This study evaluated the use of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Secondary (PTR-SEC) model as an individualized Tier 3 intervention within the School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) in three high school classrooms. Three teaching staff (two teachers and one instructional aide) and three students with autism spectrum…

A high proportion of people with developmental disabilities engage in challenging behavior compared to the general population (McClintock, Hall, & Oliver, 2003). Functional Communication Training (FCT) is an is an evidence-based intervention to address challenging behavior (Heath et al., 2015), but many people remain unable to access effective…

State agencies provide for MTSS [multi-tiered systems of support] initiatives with the purpose of producing meaningful outcomes. The impact of MTSS is dependent upon the ability of educators to implement the practices correctly and consistently. A lack of implementation fidelity can result in a practice or program being less effective, less…

As implementation scientists know well, evaluating fidelity is essential for researchers and practitioners when making sure they implement a plan as intended. However, the concept of fidelity remains unclear, given that various conceptualizations exist within and across disciplines. To help researchers and practitioners understand fidelity, a…

Though treatment integrity measurement is important for research intended to promote social and behavioral outcomes of children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) in early childhood settings, measurement gaps exist in the field. This paper reports on the development and preliminary psychometric assessment of the treatment…

This paper explores the model of a pedagogical system for business and entrepreneurship education and discusses the effects of its evolution on the balance between fidelity of implementation and ease of adoption.

Asking practitioners to make larger changes to their practice is often thought to lead to lower fidelity of implementation. However, salient differences between ambitious new reforms and teachers' existing practices may also facilitate processes of conceptual change and correspondingly increase fidelity of implementation. I use survey data on the…

Promoting self-determination is essential to effective transition services and supports. The Goal Setting Challenge App (GSC App) was developed to deliver self-determination instruction via technology, building on the evidence-based Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). This paper presents data on goal attainment outcomes for…

Treatment fidelity data (descriptive and statistical) are critical to interpreting and generalizing outcomes of intervention research. Despite recommendations for treatment fidelity reporting from funding agencies and researchers, past syntheses have found treatment fidelity is frequently unreported (e.g., Swanson, "The Journal of Special…

Hybrid teacher leadership (HTL)--that is, teachers whose official schedule includes both teaching K-12 students and leading teachers in some capacity--seemed poised to evolve as a more systemic enterprise at the turn of the century; however, implementation has been surprisingly sporadic. In this article, we explore Washington (a state long known…

In this 3-year prospective study, we tested the extent to which school-, practice-, and district-level variables predicted sustained implementation for schools in various stages of implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) Tier 1 (universal) systems. Staff from 860 schools in 14 U.S. states completed a…

This post is one in a series highlighting MDRC's methodological work. Contributors discuss the refinement and practical use of research methods being employed across MDRC. MDRC has begun working with research partners through the Expanding Children's Early Learning (ExCEL) Network, a collaboration of researchers, preschool providers, and local…

This study examined the differential effects of Strategies for Reading Informational Text and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE) on the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and content learning among 4,757 fourth-grade students with and without disabilities. Schools were assigned to one of three conditions: researcher-supported professional development…

This study examined the differential effects of Strategies for Reading Informational Text and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE) on the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and content learning among 4,757 fourth-grade students with and without disabilities. Schools were assigned to one of three conditions: researcher-supported professional development…

Exclusionary disciplinary practices are utilized in schools despite limited benefits and associated negative student outcomes. Alternative strategies, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, reduce exclusionary discipline practices, though research is limited in secondary settings. This study examines how student and school staff…