Despite efforts to reduce and prevent incidents, bullying behaviors remain prevalent in schools, leading to poor outcomes for all involved. While the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is one of the most extensively implemented school environment interventions in the USA, it has yet to yield consistently positive results across contexts,…

Introduction: In this paper, we present how seventh-grade students become aware of rational numbers during mathematics instruction through the social process of objectification when comparing two magnitudes. Methods: Theoretical elements of the Theory of Objectification and the Onto-Semiotic Approach to Mathematical Instruction and Cognition guide…

Background: In response to escalating concerns about the pervasive use of digital media and research documenting the impact on adolescent well-being and academic performance, schools are exploring opportunities to reverse these concerning trends. Many schools respond with full or partial bans on social media use during the school day; however,…

ABSTRACT Many youth seek and receive mental health treatment in schools, yet research on their perceptions of these interventions remains uncommon. This qualitative study explored how student perspectives on social validity informed the ongoing implementation and evaluation of the Well-Being Promotion Program (WBPP), a Tier 2 positive psychology…

This study evaluates the Programming the Acceleration of Computing Education (PACE) Framework for Computer Science (CS) Systems Change, developed to promote equitable access to CS education for middle school students. Funded by an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Early-Phase Grant, the intervention aimed to increase student understanding,…

This evaluation brief describes how a district in receivership (state takeover) invested in PBIS to (a) enhance their systems to support staff, (b) implement evidence-based practices to support students, (c) use data to guide their implementation, and (d) ensure equitable supports for all students, including students with disabilities, to…

E-cigarettes are a popular type of nicotine product among youth in the United States. Hispanic youth, one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, are second only to white youth for e-cigarette use. Analysis of the Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education data was conducted to determine past 30-day e-cigarette use among…

This study examined the impact of a classroom-level component of The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA), an instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline, on student behaviors and school discipline practices in middle schools. Intervention implementation, classroom observations, and all other data collection…

As evidence-based interventions are scaled, fidelity of implementation, and thus effectiveness, often wanes. Validated fidelity measures can improve researchers' ability to attribute outcomes to the intervention and help practitioners feel more confident in implementing the intervention as intended. We aim to provide a model for the validation of…

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of professional development (PD) and implementation fidelity on the performance of middle school students in mathematics within an online learning environment. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compares educational outcomes between control and experimental groups…

The STEM.LD program was funded by a 2020 mid-phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant. It sought to improve student outcomes by strengthening professional learning for teachers and school leaders, expanding STEM curricular resources, and increasing student engagement in rigorous coursework and extracurricular opportunities. A randomized…

The Innovative STEM--Computer Science and Engineering Design (STEM CSED) project (Award #: U411C190169), funded by an Early-Phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant, sought to strengthen math achievement and foster positive attitudes toward STEM and computer science among students in Waukegan Community Unit School District #60, a large,…

The purpose of this report is to present summative findings from a five-year EIR early-phase project that implemented and evaluated the ENpowered program. PRG conducted a rigorous impact and implementation evaluation of the ENpowered program's effect on middle school student outcomes. The impact study utilized a quasi-experimental design to…

Although there have been efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), few studies have focused on how Latine bilingual students in rural contexts can access computer programming. The purpose of this case study is to examine how translanguaging facilitates…

LifeSkills Training is the only program to prevent substance use disorder among adolescents that has evidence of effects on substance use outcomes from multiple randomized controlled trials. Evaluations have shown that the version for middle school students reduces their use of substances in high school, but these studies were conducted in the…