Many of the decisions made related to student progress and intervention selection rely on data. In their roles, paraeducators often implement academic interventions; therefore, they must be prepared to monitor students' progress accurately and reliably. This pilot randomized control trial tested the effects of a remote training package on…

School attendance/absenteeism (SA/A) is a crucial indicator of health and development in youth but educational policies and health-based practices in this area rely heavily on a simple metric of physical presence or absence in a school setting. SA/A data suffer from problems of quality (reliability, construct validity, data integrity) and utility…

Alternative education settings (AES) educate many students with social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) challenges. However, there is limited synthesized research available on how to best support students' SEB functioning. This systematic review examined SEB intervention and outcome research conducted in alternative schools between 2010 and 2020.…

Utilizing effective data collection methods to track student progress on Individual Education Program (IEP) goals is essential to quality programming and meeting each student's specific needs. This study surveyed special education teachers in four midwestern states to understand IEP data collection methods and assessment training. Results…

Few studies have examined teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand in the absence of training, possibly due to the challenges of live data collection. This study sought to determine the feasibility of using technology to examine teachers' use of praise and reprimand during class-wide and small group instruction in four elementary classrooms.…

Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS) is a framework for establishing a schoolwide positive social culture with a continuum of behavior supports and an effective learning environment for all students. This framework was initially implemented in elementary and middle schools and more recently in high schools. Coaches for…

The student population across U.S. schools has become increasingly diverse and has presented educators with a number of concerns in assisting students demonstrating challenging behaviors. Educators have historically had difficulties in distinguishing between cultural differences and genuine indicators of emotional and behavioral disorders. It is…

"Opportunity to learn" refers to the extent to which teachers dedicate instructional time and content coverage to the intended curriculum using a range of cognitive processes, instructional practices, and grouping formats. This article describes the My Instructional Learning Opportunities Guidance System, a research-based online teacher…

This article discusses the role of assessment in a response-to-intervention model. Although assessment represents only 1 component in a response-to-intervention model, a well-articulated assessment system is critical in providing teachers with reliable data that are easily interpreted and used to make instructional decisions. Three components of…

In today's educational environment, schools struggle to meet the academic needs of every student. Many schools are challenged by the use of a response-to-intervention framework in which too many students need strong interventions. This article details a data-driven, decision-making response-to-intervention reading team model in which teachers,…

The author aims to provide practitioners (e.g., teachers, clinicians, parents) with a review of the research on the use of self-monitoring, a positive behavioral support, with children with disabilities. The author includes a description of the steps used to implement self-monitoring; examples of the implementation of self-monitoring with children…

On a routine basis, educators collect data on their students' academic and social performance to make informed decisions regarding curricular and social instruction. The authors conducted a case study for a student with emotional and behavioral disorders. The student's teacher provided oral and visual feedback during reading instruction. Data…

This study examined how 26 teachers in two elementary schools used performance-charted data provided by a technical support agency. Although teachers did not report using the data extensively to make explicit instructional decisions, most teachers reported using the data to verify their own observations about student progress and as a…

Describes a model for conducting functional assessment in the home. The model uses a trans-disciplinary technical-assistance team to assess and plan interventions for young children with severe challenging behaviors. Discussion includes the kind of information needed, specific examples of data collection in the home, and the benefits and barriers…

In this interview, Dr. Richard Van Acker discusses federal requirements for functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and the teamwork involved in conducting an FBA. Various components of FBAs and the approximate time required are outlined and examples are provided of structured data collection for use in the FBA. (CR)