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For decades, racially and ethnically minoritized youth have been subject to unequal distributions of access and opportunity in school, leading to inequities in academic outcomes. Educators require knowledge and skills to provide relevant instruction and create a more supportive, effective classroom environment. This systematic review includes 24 qualitative and quantitative studies in which researchers investigated a culturally responsive classroom intervention or practice to promote academic outcomes for racially and ethnically minoritized youth. Within these studies, authors described several approaches to promote academic success: (a) developing authentic partnerships with families, (b) using effective pedagogy with students' culture infused, and (c) accessing rigorous professional development. In addition, studies were assessed for methodological quality, and qualitative works met design standards more often than the quantitative studies reviewed. Implications include the need for additional research to inform comprehensive support for educators to design effective instructional environments for all students, especially those who have historically encountered systemic barriers in school.

Kindergarten reading screening measures typically identify many students as at risk who later meet criteria on important outcome measures (i.e., false positives). To address this issue, we evaluated a gated screening process that included accelerated progress monitoring, followed by a simple goal/reward procedure (skill vs. performance assessment, SPA) to distinguish between skill and performance difficulties on Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) in a multiple baseline across students design. Nine kindergarten students scored below benchmark on PSF and/or NWF at the middle of year benchmark assessment. Across students and skills (n = 13 panels of the study), nine met/exceeded benchmark during baseline (suggesting additional exposure to the assessments was adequate), two exceeded benchmark during goal/reward procedures (suggesting adding a motivation component was adequate), and two required extended exposure to goal/reward or skill-based review to exceed the benchmark. Across panels of the baseline, 12 of 13 skills were at/above the end-of-year benchmark on PSF and/or NWF, suggesting lower risk than predicted by middle-of-year screening. Due to increasing baseline responding, experimental control was limited; however, these results suggest that simple progress monitoring may help reduce false positives after screening. Future research on this hypothesis is needed.

When students require support to improve outcomes in a variety of domains, educators provide youth with school-based intervention. When educators require support to improve their professional practice, school leaders and support personnel (e.g., school psychologists) provide teachers with professional development (PD), consultation, and coaching. This multi-study article describes how the Assessment of Culturally and Contextually Relevant Supports (ACCReS) was developed with the purpose of assessment driving intervention for teachers in need of support to engage in culturally responsive practice. Items for the ACCReS were created via a multi-step process including review by both expert and practitioner panels. Then, results of an exploratory factor analysis with a national sample of U.S. teachers (N = 500) in Study 1 yielded three subscales. A confirmatory factor analysis conducted with a separate sample of teachers (N = 400) in Study 2 produced adequate model fit. In Study 3, analyses with another final sample of teachers (N = 99) indicated preliminary evidence of convergent validity between the ACCReS and two measures of teacher self-efficacy of culturally responsive practice. Data from the ACCReS can shape the content of educator intervention (e.g., PD) and promote more equitable student outcomes for youth.

Check-In Check-Out (CICO) is an evidence-based Tier 2 intervention that has most often been used to support students who exhibit externalizing problem behaviors; however, emerging research suggests that CICO may be effective when extended to students who are engaging in internalizing problem behaviors (CICO-IB). The purpose of this study was to replicate previous research using CICO to support students with internalizing behaviors as well as to extend the research using a standardized Daily Progress Report (DPR) for all students. A multiple baseline design across students was used to examine the effects of CICO-IB on social and academic engagement with four elementary students from an urban U.S. elementary school who were exhibiting internalizing behavior problems (e.g., shyness, social withdrawal). Results indicated that CICO-IB was effective in improving active academic and social engagement for all four students included in the study as measured by both teacher rating on a DPR and direct observation. Overall, the majority of teachers, parents, and students found the intervention socially acceptable. Implications for future research and practice with students who are at risk or exhibiting emotional/behavioral disorders along with limitations are discussed.

School discipline disproportionality has long been documented in educational research, primarily impacting Black/African American and non-White Hispanic/Latinx students. In response, federal policymakers have encouraged educators to change their disciplinary practice, emphasizing that more proactive support is critical to promoting students' social and behavioral outcomes in school. Results from a literature review conducted nearly a decade ago indicated that there was, at that point, a paucity of empirical research related to considering students' culture (e.g., race, ethnicity) and supporting school behavior. The purpose of this study is to replicate and expand the previous review to summarize the characteristics of the most recent school-based quantitative research addressing interventions to promote social and behavioral outcomes for racially and ethnically minoritized youth. We screened 1687 articles for inclusion in the review. Upon coding 32 eligible research studies, we found that intervention and implementer characteristics within these studies varied, but noted strong intervention effects in studies that included established evidence-based practices, adapted interventions, as well as new practices piloted with student participants. Results inform recommendations to continue to study interventions that promote positive social and behavioral outcomes for racially and ethnically minoritized students to disrupt a long history of subjection to exclusionary discipline disproportionately. [For the grantee submission, see ED616596.]

