Promoting Effective Decision Making: Training Educators to Collect and Use Social–Emotional Skill Assessment Data to Inform Tier 2 Interventions

Abstract

Teachers are often called upon to identify students at behavioral and emotional risk by completing a variety of assessment tools. However, many teachers may lack the requisite skills to reliably identify students at risk or use data derived from assessment tools to inform intervention. A series of trainings was developed to improve decision making on the Intervention Selection Profile–Social Skills,  with a focus on improving accuracy and use of data. Specifically, a two-study randomized controlled design was employed to evaluate the efficacy of a basic informational training and a training with a practice component with regards to a control condition on the collection and use of social–emotional assessment data on the ISP-SS. Results suggest limited influence of training on the accuracy of data collection, yet significant influence on improving how data are used to inform intervention. Implications for practice and research, as well as limitations, are discussed.

Keywords:

• assessment
• social–emotional skills
• teacher training
• decision making

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:

• Erin Dowdy

DISCLOSURE

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nathaniel Paul von der Embse

Nathaniel P. von der Embse, PhD, is an associate professor of school psychology at the University of South Florida. Dr. von der Embse is a nationally certified school psychologist and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of School Psychology. His research interests include universal screening for behavioral and mental health, teacher stress and student test anxiety, and training educators in population-based mental health services.

Stephen P. Kilgus

Stephen P. Kilgus, PhD, is an associate professor of school psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His primary research interests pertain to social–emotional and behavioral assessment and intervention. Dr. Kilgus currently serves as an associate editor for the Journal of School Psychology. He received the Lightner Witmer Award for early career scholarship from Division 16 of the American Psychological Association.

Katie Eklund

Katie R. Eklund, PhD, is an associate professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is a nationally certified school psychologist and licensed psychologist. Dr. Eklund’s research on school mental health includes universal screening and early intervention for mental health risk, advocacy and policy promotion of school psychologists as mental health providers, and school climate and student safety.

Miranda Zahn

Miranda Zahn, MA, is a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Casie Peet

Casie Peet, MA, is an intern school psychologist with Pinellas County Schools.

Sarahy Durango

Sarahy Durango, MA, is a graduate student at the University of South Florida.