Jenna Hardy

My name is Jenna Hardy, and while I am testifying as a private teacher who is a public school educator in NH, I am also the member of the Merrimack School Board. The Multi-Tiered System of Support of Behavioral Health and Wellness is instrumental in public schools in New Hampshire to assure that all students are given access to supports that allow them to thrive in a school setting. As much as we want to believe that all students have home environments that support education, many, many do not. The MTSS-B framework provides three key things: support for students, support for staff, and critically important data to drive decision making. It supports students by getting them the help they need to learn emotional regulation, coping skills, conflict resolution, communication skills, social skills and many other things that allow them to thrive. It provides support to teachers by allowing there to be other supporting adults in the building so they can continue teaching the class when other students are having a struggle. But, critically it provides a system that collects data on the supports that make a difference and on risk-indicators. This allows administrators, school districts, and school boards to make staffing and funding decisions. The MTSS system both for academics and behavior are CRITICAL supports for students. Please do not remove these. To do so would remove supports that allow at-risk students to be successful.