WWC review of this study

A Randomized Waitlist Controlled Analysis of Team-Initiated Problem Solving Professional Development and Use

Horner, Robert H.; Newton, James S.; Todd, Anne W.; Algozzine, Bob; Algozzine, Kate; Cusumano, Dale; Preston, Angela (2018). Behavioral Disorders, v43 n4 p444-456. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1185345

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    38
     Schools
    , grades
    K-5

Reviewed: May 2022

At least one finding shows strong evidence of effectiveness
At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
General Literacy Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end of grade ELA assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 5;
2,984 students

61.37

61.60

No

--

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end of grade ELA assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 4;
2,824 students

58.80

62.05

No

--

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end of grade ELA assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 3;
2,765 students

57.47

58.94

No

--
General Mathematics Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end-of-grade math assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 4;
2,824 students

68.62

67.07

No

--

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end-of-grade math assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 5;
2,984 students

68.44

66.44

No

--

Proportion of students scoring proficient on state end-of-grade math assessments

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

4 Months

Grade: 3;
2,765 students

63.20

67.54

No

--
Student Discipline outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Out of school suspensions (rate)

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

3 Months

Full sample;
18,443 students

72.00

33.00

Yes

 
 
34
 

Office disciplinary referrals (rate)

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

3 Months

Full sample;
18,443 students

84.00

53.00

Yes

 
 
32
 

Out of school suspensions (total)

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

3 Months

Full sample;
18,443 students

3.46

8.46

Yes

 
 
11
 

Office disciplinary referrals (total)

Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) vs. Business as usual

3 Months

Full sample;
18,443 students

N/A

N/A

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Female: 49%
    Male: 51%
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    North Carolina, Oregon
  • Race
    Asian
    2%
    Black
    23%
    Native American
    1%
    Other or unknown
    27%
    White
    47%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    23%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    77%

Setting

The study took place in 38 elementary schools in North Carolina (20 schools from 2 districts) and Oregon (18 schools from 8 districts). All participating schools had been implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) for at least 1 year.

Study sample

Schools were all elementary schools with students in kindergarten through grade 5. On average, the intervention schools enrolled 494 students and the comparison schools enrolled 477 students. The sample of students was 23% African American, 1% American Indian, 2% Asian, 23% Hispanic, 47% Caucasian, and 4% multiple races. Most (59%) students were eligible for free lunch and some (9%) were eligible for reduced-price lunch.

Intervention Group

The Team-Initiated Problem Solving (TIPS) model involves the following: (1) precisely defining problems (e.g., what the problem is, when and where it occurs, who is engaging in the behavior, the function that is maintaining the behavior); (2) setting goals related to the problem; (3) selecting contextually appropriate solutions; (4) developing an action plan; (5) identifying ways to gather fidelity and outcome data; (6) analyzing those data; and (7) using what is learned from the data analysis to refine the action plans.

Comparison Group

The comparison schools continued with business as usual procedures and received the training prior to the last data collection period.

Support for implementation

District coaches were provided with a 3-hour training session that detailed the content, rationale, and objectives for each workshop session. They were given an opportunity to practice the workshop activities and received information abut the ways in which they should provide support during the two coaching sessions. PBIS teams in intervention schools were then provided with a 6-hour training by the district PBIS coaches on the TIPS model, followed by two coaching sessions. The training included content on meeting foundations, which consists of assigning roles and responsibilities to meeting participants, procedures around using an agenda and taking minutes, and documenting decisions.

 

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This download will include data files for study and findings review data and a data dictionary.

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