Implementing an integrated sequence of concrete-representational-abstract depictions of mathematics concepts (CRA-I) can improve the mathematics achievement of students with disabilities, and explicit instructional strategies involving problem-solving heuristics and student verbalizations can help facilitate students' conceptual understanding of mathematics. Combining CRA-I and explicit instructional strategies may increase students' conceptual understanding and ability to express mathematical reasoning through writing. This study included three ninth-grade students with disabilities, and employed a multiple-probe design across-participants to investigate a functional relation between an explicit instructional strategy within a CRA-I framework and high school students' with disabilities proficiency in solving rate of change problems. Results showed that all three students improved their mathematics scores (combined Tau-"U" effect size = 0.77, p < 0.001) and maintained improvements during a 1- to 7-week post-instruction phase. Implications for research and practice related to mathematics instruction and intervention specifically for students with learning disabilities are discussed.

The ability to use written language to communicate receptively (i.e., reading) and expressively (i.e., writing) is important in school, work, and independent living. Students who struggle early with reading have difficulty catching up with their peers as they move through school and in academic areas that rely on reading proficiency. Individuals with disabilities who are unable to effectively and efficiently use oral speech may benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to facilitate early literacy development. AAC includes all of the ways students share their ideas and feelings without speaking. Because individuals with disabilities who use AAC may rely on reading and writing skills for expressive communication, instruction in reading and writing is particularly important. Prior research indicated that, in the past, AAC users were taught to read through memorization of sight words, however relying solely on sight-word instruction put students who used AAC at a disadvantage because they did not develop decoding strategies for approaching new words. When students who use AAC are taught to read, they need to receive systematic instruction in the range of skills that contribute to word-level reading. A great deal of early literacy instruction that leads to word-level decoding relies heavily on oral speech, therefore, teachers may experience unique challenges when designing and implementing interventions to support the acquisition of these skills for students with physical disabilities and complex communication needs (PDCCN) who use AAC. This article discusses techniques and strategies that literacy instruction teachers can use to benefit students with PDCCN who use AAC. Creating meaningful early literacy instruction requires teachers to engage in modified assessment procedures, determine students' response modes, ensure that AAC systems facilitate instruction, and systematically plan for instructional opportunities. Tables provide useful guidelines for Beginning Literacy Instruction, and Standard Assessment Practices and AAC Adaptations for Beginning Reading Skills.

Research has shown that: (1) Curriculum-based monitoring (CBM) can be easily implemented and interpreted by teachers (e.g., Fuchs, Deno, & Mirkin, 1984); (2) student outcomes have improved when teachers use CBM to inform instructional decision making (e.g., Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, & Stecker, 1991); (3) reliable and valid measures have been developed that predict important student outcomes (e.g., Fuchs, Fuchs, & Maxwell, 1988; Kim, Petscher, Schatschneider, & Foorman, 2010; Wayman, Wallace, Wiley, Tichá, & Espin, 2007); and (4) CBM can be an integral component of multi-tiered systems for identifying and monitoring students' academic needs (e.g., Kovaleski, VanDerHeyden, & Shapiro, 2013; M. R. Shinn, 2007). According to the authors, using curriculum-based measurement of oral reading fluency (CBM ORF) progress-monitoring measures is an effective way to consistently evaluate students' reading performance and make data-based instructional decisions. However, educators should understand and properly control for factors that may influence variability. Working with other professionals at their schools, educators should ensure that data are collected and analyzed following the recommendations presented in this article as well as the recommendations from the publisher of the CBM ORF measure to maximize the use of CBM ORF.

Previous research on curriculum-based measurement of oral reading fluency (CBM ORF) found high levels of variability around the estimates of students' fluency; however, little research has studied the issue of variability specifically with well-designed passage sets and a sample of students who scored below benchmark for the purpose of progress monitoring. We examined the variability in oral reading fluency score slopes due to passage and student characteristics using "DIBELS Next" progress monitoring passages over 4 weeks using a hierarchical linear growth model. Participants included second-, third-, and fourth-grade students identified as at risk for reading difficulties. The results showed an average growth rate of approximately 1 correctly read word per minute per week, with considerably lower variability than shown in previous research with less controlled passage sets and/or higher performing student samples. Implications for practice are discussed, including procedural recommendations for administrators and teachers.

