Fallon, L. M., Robinson-Link, P., Womack, T. A., Alba, L. A., Sunda, R., Ballard, S., ... & Johnson, A. H. (2023). Learning to Decenter Whiteness in Schools Through Teacher Professional Development: A Systematic Review. School Psychology Review, 1-17.
The team completed a systematic review of antiracism PD studies, summarizing the (a) topics and activities integrated, (b) participants, (c) settings, and (d) outcomes associated with participation. Results indicated that study participants were most likely to be white educators from urban, public elementary schools who received, on average, nearly 18hours of professional development. Training included authentic learning and reflection opportunities, with many participants reporting increased critical consciousness and improved racial literacy after PD. However, results also illuminated (a) inconsistencies in the way white teachers responded to training, likely aligning with their own readiness to learn and racial identity development, (b) that school leadership has a key role in creating a safe, trusting, well resourced environment for this work, and (c) white teachers may need assistance moving from talking about decentering whiteness to taking antiracist action.
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Fallon, L. M., Cathcart, S. C., Johnson, A. H., Minami, T., O’Keeffe, B. V., DeFouw, E. R., & Sugai, G. (2023). A teacher self-assessment of culturally relevant practice to inform educator professional development decisions in MTSS contexts. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 48(2), 100-112.
In this article, the team describes multiple studies that helped develop the Assessment of Culturally and Contextually Relevant Supports (ACCReS). Designed with the purpose of assessment driving intervention for culturally responsive practice, items for the ACCReS were created via a multi-step process including review by both expert and practitioner panels. Study 1 results of an exploratory factor analysis yielded three subscales. Study 2 results of a confirmatory factor analysis produced adequate model fit. In Study 3, analyses indicated preliminary evidence of convergent validity between the ACCReS and two measures of teacher self-efficacy of culturally responsive practice. These data inform the use of the ACCReS as a tool to shape the content of educator intervention (e.g., PD) and promote more equitable student outcomes for youth.
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Fallon, L. M., Cathcart, S. C., & Johnson, A. H. (2021). Assessing differential item functioning in a teacher self-assessment of cultural responsiveness. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 39(7), 816-831.
The current study further adds to the growing evidence of the ACCReS’ validity of scores from the ACCReS to assess teachers’ cultural responsiveness. The team sought to evaluate the presence of differential item functioning (DIF) in ACCReS items and the magnitude of DIF, if detected. With a national sample of 999 grade K-12 teachers in the United States, we examined measurement invariance of ACCReS items in relation to responses from (a) racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) youth and white teachers (teacher race), (b) teachers in schools with 0–50% and 51–100% REM youth (student race), and (c) teachers with <1–5 years of teaching experience and teachers with >5 years of experience. Findings suggested that ACCReS items exhibited negligible levels of DIF.
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Fallon, L. M., DeFouw, E. R., Berkman, T. S., Cathcart, S. C., O’Keeffe, B. V., & Sugai, G. (2022). Supports to improve academic outcomes with racially and ethnically minoritized youth: A review of research. Remedial and Special Education, 43(4), 237-254.
In this systematic review, 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.
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Fallon, L. M., DeFouw, E. R., Cathcart, S. C., Berkman, T. S., Robinson-Link, P., O’Keeffe, B. V., & Sugai, G. (2022). School-based supports and interventions to improve social and behavioral outcomes with racially and ethnically minoritized youth: A review of recent quantitative research. Journal of Behavioral Education, 31(1), 123-156.
This study replicates and expands previous reviews 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. The team 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 (a) established evidence-based practices, (b) adapted interventions, as well as (c) 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.
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Fallon, L. M., Veiga, M., & Sugai, G. (2021). Strengthening MTSS for behavior (MTSS-B) to promote racial equity. School Psychology Review, 1-16.
In this publication, the team argues that multitiered systems of support for behavior (MTSS-B) must prioritize racial equity and healing in schools. We first discuss how discipline has centered Whiteness, providing a brief history of relevant events and sociopolitical forces that have maintained a reliance on exclusionary discipline practices with a primary focus on out-of-school suspension to oppress youth of color, specifically Black students. Then, we describe the harm exclusionary discipline has caused the Black community by synthesizing counter-storytelling. Finally, we propose ways to strengthen MTSS-B to promote racial equity with a primary focus on supports to adults in the systems in which oppression is maintained. We propose school psychologists can (a) empower students, families, and communities to engage in authentic partnerships, (b) advocate to educational leaders, (c) coordinate transformative staff professional development, and (d) support teachers to create inclusive and healing classroom communities.
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Fallon, L. M., Veiga, M. B., Susilo, A., Robinson‐Link, P., Berkman, T. S., Minami, T., & Kilgus, S. P. (2022). Exploring the relationship between teachers' perceptions of cultural responsiveness, student risk, and classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 59(10), 1948-1964.
In this paper, the team describes two studies conducted with teachers: Study 1 investigated the relationship between teachers' ratings on the Assessment of Culturally and Contextually Relevant Supports (ACCReS), and students' classroom behavior. Results indicated that higher ACCReS scores significantly predicted lower classwide disruptive behavior. Study 2 investigated the relationship between teachers' ratings on the ACCReS and ratings of their students' risk on the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener. For social behavior, higher ACCReS scores predicted teachers perceiving lower social risk; however, identification as a Black student and a student with a disability predicted higher risk. Findings are preliminary, yet implications include recommendations for high-quality professional development to promote teacher cultural responsiveness. Such support could guide teachers to create educational environments in which fewer discipline referrals for behavior occur, teachers perceive less social risk, and access to school behavior supports is more equitable.
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Fallon, L. M., Veiga, M. B., Susilo, A., & Kilgus, S. P. (2023). Do Teachers’ Perceptions of High Cultural Responsiveness Predict Better Behavioral Outcomes for Students?. Behavioral Disorders, 48(2), 97-105.
The team conducted two follow-up studies to further explore the effects of culturally responsive teaching on behavioral outcomes for students. Study 1 examined the relationship between ratings of 20 U.S. teachers on a measure of cultural responsiveness, the Double Check Self-Refection Tool, and students’ observed classroom behavior. Results from multilevel modeling indicated that higher Double Check scores significantly predicted higher academic engagement and lower disruptive behavior for 454 students observed. Study 2 investigated the relationship between ratings of 30 U.S. teachers on the Double Check Self-Refection Tool and ratings of 622 students’ risk on the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS). Results indicated higher Double Check scores were associated with lower ratings of students’ social and emotional risk. Findings also indicated identification as a Black student and a student with a disability predicted teachers’ perceptions of higher risk, consistent with previous research (Fallon, Veiga, Susilo, et al., 2022). As results remain preliminary, implications include recommendations for additional research and high-quality professional development to promote teachers’ cultural responsiveness.
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