Providing Technical Providing Technical AssistanceAssistancefor Evidence-based for Evidence-based PracticesPractices

Rob HornerOSEP TA-Center on PBISwww.pbis.org

BackgroundBackgroundLessons learned from last 10

years of TA with school-wide PBS. George Sugai, Tim Lewis, Lucille Eber, Susan Barrett, Don Kincaid

Current implementation of SWPBS◦7500 schools in 44 states

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesDefine the “practice” with precision before moving to “implementation”

◦Operational documentation of practice Core procedures and valued outcomes Systems needed to support those procedures Conceptual logic and mechanisms associated

with achieving outcomes. Unequivocal documentation of evidence

supporting the efficacy of the practice

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesAdjust to the “level” of practice being

proposed. Adjusting to “Best Practice”

Large practice (sufficiently comprehensive to affect highly valued outcome)

Formal Experimental Analysis (SSD, RCT)

Moderate level practice (part of a larger package of procedures)

Evaluation analysis, SSD, measurement development

Smaller practice (often tied to assessment of conceptual model/framework)

Fine-grained evaluation and research designs Detailed fidelity measures accounting for interaction

effects.

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesDefine the pre-requisites of a context that are needed for implementation of a “practice”

◦Build a “readiness” checklist.◦If a state, district, school does not

have the “readiness” elements, do NOT implement the practice, rather focus on support to achieve the readiness elements.

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesDefine a formal process for

adapting a practice to “fit” the social, cultural context of a school/district. Adapt form, but not function. Do NOT lose the “core” elements that are necessary to achieve valued outcomes.

◦Cultural sensitivity◦School variability

(size, location, grade level, ethnicity, state mandates).

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesBegin any TA effort with the

assumption that the “practice” will be taken to scale.

◦ Invest in capacity to move from demonstration to large scale implementation.

Leadership Team (coordination) Trainers Coaching context Technical Expertise Formal evaluation process Plan for shifting from centralized to regionalized

implementation

Leadership Team

FundingVisibility Political

Support

Training Coaching Evaluation

Local Demonstration Schools

Active Coordination

BehavioralExpertise

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesEvaluate fidelity as well as effect

◦Measure if practice is being implemented

Measure frequently, and use measurement information to guide the type and level of TA support

Build one set of measures that meet research standards and a companion set of measures that meet practice standards.

◦Measure if practice is producing effect Measure frequently and use measurement

information to guide the type and level of TA support.

Technical Assistance for Technical Assistance for Evidence-based PracticesEvidence-based PracticesThe research to practice process

is iterative.

◦There are some questions you can’t answer before you get started.

◦There are some questions we don’t think of until we are in the middle of the process

◦We should never simply repeat what we have done… we should always be looking to make it better.

◦Sustainability is tied to continuous improvement

Summary of Main Summary of Main MessagesMessagesImplement a practice with the level of

precision that allows efficient adaptation

Guide the type and level of TA based on the fidelity and outcome measures.

Build your initial TA plan on the assumption that the practice will be effective and will be part of a scaling up effort.