Overview
Providing an overview of the student mental health crisis, The Fourth Tier shares a framework to support the development of support that schools and districts can enact to better meet the needs of all students. By leveraging the existing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model as a starting point and adding a critical fourth tier, this book provides a framework for educators and decision-makers to review, plan, and implement an enhanced level of support for their students.
Full Product Details
Author: Armand Pires ,
Ryan Sherman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.20cm
, Length: 22.60cm
Weight: 0.300kg
ISBN: 9781475875058
ISBN 10: 1475875053
Pages: 176
Publication Date: 19 March 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Availability: Manufactured on demand
Reviews
This book provides a concise, applied research approach to support mental health in schools. It outlines a proactive approach for school leaders to address mental health. The authors' expansion of MTSS to include a fourth tier is an essential shift to effectively respond to the ongoing student mental health crisis. This book is an essential guide for school leaders to work within their sphere of control to address it. -- Rosemary Reilly-Chammat, EdD. * Director, Office of School Health and Wellness, Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education * Two experienced educational leaders, Sherman and Pires, take readers on a journey that begins with the significant challenges currently facing the children’s mental health services system and leads to a comprehensive guide for school staff that addresses those challenges. By highlighting the importance of partnerships between schools and community organizations, they reveal practical strategies to improve youth mental health services. -- Jennifer Green, PhD. * Professor, Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development * As a school superintendent, I am continually searching for innovative approaches to address the complex challenges our students face. The mental health crisis among school-aged children has escalated to unprecedented levels. The Fourth Tier: Modernizing MTSS to Support Student Mental Health is not just timely; it is an essential resource for educators and administrators grappling with these urgent issues. It offers a thoughtful, well-researched roadmap to address one of the most pressing issues in education today. -- Jeffrey J. Marsden, EdD * Massachusetts Superintendent of Schools *
Author Information
Armand Pires, PhD, has served as Superintendent of Schools in Medway, Massachusetts since 2015. Prior to this role he served as assistant superintendent, director of curriculum, principal and assistant principal at the middle and high school level, as well as a teacher at the middle and high school level. Armand was also recognized as the 2025 Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year. Ryan Sherman, DBH, has been the director of wellness for a Massachusetts school district since 2016, bridging school and mental health services. He previously worked as a behavioral health provider at Massachusetts General Hospital and is a senior professor in social and emotional learning at Bay Path University . Dr. Sherman has received multiple awards, including the MIAA Wellness Coordinator of the Year. For more, visit www.SELTier4.com.
