ABSTRACT
Implementation of multi-tiered frameworks for supporting staff behavior in preschools requires collaboration with skilled professionals. Given their training and skillset, school psychologists are uniquely equipped to fill this role; however, limited existing research guides practitioners in maximizing their potential as systems-level consultants in preschools, specifically through the application of systems-level behavioral consultation (BC). This paper provides a detailed description of how two school psychologists applied systems-level BC to address the needs of one preschool, resulting in the implementation of a classroom coaching intervention. Coaching, which focused on staff’s use of Pyramid Model practices in the classroom, consisted of systematic observations and performance feedback across 10 classrooms. Three skills were targeted for improvement: Teaching Expectations, Praise, and Teaching Social Skills. A multiple baseline design showed increases in staff’s skill implementation, and consultees found systems-level BC acceptable. Implications for school psychologists’ role as consultants in preschools are discussed.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Samuel Ewing, Debra Silveri-Hiller, Jennifer Russ, and Jen Turnier for their specific contributions to this work as well as the staff at the preschool program.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
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Notes on contributors
Lyndsie A. Erdy
Lyndsie A. Erdy, PhD, NCSP, BCBA-D, is a training and consulting specialist at the Devereux Center for Effective Schools, located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her research interests include the use of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) to address the needs of both students and staff in urban and alternative school settings.
Rachel A. Eisenberg
Rachel A. Eisenberg, PhD, NCSP, is a Consulting and Research Psychologist at the Devereux Center for Effective Schools, located outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her research interests include the application of consultation and performance feedback to facilitate and enhance systems-wide interventions.
Tamara Acuna-Wika
Tamara Acuna-Wika is the administrator of Head Start and Early Head Start in Chester County, Pennsylvania. With a particular interest in equity, Tamara prioritizes education and supports for marginalized populations. Additionally, Tamara is invested in building a highly skilled workforce in early childhood education and is currently participating in the development of alternative pathways to credential educators.
Lisa M. Stash
Lisa M. Stash, M.S., is a preschool special education program administrator at the Chester County Intermediate Unit, a regional education agency in southeastern Pennsylvania. Currently, she is a third-year doctoral student at Neumann University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests lie within the areas of teleintervention, post-Covid stakeholder perspectives and the implementation of inclusive practices in early childhood.