The most comprehensive whole-child MTSS solution for schools.
CharacterStrong supports Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 with solutions and training that strengthen school culture, teach life skills, and improve behavior, belonging, well-being, and academic engagement.
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Evidence that CharacterStrong
Improves Student Outcomes.
WHY CHARACTERSTRONG?
Most Programs stop at Tier 1.
CharacterStrong supports schools across all three tiers.
Schools need more than behavior management. They need a whole-child system that strengthens school culture, teaches life skills, and provides layered supports when students need more.
A sense of belonging
Improved well-being
Increased engagement
CharacterStrong strengthens Tier 1 culture by teaching life skills, building strong relationships, and creating consistent expectations across classrooms. Our Tier 1 curriculum includes built-in prevention supports—such as bullying prevention, substance use prevention, and child safety—so schools can support the whole child without adding multiple programs. Strong Tier 1 systems improve belonging, behavior, and readiness to learn academically.
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Common Questions About MTSS and Whole-Child Student Supports
Schools and district leaders often ask how to build a strong school culture, teach life skills, and support students across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The questions below explain how CharacterStrong helps schools strengthen culture, improve student outcomes, and support the whole child.
1. What is MTSS in schools?
A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a framework schools use to support students academically, behaviorally, and socially. MTSS organizes support into three levels: Tier 1 universal supports for all students, Tier 2 targeted supports for some students, and Tier 3 intensive interventions for students with the greatest needs.
The goal of MTSS is to provide the right level of support at the right time, helping students build essential life skills, improve behavior, and stay engaged in learning.
CharacterStrong helps schools implement MTSS by providing a comprehensive system that supports Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 with curriculum, structured interventions, progress monitoring, and professional development.
2. What is Tier 1 support in MTSS?
Tier 1 provides universal support for every student and serves as the primary prevention layer in MTSS. Strong Tier 1 systems teach life skills, build positive relationships, and establish clear expectations so students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
CharacterStrong's Tier 1 curriculum weaves character education and life skills together, allowing schools to focus on character traits while teaching skills like emotional regulation and responsible decision-making.
The curriculum also includes built-in prevention lessons such as bullying prevention, substance use prevention, digital safety, and child protection lessons that help schools meet Erin's Law requirements. Many programs require schools to purchase separate units for these topics, while CharacterStrong integrates them into one comprehensive Tier 1 system.
3. What are Tier 2 supports in MTSS?
Tier 2 supports provide targeted help for students who need more support than Tier 1 alone. These supports typically include small-group instruction that helps students practice skills like emotional regulation, responsible decision-making, and positive peer interactions.
CharacterStrong's Tier 2 solution begins with screening tools that help schools identify students early and match them to the right evidence-based intervention for their needs. Educators can then track progress and implementation fidelity using built-in monitoring tools to ensure the support is working.
Many schools rely on check-in/check-out as their primary Tier 2 strategy. CharacterStrong includes check-in/check-out but also provides multiple evidence-based intervention pathways, allowing schools to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and provide the support each student needs.
4. What are Tier 3 interventions in schools?
Tier 3 interventions provide intensive, individualized support for students experiencing the greatest challenges. These supports are designed to help students build critical skills and address the underlying causes of behavior, emotional, or learning difficulties.
CharacterStrong's Tier 3 solution provides structured, evidence-based intervention pathways that address common student needs such as anxiety, depression, executive functioning, and trauma. Each intervention includes student workbooks and skill-based activities that educators can use to support individual students.
Educators can monitor interventions and track student progress to ensure supports are working. The solution also includes function-based interventions that help prevent and address behaviors in the context where they occur, along with ongoing professional development each month to support implementation.
5. How do schools monitor student progress in Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports?
Effective Tier 2 and Tier 3 systems include progress monitoring so educators can determine whether interventions are helping students improve. Schools need a way to track student growth and adjust supports when needed.
CharacterStrong provides built-in progress monitoring tools that allow educators to track student progress and monitor how well interventions are being implemented. This helps schools make data-informed decisions about which supports are working and when additional support may be needed.
By combining screening tools, evidence-based interventions, and progress monitoring in one system, CharacterStrong helps schools implement MTSS supports with clarity and consistency.
6. What makes CharacterStrong different from other student support programs?
Many programs provide Tier 1 lessons but offer only a library of activities for Tier 2 and Tier 3. CharacterStrong provides a comprehensive MTSS solution that supports schools across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 with structured interventions and built-in progress monitoring.
CharacterStrong is designed as a turnkey system, allowing schools to support student behavior, life skills, and school culture without piecing together multiple programs. The platform includes curriculum, intervention pathways, screening tools, and prevention lessons such as bullying prevention, substance use prevention, digital safety, and child protection lessons that help schools meet Erin's Law requirements.
This allows schools to implement one cohesive system rather than piecing together multiple programs, tools, and lessons.
7. Does CharacterStrong include lessons that meet Erin's Law requirements?
Yes. CharacterStrong's curriculum includes child protection lessons designed to help schools meet Erin's Law requirements, which require age-appropriate instruction that teaches students how to recognize unsafe situations and seek help from trusted adults.
These lessons are part of CharacterStrong's Safe & Supported safety unit, which equips students with practical skills to recognize risks, set boundaries, and ask for help when needed.
The curriculum also includes additional prevention topics such as bullying prevention, mental health awareness, substance use prevention, and digital safety, allowing schools to meet multiple safety requirements within one comprehensive system rather than purchasing separate programs.
8. What programs help schools implement MTSS effectively?
Schools often use a variety of programs to support different parts of MTSS, such as separate curricula for Tier 1 lessons, intervention tools for Tier 2, and specialized supports for Tier 3.
CharacterStrong helps schools implement MTSS by providing one comprehensive system that supports Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. Schools can teach life skills and character development through Tier 1 lessons, provide targeted interventions through Tier 2 supports, and implement individualized interventions through Tier 3 pathways.
Because CharacterStrong integrates curriculum, screening tools, intervention pathways, and progress monitoring into one system, schools can implement MTSS without piecing together multiple programs.
9. How much does CharacterStrong cost?
CharacterStrong pricing is tailored to each school or district based on several factors, including the number of students served, the level of implementation support needed, and whether schools are implementing Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, or a bundled MTSS solution.
Pricing may also vary depending on whether a school or district includes professional development for staff, purchases multiple years of access, or implements the program across multiple schools.
Because each district's needs are different, CharacterStrong provides customized pricing to align with schools and districts goals and desired level of support. Schools and districts can request a quote to receive customized pricing based on their implementation needs.
10. Is CharacterStrong appropriate for schools across different communities and viewpoints?
Yes. CharacterStrong focuses on universally valued life skills and character traits such as responsibility, perseverance, honesty, and respect. The program is designed to strengthen school culture, help students build positive relationships, and support their ability to succeed in school and in life.
CharacterStrong lessons focus on practical life skills such as emotional regulation, responsible decision-making, goal setting, and treating others with kindness and respect. The curriculum does not promote political viewpoints and is designed so schools can implement it in ways that align with their local community values.
Because of this focus on life skills, character development, and positive school culture, CharacterStrong is used by over 12,000 schools in all 50 states and in communities across the country with a wide range of perspectives.
It's more than a curriculum, it's a culture.
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