Amy Briesch’s research while affiliated with Northeastern University and other places

In this article, we present findings from our first iterative design study for Project ENHANCE to share our findings as well as provide an exemplar for others engaged in design inquiry. In particular, we explain how we used a data-informed design process with district partners to determine content and features of three foundational professional learning modules to support implementation of integrated tiered systems of support. We report findings from three groups of individuals: advisory board and expert panel members (Phase 0), Ci3T Leadership Team members (Phase 1), and role-specific user groups from school faculty and staff (Phase 2). Results indicated acceptability and overall usability of content from multiple perspectives, with priority placed on smaller units of professional learning and flexible resources (e.g., videos infographics). Results also raised questions about how to use resources without overwhelming teachers as they manage multiple responsibilities within a finite amount of time. We discuss limitations and future directions.

There are many integrated Multi-tiered Systems of Support (iMTSS), which we refer to as integrated-tiered systems. These systems hold benefits for students with disabilities, as such systems have the potential to facilitate inclusion and focus the collective expertise of educators committed to meeting students’ multiple needs. The Comprehensive, Integrated Three-Tiered (Ci3T) prevention model was designed to meet student’s academic, behavioral, and social and emotional well-being needs within one integrated system. Using lessons learned over decades of research, we present a step-by-step approach to building educators’ capacity to implement integrated tiered systems through data-informed professional learning. We illustrate how school leaders can use this approach to onboard new faculty, plan coordinated ongoing professional learning for all educators, and facilitate the use of data to inform instruction—all of which are intertwined through the design, implementation, and evaluation of Ci3T models.

We are developing the Equitable Screening to Support Youth (ESSY) Whole Child Screener to address concerns prevalent in existing school-based screenings that impede goals to advance educational equity using universal screeners. Traditional assessment development does not include end users in the early development phases, instead relying on a psychometric approach. In working to develop the ESSY Whole Child Screener, we are integrating a mixed methods approach with attention to consequential validity from the outset of measure development. This approach includes end users in measure development decisions. In this study, we interviewed a diverse sample of school staff (n = 7), administrators (n = 3), and family caregivers (n = 8) to solicit their perceptions of the usability of the initial draft of the ESSY Whole Child Screener. We identified three overarching themes: (1) paving the road for implementation of a whole child screener, (2) potential roadblocks to use, and (3) suggested paths forward to maximize positive intended consequences. Paving the road for implementation of a whole child screener includes subthemes related to alignment with existing initiatives, comprehensive yet efficient design, and potential positive consequences of assessing the whole child. Potential roadblocks to use includes subthemes of staff buy-in, family comfort with contextual screening items, teacher accuracy, and school capacity to provide indicated supports. Suggested paths forward to maximize positive intended consequences include clear and precise messaging to staff and families, optimizing instrumentation and data collection procedures, and strengthening connections to data interpretation and use. We discuss next steps in the design and testing of the initial measure as well as assessment development more broadly.

The current study examined the impact of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on the academic engagement (AE) and disruptive behavior (DB) of at-risk students’ in a German inclusive primary school sample using behavioral progress monitoring. A multiple baseline design across participants was employed to evaluate the effects of the GBG on 35 primary school students in seven classrooms from grade 1 to 3 (Mage = 8.01 years, SDage = 0.81 years). The implementation of the GBG was randomly staggered by 2 weeks across classrooms. Teacher-completed Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) was applied to measure AE and DB. We used piecewise regression and a multilevel extension to estimate the individual case-specific treatment effects as well as the generalized effects across cases. Piecewise regressions for each case showed significant immediate treatment effects for the majority of participants (82.86%) for one or both outcome measures. The multilevel approach revealed that the GBG improved at-risk students’ classroom behaviors generally with a significant immediate treatment effect across cases (for AE, B = 0.74, p < 0.001; for DB, B = –1.29, p < 0.001). The moderation between intervention effectiveness and teacher ratings of students’ risks for externalizing psychosocial problems was significant for DB (B = –0.07, p = 0.047) but not for AE. Findings are consistent with previous studies indicating that the GBG is an appropriate classroom-based intervention for at-risk students and expand the literature regarding differential effects for affected students. In addition, the study supports the relevance of behavioral progress monitoring and data-based decision-making in inclusive schools in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the GBG and, if necessary, to modify the intervention for individual students or the whole group.

COVID-19 resulted in societal disruptions across the lifespan. School (K-12) closures were among the most challenging impacts of the virus, leaving many parents with the burden of schooling their children at home. Another major impact of the virus was the social isolation and loneliness felt by many retired, older adults, who were sheltering at home. The disruptions of COVID-19 led our inter-professional team to develop the Intergenerational Tutoring program. Intergenerational Tutoring addresses a service delivery gap in schools because tutors expand schools' capacity to implement evidence-based instruction with students in need of individual support. At the same time, research shows that meaningful volunteering supports the well-being of older adults across physical, psychosocial and cognitive dimensions of health. The aim of the Intergenerational Tutoring program is to pair older adults with kindergarten children in high needs schools to implement early literacy interventions remotely via Zoom. Our poster will describe the Intergenerational Tutoring program including tutor training and tutoring implementation. We will summarize the initial findings from our pilot study conducted in spring and summer 2021 with tutors and children. Data will include (1) themes from tutor interviews regarding the personal meaningfulness of the program and the program’s associated benefits and challenges; (2) implementation fidelity data; (3) impact of tutoring on children’s early literacy skills; and (4) parent feedback. We will summarize lessons learned and next steps for the program.

Wellness Enhancing Physical Activity for Young Children (WE PLAY) is an intervention intended to promote physical activity (PA) among typically-developing preschool children in child care settings. It was adapted for use by teachers who educate children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This study used a multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate the impact of WE PLAY-Autism on teachers' PA facilitating behaviors and on the PA levels of children with ASD. Visual analysis and effect size estimates indicated that two of the three teachers increased their PA facilitating behavior, although this was insufficient to demonstrate a functional relation. Children's (n = 5) PA was measured daily during school hours using accelerometry. Visual analysis, which was further supported by effect size calculations, indicated higher average levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) among preschoolers with ASD in the intervention phase (Tau-UA vs. B = 0.53, p < .001, Hedges' g = 0.99, 95% CI [0.56, 1.43]) and post-training phase (Tau-UA vs. B = 0.55, p < .001, Hedges' g = 1.17, 95% CI [0.73, 1.60]) in comparison to the baseline phase. WE PLAY-Autism is an intervention deserving of further investigation given its meaningful impact on the MVPA of preschoolers with ASD paired with its potential for broad implementation in preschools.