The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine patterns in implementation of Tiers 2 and 3 school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) systems to identify timings of installation that led to higher implementation of advanced tiers. Extant data from 776 schools in 27 states reporting on the first 3 years of Tier 2…

Behavior intervention plans (BIPs) are intended to help educators systematically support students with behavioral problems at school. Previous research confirms that the effectiveness of a BIP depends on the degree to which the plan is technically adequate and implemented with integrity. What remains unclear from the literature is how professional…

Burnout is a psychological phenomenon that is common among professions that have a high demand for empathy, such as those in the mental health field. School counselors are more at risk of feeling burnout than other professions because of numerous demands from the job, role conflict and ambiguity, large caseloads, and the amount of time spent on…

Inquiry-Based Teaching Practice (IBTP) is an essential component of science education, and promoting its implementation is at the heart of various reform efforts. Even though science teachers regard IBTP as an essential pedagogical method, they rarely use it for various reasons. This study utilizes Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework to examine…

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has had multifaceted effects on students, their families, and the educators who support their learning. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most notable changes for schools was the sudden move to distance learning--an unprecedented disruption to academic, social, and emotional instruction. Social…

Check In Check Out (CICO) is one of the most empirically supported Tier 2 behavior interventions for students who require additional supports to experience success. CICO incorporates regular performance feedback and adult interaction throughout the day in alignment with school-wide expectations. Performance feedback includes both reinforcing and…

When behaviors are reinforced with a variable interval reinforcement schedule, reinforcement is available only after an unknown period of time. These types of reinforcement schedules are most useful for reinforcing slow and steady responding and for differentially reinforcing behaviors that are incompatible with some problematic behaviors. This…

The purpose of this study was to document within-year fidelity growth during installation and initial implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). Participants included school teams from schools throughout the United States that were in years one to four of SWPBIS implementation and routinely evaluated…

While beneficial, the consistent and regular use of evidence to improve teaching and learning is proving difficult to achieve in practice. This paper attempts to shed new light on this issue by examining the question: "If using evidence to inform teaching practice is rational behaviour, why aren't all teachers engaged in it?" It first…

Aims: This study sought to investigate the predictors of spontaneous Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) use in a naturalistic school setting. Method: The study recruited 44 students (36 boys and eight girls), aged between 6 to 18 years and their teachers (26 teachers and two teaching assistants). Teaching staff completed measures of…

Research suggests effective professional learning communities (PLCs) enhance teacher collaboration and student achievement. Some studies indicate that these communities also predict greater collective efficacy, while others suggest teacher efficacy is predictive of teachers working together. Although studies have identified effective,…

Content standards, not performance standards, have been almost the sole focus of state policies and recent conversations about academic standards. Without rigorous content and performance standards, we cannot adequately prepare students for the global marketplace. A recent AIR study shows that state performance standards are consistently low and…

Despite empirical evidence suggesting social-emotional learning (SEL) is critical for reducing risk behaviors and promoting mental health, prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement, SEL programs have not been routinely adopted in school settings (Durlak et al., 2011). Due to associated implications for adoption and implementation, recent…

This supplemental report provides information from the full report (published separately) that describes campus effects of AISD's Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program from the year prior to SEL implementation (i.e., 2010-2011 when available) through 2014-2015. Analyses also examine which SEL outcome measures were related to SEL…

This article contrasts policy intent and policy implementation in school autonomy and accountability. The analysis uses a conceptual framework based on the interaction between school autonomy, student assessment, and accountability as elements of a closed system. The article analyzes the implementation of school autonomy and accountability policy,…