The Valley View School District Board of Education voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to approve a director position for Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), a role administrators described as central to coordinating academic, behavioral and social-emotional supports across all schools.

Superintendent Dr. Wood presented the revised job description and said the MTSS director would “examine data, promote data-driven decision making, [and] work in partnership with administrators and school staff” to target resources to students “who need support whether it be academically, behaviorally, socially, and or emotionally.” The superintendent framed the position as aligned with the district’s strategic plan and Illinois accountability measures.

Board members questioned the timing and oversight for the role. One trustee asked why the position had been singled out for separate consideration; another expressed concern that a vacant district-level position had gone unfilled for seven months and wanted assurance the hire would be monitored for demonstrated value. Several trustees emphasized the need to use the role to improve equitable hiring and retention for “hard to fill” areas such as bilingual and special-education staff.

Motion and vote: The board first separated the MTSS position from the consolidated personnel packet for additional discussion. After reviewing the revised job description and receiving assurances that the position would be monitored, trustees voted in favor of creating and filling the MTSS director post. The roll-call tally recorded all members voting yes on final approval.

Why this matters: Board members and speakers tied MTSS to two urgent district issues raised during public comment — staffing for special education and dual-language programs and the need for consistent interventions that keep students in class and learning. The role is intended to coordinate supports across levels and strengthen family engagement through an equity lens.

Implementation notes: Dr. Wood said the district will follow the job description presented in March, monitor implementation and use the role to examine hiring and retention strategies for bilingual and special-education staff. Trustees asked for regular review of the position’s work and outcomes.

Ending: The board approved the MTSS director position and will proceed with recruitment; trustees asked administration to return with implementation updates and data on how the new position affects staffing and equity gaps.