Given the increased interest and implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) systems in schools in the United States, practitioners and researchers have become interested in how to improve implementation with students and staff from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Fallon, O'Keeffe, and Sugai (2012) reviewed the literature on behavior supports and culture and developed a list of recommended practices. To collect information on the perceived acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of these practices, as well as accessibility to professional development on specific practices, we surveyed school staff members involved in SWPBS implementation across the country. Respondents (n = 330) indicated generally high agreement with the acceptability, feasibility, efficacy, and accessibility of training of culturally and contextually relevant SWPBS recommendations. Variations in these responses are discussed, and recommendations for research and practice are presented.

Although intuitively appealing, teacher self-report of treatment integrity is not currently recommended as a method for collecting treatment integrity data. Education researchers have not, however, evaluated features of a treatment integrity self-reporting system that may facilitate accurate self-report. In this preliminary investigation, four treatment integrity assessment conditions were investigated: (a) weekly verbal self-report, (b) weekly written self-report, (c) daily verbal self-report, and (d) daily written self-report. Results indicated that teachers who reported treatment integrity daily had the highest overall treatment integrity levels, but neither the frequency nor method of treatment integrity assessment significantly influenced the teachers' level of treatment integrity. However, results suggested that frequency and method of treatment integrity self-report may be related to accuracy of teacher report.

Paraprofessionals are widely employed in response to intervention (RTI) settings to provide instruction to students at-risk for reading disabilities. However, little research has addressed effective and efficient ways to train these paraprofessionals to deliver instruction with high fidelity. In addition, given the limited time and finances available in most districts, training needs to be as efficient as possible. This study assessed the effects of a 5-hour fluency training package on the presentation rates, praise rates, and error correction accuracy of five paraprofessionals providing supplemental reading instruction within an RTI system using a multiple baseline design across participants. Students' reading accuracy and percentage of intervals with on-task behavior were evaluated. Paraprofessionals generally increased their presentation rates, praise rates, and error correction accuracy. Students' behaviors were affected less. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have historically experienced poor outcomes related to academic achievement, special education, school discipline and climate, and juvenile justice. Differences between home and school cultures likely contribute to these outcomes. Evidence-based practices in schools are promoted to improve the academic and social outcomes for all students, but attention must be paid to cultural factors when implementing practices. School-wide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) is a systems approach to promoting evidence-based practices to affect important social and academic outcomes for all students. The purpose of this article is to consider culture within the implementation context of SWPBS. To achieve this purpose, we adopt and describe a contextual perspective on culture that is based on behavioral theory and principles of behavior analysis, and incorporate findings from a review of the literature related to culture and student behavior. (Contains 3 tables.)

A new method for deriving effect sizes from single-case designs is proposed. The strategy is applicable to small-sample time-series data with autoregressive errors. The method uses Generalized Least Squares (GLS) to model the autocorrelation of the data and estimate regression parameters to produce an effect size that represents the magnitude of treatment effect from baseline to treatment phases in standard deviation units. In this paper, the method is applied to two published examples using common single case designs (i.e., withdrawal and multiple-baseline). The results from these studies are described, and the method is compared to ten desirable criteria for single-case effect sizes. Based on the results of this application, we conclude with observations about the use of GLS as a support to visual analysis, provide recommendations for future research, and describe implications for practice. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)

The purpose of this review was to examine the methods used to conduct meta-analyses of single-subject research involving students with and at-risk for disabilities. Specifically, the procedures used for preparing, aggregating, analyzing, and evaluating single-subject data across 68 primary syntheses were examined. In addition to these methodological and reporting issues, the present review also considered various characteristics of syntheses to determine their overall prevalence and focus. Results of the review indicated that the publication rate of single-subject meta-analyses has increased considerably in recent years, focusing equally on students with high- and low-incidence disabilities. This review revealed considerable variability in the methods and procedures used to synthesize single-subject research. Based on these findings, suggestions for future single-subject meta-analyses were made. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

The article offers information on a research conducted by researcher Lee L. Mason and colleagues on effect of within-stimulus prompts in form of visual goal markers on the rate of oral reading fluency of elementary school students. Topics include use of Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) tests Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) to monitor the reading skills of children, Direct Instruction programs to assist students with decoding letter sounds and risk for reading failures.

Paraprofessionals are widely employed in response to intervention (RTI) settings to provide instruction to students at-risk for reading disabilities. However, little research has addressed effective and efficient ways to train these paraprofessionals to deliver instruction with high fidelity. In addition, given the limited time and finances available in most districts, training needs to be as efficient as possible. This study assessed the effects of a 5-hour fluency training package on the presentation rates, praise rates, and error correction accuracy of five paraprofessionals providing supplemental reading instruction within an RTI system using a multiple baseline design across participants. Students’ reading accuracy and percentage of intervals with on-task behavior were evaluated. Paraprofessionals generally increased their presentation rates, praise rates, and error correction accuracy. Students’ behaviors were affected less. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]