Adapting an Evidence-Based Coaching Model for Tier-2 Elementary Classrooms: Development and Preliminary Findings

Introduction: Students’ early school experiences have a significant and long-term effect on key academic and social, emotional, and behavioral learning outcomes. Children who enter school exhibiting problem behaviors, however, are at risk for school failure and their teachers struggle to meet their needs (Reinke et al., 2011).

BEST in CLASS, a Tier-2 classroom based intervention, uses a manualized practice-based coaching model to promote teachers’ implementation of evidence-based practices in their classrooms with students who demonstrate problem behavior (Sutherland et al., 2014). This coaching model incorporates collaborative action planning, modeling, and observation and performance feedback to enhance and sustain teachers’ delivery of intervention components. This paper will describe how the BEST in CLASS practice-based coaching model originally developed for preschool classrooms has been adapted for elementary school teachers to support their implementation of BEST in CLASS – Elementary and provide pilot data from a feasibility study.

Methods: Data from years 1 and 2 of an IES grant will be presented. Year 1 activities included a systematic literature review and three teacher focus groups. In year 2, 14 Kindergarten to 2^nd grade students in 8 classrooms were systematically screened for problem behavior. Trained observers measured (a) student behavior and teacher-student interactions, (b) classroom quality (CLASS; Pianta et al., 2008), and treatment integrity (TIES, Sutherland et al., 2016) for both coaches and teacher implementation. Teachers rated teacher-student relationships using the Student Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS; Pianta & Hamre, 2001) and child behavior using the CBCL (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000). Working alliance between teachers and coaches was assessed using adapted versions of the SWAI (Efstation et al., 1990).

Results: Data from the literature review were double coded in a series of three stages, ultimately resulting in 25 common practice elements (PE; Garland et al., 2008). Data from teacher focus groups suggested adding two additional PEs. The list of PEs was further narrowed to eight. Based on teacher feedback, the coaching model for BEST in CLASS - Elementary was designed to incorporate all 8 PEs, but allow teachers to select PEs based on their needs and their focal students’ needs. Data collected during the pilot implementation in 10 classrooms from October 2016-April 2017 will be summarized.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that coaching models may need to be adapted based upon teachers training experiences as well as the developmental needs of children and youth.