How AI Can Strengthen MTSS in Catholic Schools: A New Framework for Student Support
Available above as an audio overview for those on the go.
Rising demands and limited resources find some Catholic schools struggling to implement the kind of robust, data-driven student support systems that are now standard in public education.
That’s why our new pre-print study, Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Strengthen MTSS within Catholic Schools, explores how AI can become a valuable partner in expanding access to high-quality Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in Catholic education—without compromising mission or values.
Why This Work Matters
MTSS has been shown to improve key educational outcomes like graduation rates and college readiness. But implementing MTSS effectively requires time, staff, and expertise—things many Catholic schools simply don’t have. Our study highlights how AI can assist in:
Identifying students who need additional support
Recommending and generating evidence-based interventions
Supporting personalized and differentiated instruction
Tracking student progress and helping educators interpret data
By easing these pain points, AI could help Catholic schools achieve the spirit—and standards—of MTSS more fully, even with fewer resources.
Grounded in Catholic Values
Importantly, the study acknowledges ethical concerns and situates AI use within a Catholic framework. The Vatican has encouraged responsible AI use in education, especially where individual attention is needed or resources are scarce. This aligns well with Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the principles of human dignity, subsidiarity, and the common good.
Practical Use Cases for Educators
The paper shares specific examples of how general AI tools (like Google Gemini, ChatGPT Edu, and Microsoft Copilot) and Catholic-specific platforms (like TrekAI and Cechat) can be used in real classrooms. These tools can help:
Create reading passages at multiple levels
Suggest targeted math interventions
Draft individualized learning plans
Summarize behavioral data and trends
All of this can help teachers and administrators spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on what matters most—building relationships and teaching.
Next Steps
We hope this work encourages more Catholic schools to explore how AI might enhance—not replace—their sacred role in education. And we call for more research to examine the real-world impact of these tools on student learning, teacher well-being, and equity across Catholic education systems.
You can read the full pre-print here.