ABSTRACT
School-based, problem solving teams (PSTs) have been in place since the late 1970s. PSTs tend to share many commonalities including makeup, processes, and desired outcome. An example of how PSTs have evolved can be found in the recent shift within education to an emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and data-based decision-making that has resulted in wide-spread adoption of Response to Intervention (RTI) or multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) models of service delivery in schools. The chapter discusses the roles, functions, and processes of effective PSTs within an RTI/MTSS framework. Several factors should be considered when building a PST, including: skills and expertise of members, attitude towards RTI/MTSS of support, and personal and professional demeanor or character traits. Schools using models such as the PST 1–2–3 to support and guide the process will be more likely to stay true to the PST process, leading to better outcomes for their students.
