Providing Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Rob Horner OSEP TA-Center on PBIS

Background Lessons learned from last 10 years of TA with school-wide PBS.  George Sugai, Tim Lewis, Lucille Eber,  Susan Barrett, Don Kincaid Current implementation of SWPBS ◦ 7500 schools in 44 states

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Define the “practice” with precision before moving to “implementation” ◦ Operational documentation of practice  Core procedures and valued outcomes  Systems needed to support those procedures  Conceptual logic and mechanisms associated with achieving outcomes.  Unequivocal documentation of evidence supporting the efficacy of the practice

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Adjust to the “level” of practice being proposed. Adjusting to “Best Practice”  Large practice (sufficiently comprehensive to affect highly valued outcome)  Formal Experimental Analysis (SSD, RCT)  Moderate level practice (part of a larger package of procedures)  Evaluation analysis, SSD, measurement development  Smaller practice (often tied to assessment of conceptual model/framework)  Fine-grained evaluation and research designs  Detailed fidelity measures accounting for interaction effects.

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Define the pre-requisites of a context that are needed for implementation of a “practice” ◦ Build a “readiness” checklist. ◦ If a state, district, school does not have the “readiness” elements, do NOT implement the practice, rather focus on support to achieve the readiness elements.

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Define a formal process for adapting a practice to “fit” the social, cultural context of a school/district. Adapt form, but not function. Do NOT lose the “core” elements that are necessary to achieve valued outcomes. ◦ Cultural sensitivity ◦ School variability  (size, location, grade level, ethnicity, state mandates).

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Begin any TA effort with the assumption that the “practice” will be taken to scale. ◦ Invest in capacity to move from demonstration to large scale implementation.  Leadership Team (coordination)  Trainers  Coaching context  Technical Expertise  Formal evaluation process  Plan for shifting from centralized to regionalized implementation

Leadership Team Funding Visibility Political Support TrainingCoachingEvaluation Local Demonstration Schools Active Coordination Behavioral Expertise

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices Evaluate fidelity as well as effect ◦ Measure if practice is being implemented  Measure frequently, and use measurement information to guide the type and level of TA support  Build one set of measures that meet research standards and a companion set of measures that meet practice standards. ◦ Measure if practice is producing effect  Measure frequently and use measurement information to guide the type and level of TA support.

Technical Assistance for Evidence-based Practices The research to practice process is iterative. ◦ There are some questions you can’t answer before you get started. ◦ There are some questions we don’t think of until we are in the middle of the process ◦ We should never simply repeat what we have done… we should always be looking to make it better. ◦ Sustainability is tied to continuous improvement

Summary of Main Messages Implement a practice with the level of precision that allows efficient adaptation Guide the type and level of TA based on the fidelity and outcome measures. Build your initial TA plan on the assumption that the practice will be effective and will be part of a scaling up effort.