Elise T. Pas

Examining the Association Between Implementation and Outcomes State-wide Scale-up of School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports

Although there is an established literature supporting the efficacy of a variety of prevention programs, there has been less empirical work on the translation of such research to everyday practice or when scaled-up state-wide. There is a considerable need for more research on factors that enhance implementation of programs and optimize outcomes, particularly in school settings. The current paper examines how the implementation fidelity of an increasingly popular and widely disseminated prevention model called, School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS), relates to student outcomes within the context of a state-wide scale-up effort. Data come from a scale-up effort of SW-PBIS in Maryland; the sample included 421 elementary and middle schools trained in SW-PBIS. SW-PBIS fidelity, as measured by one of three fidelity measures, was found to be associated with higher math achievement, higher reading achievement, and lower truancy. School contextual factors were related to implementation levels and outcomes. Implications for scale-up efforts of behavioral and mental health interventions and measurement considerations are discussed.

Integrating school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports with tier 2 coaching to student support teams: The PBISplus model

Schools continue to display an interest in, and efficiency with, the implementation of the universal level of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), but often struggle to integrate tier 2 supports to address the needs of students at risk for behavioural or academic difficulties. School practitioners and researchers are increasingly interested in optimizing programme implementation through coaching and integrating supports at the more advanced tiers of PBIS. The current paper describes one such model, called PBISplus, which builds on the multi-tiered PBIS model by providing tailored training in the implementation of functional behavioural assessments, the student support teaming process, cultural proficiency, and evidence-based practices (e.g. Check-In/Check-Out) by a tier 2 coach. After describing the process for integrating these core elements with the universal PBIS model and the coaching model developed to facilitate that process, we summarize preliminary findings from a three-year group-randomized controlled trial of the PBISplus model in 42 Maryland elementary schools. Significant effects were observed on teacher efficacy and student outcomes, including rates of special education service use and teacher-reported academic performance. Implications for future research aimed at integrating programmes within the three-tiered PBIS framework are discussed.

A state-wide partnership to promote safe and supportive schools: the PBIS Maryland Initiative.

Schools continue to be an important context for preventive interventions targeting a range of behavioral and mental health problems. Yet competing demands on teachers and shifting priorities in response to federal legislation have posed some unique challenges to prevention researchers working in school settings. This paper summarizes an approach to prevention partnerships developed over a decade and centered on the three-tiered Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model. A state-wide initiative was formed and led through a partnership between the Maryland State Department of Education, Sheppard Pratt Health System, and Johns Hopkins University, which focused on implementing evidence-based practices and conducting prevention research in Maryland public schools. Drawing on a community-based participatory research framework for developing research partnerships, we highlight the importance of forming and sustaining authentic relationships to support school-based prevention research and implementation of evidence-based programs. We also discuss how these relationships have been used to disseminate PBIS and rigorously test its effectiveness. We describe some lessons learned from the partnership and identify potential areas for future research on the prevention partnership model. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for both researchers and community partners engaged in translational research in school settings.

Individual and School Organizational Factors that Influence Implementation of the PAX Good Behavior Game Intervention

Evidence-based interventions are being disseminated broadly in schools across the USA, but the implementation levels achieved in community settings vary considerably. The current study examined the extent to which teacher and school factors were associated with implementation dosage and quality of the PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG), a universal classroom-based preventive intervention designed to improve student social-emotional competence and behavior. Specifically, dosage (i.e., number of games and duration of games) across the school year and quality (i.e., how well the game is delivered) of PAX GBG implementation across four time points in a school year were examined. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the association between teacher-level factors (e.g., demographics, self-reports of personal resources, attitudes toward the intervention, and workplace perceptions) and longitudinal implementation data. We also accounted for school-level factors, including demographic characteristics of the students and ratings of the schools’ organizational health. Findings indicated that only a few teacher-level factors were significantly related to variation in implementation. Teacher perceptions (e.g., fit with teaching style, emotional exhaustion) were generally related to dosage, whereas demographic factors (e.g., teachers’ age) were related to quality. These findings highlight the importance of school contextual and proximal teacher factors on the implementation of classroom-based programs.

Secondary and Tertiary Support Systems in Schools Implementing School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: A Preliminary Descriptive Analysis.

More than 14,000 schools nationwide have been trained in School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS), which aims both to reduce behavior problems and to promote a positive school climate. However, there remains a need to understand the programs and services provided to children who are not responding adequately to the universal level of support. Data from 45 elementary schools implementing SWPBIS were collected using the School-wide Evaluation Tool and the Individual Student Systems Evaluation Tool (I-SSET) to assess the use of school-wide, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support systems. The I-SSET data indicated that nearly all schools implemented federally mandated Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports (e.g., functional behavioral assessment, student support teams), but few schools implemented other evidence-based programs for students with more intensive needs. School-level demographic characteristics were correlated with the implementation of some aspects of universal SWPBIS, but not with the Tier 2 or 3 supports. Implications of these findings for professional development are discussed.

