The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recognizes the positive influence that a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework can have on improving the education of all children, the roles of special educators, and the special education system, by providing a structure to organize practices based on data, evidence and research. The MTSS…

School readiness occurs within a broad context that includes the four components of community, educational environment, family and the individual child. These four components function as interdependent systems of support that have multidirectional influences. Early childhood experiences, from birth through age 8, are necessary for school success…

This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. It addresses one central question: How can schools and districts monitor students' social and emotional well-being across the…

This brief draws on a 2019 study of high-poverty schools in North Carolina conducted in support of the state's efforts to comply with the North Carolina Supreme Court's decision in "Leandro v. the State of North Carolina." The study found that high-poverty schools provide inadequate and unequal educational resources and opportunities to…

Young children and their families benefit from early care and education (ECE) settings implementing high-quality practices that support children's well-being, health, and safety. Activities to support quality are a focal point of federal and state investments, including over $1 billion of the Child Care and Development Fund and nearly $240 million…

In support of the Every Child Ready Chicago initiative, Start Early has begun to explore the creation of a Chicago early childhood research consortium that would bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, families, and community representatives across sectors in a robust, long-term research-practice partnership focused on helping…

"Reimagining Girls' Education: Solutions to Keep Girls Learning in Emergencies" presents an empirical overview of what works to support learning outcomes for girls in emergencies. Research shows that girls in emergencies are disadvantaged at all stages of education and are more likely to be out-of-school than in non-emergency settings.…

This study sought to determine (a) the decision-making processes administrators and teachers followed when purchasing and implementing a sensory path intervention in elementary schools and (b) the perceived supports and barriers to the effective use of the sensory path as a means to positively impact student outcomes. Five elementary school…

The "Pivotal Response Training" (PRT) is currently one of the most effective models for the educational evidence-based interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders. The model is based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and represents a naturalistic child-centered intervention for the development of appropriate social interactions. This…

Students with high-incidence disabilities (SWDs) experience academic challenges in multiple content areas (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). With growing recognition of the importance of science education in preparing students to be well-rounded, global learners in the 21st century, it is crucial that SWDs receive supports for succeeding in a…

Mindfulness and character strengths are synergistic tools that work together to cultivate well-being. Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) combines the research and practice of these constructs to enhance well-being, meaning, and engagement. In this article, research supporting how mindfulness and character strengths may benefit the gifted…

Purpose: In this discussion as part of a response to Catts and Kamhi's "Prologue: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Activity" (2017), the authors provide selected examples from 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade texts to demonstrate, in agreement with Catts and Kamhi, that reading comprehension is a multifaceted and complex ability. The…

This article examines the English government's vision for how research is proposed to lead to improvements in the system in the context of a school-led, self-improving system and rapid and sweeping legislative reforms. The debate about the role of research in the teaching profession has been sharpened by a large consultation effort in the academic…

The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge base regarding discipline policies in early care and education (ECE) programs by examining the extent to which programs utilize policies that reflect the implementation of evidence-based practices to prevent and address challenging behaviors in the early years. Discipline policies were gathered…

Worldwide, policymakers, health system managers, practitioners and researchers struggle to use evidence to improve policy and practice. There is growing recognition that this challenge relates to the complex systems in which we work. The corresponding increase in complexity-related discourse remains primarily at a theoretical level. This paper…