The Great Divide: Why MTSS for Gifted Learners Changes Everything (Part 1)

The Great Divide: Building on our journey beyond the ceiling

Remember that brilliant third-grader I mentioned who finishes math worksheets in five minutes? Let's call her Marcella. In a traditional MTSS framework, Marcella would never appear on anyone's radar. She's not struggling—quite the opposite. She's soaring so far above grade level that she's practically invisible to a system designed to identify learners who need traditional support.

Well, what if we redefine the word "support?" Support is necessary for ALL learners to grow. Instead of thinking of support as remediation for struggling learners, we have to open our eyes to the very real NEED for equitable support for gifted and advanced learners.

This is the fundamental problem we're solving in Ohio. It's exactly why we can't just "flip the triangle and change the name," because that only gets us to the foothills of what is actually Mount Everest.

While the broad concept of MTSS for gifted and advanced learners has been explored, what we're doing in Ohio goes much deeper. I'm drilling down into the nuances and complexities that others have only touched on, working alongside my thought partner, Andi McNair, and drawing from the collective expertise of our incredible Ohio collaborative workgroup. This collaborative approach ensures the creation of a comprehensive system and a framework strengthened by multiple voices and experiences from across our state.

The core differences I've identified make MTSS for gifted and advanced learners a completely different beast. These aren't minor tweaks—they're paradigm shifts that change everything we think we know!

Difference #1 (The WHAT): The Direction of Movement Changes Everything

Traditional MTSS: Learners move UP the triangle (vertical movement)

• Goal: Help learners who need additional support reach grade-level proficiency

• Direction: Remediation → On-level instruction

• Success metric: Reaching Tier 1

  
  

MTSS for Gifted and Advanced Learners: Learners grow OUT from their starting point (horizontal movement)

• Goal: Help gifted and advanced learners grow FROM wherever they are

• Direction: Current level → Unlimited growth potential

• Success metric: Continuous progress and challenge

  
  

Consider Marcella's journey. Traditional MTSS would look at her Tier 1 performance and assume she's thriving. But when we shift from measuring achievement to fostering growth, a different story emerges. Day after day, Marcella trudges through content she mastered long ago. She's not expanding her thinking or deepening her understanding. Without the right support, she gradually disengages. By middle school, she's the learner whose potential has dimmed so much that teachers genuinely question her giftedness. This is why Marcella needs to grow OUT from her current level—expansive growth that matches her abilities, not the vertical climb designed for many of her peers.

Difference #2 (The HOW): The Interventions Look Completely Different

This is where the rubber meets the road, and where I see the most confusion in districts trying to adapt traditional MTSS.

Traditional MTSS Interventions:

• More time on task

• Repeated practice

• Breaking content into smaller chunks

• Additional explicit instruction

• Slower pacing

  
  

MTSS for Gifted and Advanced Learners Interventions:

• Acceleration and compacting

• Complex, abstract thinking opportunities

• Independent and self-directed learning

• Mentorship and advanced resources

• Faster pacing and deeper exploration

  
  

See the problem? If we simply use the traditional MTSS interventions with Marcella, she would actually be losing ground relative to her potential. This is a scenario we can no longer allow or ignore.

Difference #3 (The WHY): The Intent Behind Support Is Fundamentally Different

The BIG elephant in the room no one is talking about…until now!

Traditional MTSS Intent:

• Fill gaps in learning

• Provide remediation and additional support

• Build foundational skills

• Help learners reach grade-level expectations

  
  

MTSS for Gifted and Advanced Learners Intent:

• Remove barriers to advanced learning

• Provide appropriate challenge and rigor

• Develop high-level thinking skills and metacognition

• Help learners move beyond grade-level limitations

  
  

One framework focuses on providing the support needed to reach proficiency. The other focuses on unleashing what's possible when learners are seen, heard, and appropriately challenged.

But Wait... There's More to This Story

These three fundamental differences are just the beginning. What happens when these frameworks need to work together? What about learners who need both types of support simultaneously?

And here's the question that's been driving our work in Ohio: How do we create a system that honors both approaches without creating chaos in our schools?

In my next post, I'll reveal the surprising intersection point that makes both frameworks possible, introduce you to a learner who needs BOTH triangles at the same time, and share why this changes everything we thought we knew about supporting ALL learners.

Because what we've discovered about twice-exceptional learners is about to flip the entire conversation on its head.

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Don't miss Part 2! Follow my journey as we develop Ohio's groundbreaking MTSS framework for gifted and advanced learners.

Connect with me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @angie_beyond_the_ceiling

• Join the conversation: angiebeyondtheceiling@gmail.com

  
  

Because every gifted and advanced learner deserves to soar beyond the ceiling.