Coaching Classroom-Based Preventive Interventions

The high prevalence of student behavioral and mental health challenges points to schools as a critical context for prevention and service delivery (Hoagwood et al., 2007). There is a growing recognition of the importance of teachers in the implementation of school-based programs that benefit the social-emotional and behavioral outcomes of students. Despite the growing evidence base for the efficacy of preventive interventions (for reviews, see Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011; Hoagwood & Burns, 2005; O’Connell, Boat, & Warner, 2009; Wilson & Lipsey, 2007), the implementation of these interventions is often lacking (Gottfredson, Jones, & Gore, 2002) and likely requires ongoing, interactive professional development that allows teachers to reflect on their practice and provides support to teachers to them for high-quality implementation (Darling-Hammond, 2009).

Lessons Learned Coaching Teachers in Behavior Management: The PBISplus Coaching Model

There is growing interest in coaching as a means of promoting professional development and the use of evidence-based practices in schools. This article describes the PBISplus coaching model used to provide technical assistance for classroom- and school-wide behavior management to elementary schools over the course of 3 years. This Tier 2 coaching model was implemented within the context of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and tested in a 42-school, randomized controlled trial. We summarize some of the lessons learned by coaches regarding their efforts to gain access to the administrators, teachers, and student support staff in order to effect change and improve student outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of ways to successfully collaborate with teachers to promote effective classroom- and school-wide behavior management.

Factors Influencing Staff Perceptions of Administrator Support for Tier 2 and 3 Interventions: A Multilevel Perspective

Although the number of schools implementing School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is increasing, and there is great demand for evidence-based Tier 2 and 3 interventions for students requiring additional support, little systematic research has examined administrator support for such programming. This article examines staff- and school-level factors associated with staff members’ perception of administrator support for SWPBIS and the implementation of Tier 2 and 3 interventions. Using data from 2,717 staff members in 45 elementary schools implementing SWPBIS, multilevel analyses were conducted. Results indicated that the schools’ organizational health played an important role in staff members’ perceptions of administrator support for SWPBIS and Tier 2 and 3 interventions, whereas the implementation quality of these interventions did not. Furthermore, perceived administrator support for Tier 2 and 3 interventions varied as a function of the staff members’ role in the school. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

How Do School-Based Prevention Programs Impact Teachers? Findings from a Randomized Trial of an Integrated Classroom Management and Social-Emotional Program

A number of classroom-based interventions have been developed to improve social and behavioral outcomes for students, yet few studies have examined how these programs impact the teachers who are implementing them. Impacts on teachers may affect students and therefore also serve as an important proximal outcome to examine. The current study draws upon data from a school-based randomized controlled trial testing the impact of two prevention programs. In one intervention condition, teachers were trained in the classroom behavior management program, PAX Good Behavior Game (PAX GBG). In a second intervention condition, teachers were trained to use an integrated program, referred to as PATHS to PAX, of the PAX GBG and a social and emotional learning curriculum called Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS©). This study aimed to determine whether both interventions positively impacted teachers, with a particular interest in the teachers’ own beliefs and perceptions regarding self-efficacy, burnout, and social-emotional competence. The sample included 350 K-5 teachers across 27 schools (18 schools randomized to intervention, 9 to control). Multilevel latent growth curve analyses indicated that the PATHS to PAX condition generally demonstrated the most benefits to teachers, relative to both the control and PAX GBG conditions. These findings suggest that school-based preventive interventions can have a positive impact on teachers’ beliefs and perceptions, particularly when the program includes a social-emotional component. Several possible mechanisms might account for the added benefit to teachers. Additional research is needed to better understand how these programs impact teachers, as well as students.

A Focus on Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in High Schools: Associations With Bullying and Other Indicators of School Disorder

Abstract. There is growing interest in the use of a multitiered system of supports framework to address issues related to school climate and bullying. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is one such model that has received considerable attention; however, nearly all of the extant literature has focused on elementary and middle schools, with limited research on high schools. Furthermore, research on PBIS implementation in high schools, particularly in relation to school context, is scant. The current article examined the adoption and implementation of PBIS in 31 high schools randomly assigned to implement PBIS, within the context of a larger 58 high school randomized trial. We first present descriptive data on the rollout of the core features of PBIS, as measured by a set of research-based implementation tools administered by outside observers. We then explore the extent to which baseline rates of bullying and other school-level indicators of disorder were associated with the adoption of the multitiered PBIS framework over the course of 2 years. Multilevel analyses on the longitudinal implementation data indicated that schools with higher baseline rates of bullying generally implemented PBIS with greater fidelity over time. This suggests that schools with increased bullying may be particularly motivated to adopt PBIS. However, other baseline indicators of disorder were generally not associated with PBIS implementation and thus do not appear to be barriers to adoption. Implications for implementation research and practice in high schools are discussed.