The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how special education teachers described their level of awareness of evidence-based practices (EBPs) and self-efficacy to identify and implement EBPs in one school district in Southern California. The target population was Pre-k to 12, classroom-based special education teachers…

Evidence-based practices (EBP) for children with autism are under-used in special-education schools. No research compared child-level versus teacher-level influences on EBP use, which could guide implementation strategies. We derived longitudinal profiles of EBP receipt by children (N = 234) in 69 autism-support classrooms, over an academic year.…

The development and implementation of regular Spring, Summer, and Winter Gifted Enrichment Programs, Gifted Students Exchange Programs, and the Gifted Peer Mentoring Scheme provided by the Program for the Gifted and Talented (PGT) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong for gifted and talented students are briefly described. PGT also conducts…

This paper is a project report of a policy analysis of educational policies aligned to standards set forth for trauma-informed school districts. Current state policies, mandates, and/or frameworks are under development, and in some states, non-existent. More often than not, expectations regarding trauma-informed implementation in the school…

Background: School-based interventions can result in profound social, behavioral, and academic improvement for students with autism, but teachers rarely implement them. It is important to understand why this occurs and use this information to increase the use of evidence-based practices. Toward this goal, 2 proof-of-construct studies demonstrate…

This paper is a project report of a policy analysis of educational policies aligned to standards set forth for trauma-informed school districts. Current state policies, mandates, and/or frameworks are under development, and in some states, non-existent. More often than not, expectations regarding trauma-informed implementation in the school…

The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) marked the beginning of a new development cycle for accountability systems. State leaders once again have an opportunity to redesign their accountability systems based on the provisions included in ESSA and to ensure that systems improve outcomes for all students. The correct identification of…

Evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have proved to be an exciting, yet frustrating aspect of school psychology practice. The argument for EBIs is that educational and psychological interventions strongly supported by a consensus of peer reviewed experimental and quasi-experimental studies will result in the best possible outcomes for students.…

This paper describes a school-based mental health model for identifying, intervening, and referring students who are at risk for, or are exhibiting, mental health problems. This paper describes the County Schools Mental Health Coalition as a model for improving mental health outcomes for youth. The County Schools Mental Health Coalition, referred…

Universal screening measures can be used to identify students at risk academically due to learning disabilities or other difficulties. Research and legislation support the use of screening measures early in students' education to ensure they receive any supports necessary to bolster their academic achievement. When selecting a screening measure,…

Despite innovations in the screening and early identification of students who may benefit from school mental health services, many schools struggle to link screening to intervention decisions, particularly at the Tier 2 level. Universal complete mental health screening, which measures strengths along with risk factors, is a strength-based approach…

The purpose of this problem-based study was to gather data which analyzed the degree of fidelity of implementation of Response to Intervention as reported by building principals in the State of Missouri. The project began when team members, providing professional development for the Response to Intervention process, came to the conclusion there…

This volume focuses on evidence-based practices (EBPs), supported, sound research studies documenting their effectiveness with a target population. As such, EBPs have significant potential to improve the outcomes of learners with learning and behavioral disorders. However, a number of obstacles exist in identifying, conceptualizing, adopting, and…