From the Middle Out: Building MTSS Leadership Capability Through Job-Embedded Administrator Development

Abstract

Despite a well-established research base linking local administrative leadership to the success of school improvement initiatives, preparation programs rarely equip administrators with the specialized knowledge required to lead multitiered system of supports (MTSS) effectively. This article describes the design, theoretical framework, and 5-year outcomes of the Washington Administrators Improving Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (AIMS) Project, a federally funded professional development program built explicitly around this skills-to-capability challenge, serving certificated school administrators across Washington State (2021–2025, n = 82). Using a cohort-based model anchored in implementation science and leadership development research, AIMS engaged participants in monthly seminars organized around nine MTSS competency clusters, year-long Developmental Leadership Projects (DLPs), and structured collegial support. Pre- and post-self-assessment data collected from all five cohorts consistently demonstrated meaningful gains in participants’ confidence to lead MTSS at both school and district levels across all nine competency areas. Qualitative responses highlighted growth in MTSS knowledge, cross-district networking, and readiness to lead systemic change. Findings support the efficacy of sustained, job-embedded, competency-based professional learning as a mechanism for developing local MTSS leadership capability and have implications for the design of in-service professional development and pre-service administrator preparation programs.