This brief describes the effectiveness and reach of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework.

Notwithstanding the multiple descriptions and principles associated with trauma-informed schools (TIS), the field lacks a well-defined operational definition of TIS. This scoping review aimed to characterize TIS intervention components and implementation strategies described in published studies of TIS. This review also examined the extent to…

This qualitative case study examined school-based administrators' perceptions of the impacts of the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) at the elementary level. Administrators play a vital role in enhancing student learning within education, which is crucial for driving academic achievement in the school environment. The study focused on the…

School psychologists can support schools in implementing inclusive practices. In Portugal, the Decree-Law 54/2018 has set the country on the path to inclusive education based on whole-school approaches. This policy shift demands a change in school psychologists' practices to be agents for systems change versus traditional roles (such as assessing…

In 2022, the Center published "Student/Learning Supports: A Brief Guide for Moving in New Directions. The guide discussed the need for system changes to end the fragmentation, overspecialization, and marginalization of student/learning supports and outlined first steps to take in pursuing the changes. As the 2022 guide emphasizes,…

From noted authorities, this book presents a comprehensive approach to designing and implementing evidence-based Tier 3 behavior interventions for K--12 students. The authors' functional assessment-based intervention (FABI) process has been supported by multiple peer-reviewed studies conducted in authentic educational environments. Step by step,…

With support from a U.S. Department of Education grant, the Portland Public Schools successfully expanded a model program that addresses workforce shortages and disrupts inequities by increasing the number of school psychologists from diverse backgrounds, improving foundational reading skills, increasing multitiered systems of support, and…

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how culturally responsive actions, behaviors and practices of school building leaders, teachers and support staff during the Instructional Support Team (IST) process impact equitable outcomes for all students within the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process. The…

Efforts to bridge educational achievement gaps and address inequities remain a central challenge across the United States. The multitiered system of supports has emerged as a prominent intervention framework with which to equip educators for this task. Given its growing adoption across school districts, a deeper understanding of teacher…

This "Equity by Design" brief summarizes the key features and considerations for planning, implementing, and evaluating social, emotional or behavioral screening within multitier systems of support (MTSS), to advance educational equity.

Purpose: System reforms ask educators within and across organizational levels to interlace their individual practices into a collective practice so they can enact a different, more equitable schooling system for students. System reforms require educators to coordinate their work with their colleagues in ways they are not trained, incentivized, or…

All students attending public schools should receive the best educational experience no matter their academic, social/emotional and/or physical need. School districts have a responsibility to deliver on the promise of an equitable and excellent education for all students including for those students who require more. Systemic structures, policies…

Written by experienced leaders in gifted education, this book is a foundational guide for supervisors, administrators, and districts seeking to create culturally responsive and equity-focused gifted policies and programs. Engaging chapters supported by real-world vignettes and interactive contemplation corners outline key elements of culturally…

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework was established as a comprehensive, equitable approach for addressing urban students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. Still, confusion surrounded its implementation. On returning to in-person instruction, urban educators have been challenged to…

This "Equity by Design Research Brief" describes the foundational principles underpinning multitier systems of support, challenging common usage of the approach to label students. Whether imparted explicitly or implicitly, the inclination to identify and treat individuals--as opposed to addressing specific behavioral and learning…