixed-methods design across two years in an open-enrollment elementary school in Texas, quantitative student achievement data and qualitative teacher perception data were integrated to examine both intervention outcomes and implementation processes. Findings were intended to inform instructional decision-making, strengthen intervention fidelity, and contribute to policy and practice related to equitable reading instruction through MTSS/RTI frameworks.

Date of publication

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

english

Persistent identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5103

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