Amanda L. Witte

A randomized trial examining the effects of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in rural schools: Student outcomes and the mediating role of the teacher–parent relationship

The results of a large-scale randomized controlled trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) on student outcomes and teacher-parent relationships in rural schools are presented. CBC is an indirect service delivery model that addresses concerns shared by teachers and parents about students. In the present study, the intervention was aimed at promoting positive school-related social-behavioral skills and strengthening teacher-parent relationships in rural schools. Participants were 267 students in grades K-3, their parents, and 152 teachers in 45 Midwest rural schools. Results revealed that, on average, improvement among students whose parents and teachers experienced CBC significantly outpaced that of control students in their teacher-reported school problems and observational measures of their inappropriate (off-task and motor activity) and appropriate (on-task and social interactions) classroom behavior. In addition, teacher responses indicated significantly different rates of improvement in their relationship with parents in favor of the CBC group. Finally, the teacher-parent relationship was found to partially mediate effects of CBC on several student outcomes. Unique contributions of this study, implications of findings for rural students, study limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation in Rural Schools

Conjoint behavioral consultation (Sheridan & Kratochwill, 2008) is an empirically supported model of service delivery for children with behavioral and mental health concerns. This chapter explores the use of CBC in rural schools to promote children’s adaptive skills and alleviate behavioral and academic challenges. The CBC model, challenges associated with delivering mental health services in rural schools, and a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of CBC in rural communities are discussed. The chapter concludes with areas for future research.

Rural Teacher Practices and Partnerships to Address Behavioral Challenges: The Efficacy and Mechanisms of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation

The efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC), a family-school partnership intervention, for teachers’ practices and process skills was evaluated. Participants were 152 teachers of grades K–3 in 45 Midwest rural schools randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Treatment group teachers participated in an 8- to 10-week CBC intervention. Outcome measures were (a) self-reports of classroom practices and collaborative process skills and (b) direct observations of teachers’ use of effective behavioral strategies. Relative to control group participants, there was a significant positive intervention effect on CBC teachers’ self-report of appropriate behavioral strategies (β = .47, p < .001), observations of their use of positive attention (β = .50, p < .001) and positive consequences (β = .72, p < .001), and competence in addressing problems (β = .95, p < .001). Teachers’ appropriate strategy use was mediated by their use of problem-solving processes. Implications for rural settings are discussed.

Family-school partnerships in rural communities: Benefits, exemplars, and future research

Research has established that families significantly influence students’ development, with parental engagement positively predicting academic and social-behavioral adjustment. When families and schools partner in students’ education, positive benefits for the students as well as their families and teachers are realized. Although rural schools are uniquely positioned to foster and benefit from family-school partnerships, limited resources, logistical barriers and lack of familiarity challenge the development of effective partnerships in rural settings. This chapter will examine Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP), a structured, indirect intervention that focuses both on promoting students’ social-behavior and academic success and strengthening family-school partnerships. Research on TAPP has documented its positive effects on students’ behavioral, academic and social-emotional functioning across home and school settings; this chapter will outline its efficacy and utility in rural settings. Authors will review results from a four-year randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of TAPP in rural schools and provide suggestions for future research considerations of family-school partnerships in the rural context.

Home-School Partnerships in Support of Young Children’s Development: The Intersection of Relationships, Rurality, and Race

Abstract Strong home-school partnerships consistently and substantially benefit children’s academic and social development. Home-school partnerships are considerably affected by the settings in which they take place (e.g., rural, urban, suburban), the characteristics of the partners (e.g., parents and teachers), and their relationships with one another (parent-teacher partnerships). In rural communities, supportive home-school partnerships promote young children’s success but have proven difficult to implement. African American families with young children residing in rural communities experience unique social and institutional challenges and benefits that are particularly salient for fostering home-school partnerships. Thus, the landscape of rural communities is an important and essential consideration for understanding the intersection between race and home-school partnerships. This chapter focuses on the promise of positive home-school partnerships for rural African American children, their families, and their schools. Home-school partnership as an essential component of children’s academic and social development is defined, and sample home-school partnership intervention programs are described. Finally, existing policy investments related to the facilitation of home-school partnerships are explored and policy recommendations that promote such partnerships are discussed.

Strengths-Based Educational Interventions in Rural Settings: Promoting Child Development Through Home–School Partnerships

Interventions implemented in educational settings promote the academic and social success of children and youth. These educational interventions are influenced by the context in which they are being implemented; the ecology of communities and schools contributes to intervention success. Thus, the landscape of rural communities is an important and essential consideration for understanding the implementation of educational interventions. Racial/ethnic minority children and families residing in rural communities experience unique social and institutional challenges that are particularly salient for carrying out educational interventions.