Branching Minds University: Courses for District Leaders and Educators

When families are genuinely engaged in their children's education, students earn higher grades, attend school more consistently, and are more likely to succeed long-term. This course uses the six National PTA Standards for Family-School Partnerships as a framework for moving beyond surface-level involvement toward real, equity-centered family engagement, exploring each standard through practical scenarios and reflection activities centered on your specific school context. Read more

Creating safe and supportive school environments requires proactive strategies for identifying and responding to student safety concerns. This course provides an overview of school-based threat assessment and suicide risk screening, emphasizing their importance within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Participants will explore legal and ethical considerations, learn about evidence-based tools such as the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG), the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and the SAFE-T model, and examine best practices for intervention following an assessment. Read more

This course provides a practical, high-level overview of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Educators will learn how MTSS uses data, teamwork, and targeted support to meet the needs of all learners. Explore the key components, clarify common misconceptions, and see how MTSS can make teaching more focused and effective. Read more

This course explores four areas that shape school climate: systems and structures, data-driven decision-making, instructional approaches to behavior, and relationship-building. You'll examine practical strategies and identify a meaningful next step for your school. Read more

In this course, educators will explore proven strategies for enhancing Tier 1 instruction to ensure all students receive high-quality, effective teaching, regardless of the grade level or content area. By refining instructional practices, teachers can meet the diverse needs of learners while promoting academic achievement for all. This course will focus on six key strategies that can be immediately implemented in the classroom to increase engagement, accessibility, and success for every student. Read more

This course equips ELL/ESL specialists and MTSS teams with a shared framework for supporting multi-language learners (MLLs) across all tiers of support. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to integrate language development into MTSS structures, conduct equitable identification and assessment, and make data-informed decisions that account for the unique needs of MLLs. Read more