School psychologists have the potential to improve students' reading skills by helping schools select evidence-based programs and then supporting their implementation. Blended learning offers a flexible implementation format to address long-standing challenges implementing and scaling reading programs in schools. The purpose of this study was to…

In 2014, OSEP instituted the Statewide Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) reporting requirement. The SSIP was designed as a comprehensive multi-year plan for improving results for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families through system strengthening efforts. States/entities work to improve their infrastructure, implement…

Systems coaches provide support to teams responsible for improving the implementation of schoolwide service delivery framework such as multitiered system of supports (MTSS). This article first summarizes key findings about what systems coaching is, the goal systems coaches work toward, who these coaches support, and what systems coaches do. The…

This article presents the Renger System Test (RST) as a method for assessing whether a system evaluation approach is suitable for evaluating complex interventions. The RST has three criteria: (1) the intervention includes multiple components, (2) these components operate interdependently, and (3) their interdependence produces an outcome that no…

The use of complexity-based evaluation methods remains relatively underexplored in the field of evaluation. While increasingly employed to assess complex interventions, Contribution Analysis (CA) continues to suffer from a lack of operationalization. In this article, we propose enhancing the implementation of CA by leveraging Participatory Systems…

This paper contends that state bans on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices are indicative of a broader political agenda to restrict scholarly analyses and practitioner outreach that reveal how societal inequities, policy failures, and racialized deficit framings of marginalized students--not perceived…

Private dance studios exist outside the scope of K-12 institutions in the United States and serve students within their local communities. Many of them strive to benefit underrepresented groups through community engagement initiatives. This mixed-method study scrutinizes the various community engagement practices of private dance studios through a…

This paper examines interactions between educational systems and environments, focusing on the stance leaders take toward instructional guidance in their environment. After analyzing interview and focus group data from 49 school and system leaders across three systems (i.e., Montessori, International Baccalaureate, Catholic), we found differences…

School change is difficult and is both leveraged and hindered by interactive influences within complex systems of social practice. Whole-school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a growing trend with unique aspects of change required of educators. A qualitative case study was used to analyze educator perspectives of the…

The research objectives were to 1) study the current conditions, problems, and good practices regarding teaching and learning 2) develop a blended instructional model using problem-based learning with graphic organizers to enhance systems thinking skills in computational science for students in lower secondary school and 3) study the results of…

Legislation based on the Science of Reading has spurred changes in teacher preparation and K-12 schools. Texas, a frequent leader in educational policy, adopted its own Science of Teaching Reading (STR) Framework with a focus on scientifically based instructional practices. Adoption of these standards is intended to improve methods of teaching…

The authors describe Hexacago Health Academy (HHA) 2.0, a five-year summer intervention designed to increase interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among mostly Black high school students in Chicago. The program features public health fundamentals and game design using principles of systems thinking, social-cognitive…

The post-secondary transition for autistic youth is a complex process, with hopes and expectations serving as malleable mediators often overlooked in research and practice. Career awareness, exploration, and counseling services play a critical role in facilitating vocational transition, but the vocational hopes and expectations of autistic youth…

From June 2023 to April 2024, CLASP and the National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy provided technical assistance to community advocates in three localities: Charleston, SC, Gulfport, MS, and Tulsa, OK. Our goal was to increase access to equitable school-based mental health services. We used Community-Based System Dynamics to…

Teacher preparation has the insurmountable task of preparing candidates for classrooms with constantly changing demographics and demands. Whether it is contemporary pedagogical practices or understanding the needs of a multilingual/multicultural student body, TESOL teacher preparation programs (TPP) are trusted by accrediting bodies to produce…