The Fourth Tier - (AASA the School Superintendents Association) by Armand Pires & Ryan Sherman (Hardcover)

About the Book

The Fourth Tier introduces a groundbreaking extension to the MTSS model, empowering schools and districts with a practical framework.

Book Synopsis

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.

About the Author

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.