Efficacy of Schoolwide Programs to Promote Social and Character Development and Reduce Problem Behavior in Elementary School Children

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Seven Social and Character Development programs had no impact

The Institute of Education Sciences announces the release of a report, Efficacy of Schoolwide Programs to Promote Social and Character Development and Reduce Problem Behavior in Elementary School Children and the data from a study on the impacts of social and character development (SACD) programs on primary school students. Under the Social and Character Development Research Program seven research teams received funding through a peer reviewed competitive application process from the National Center for Education Research (NCER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the Division of Violence Prevention in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate one SACD program of their choosing under an experimental design. Schools were randomly assigned to implement one of the seven SACD programs for three years (the treatment group) or continue with their traditional SACD activities (the control group).

In addition to conducting their own evaluations, the seven research teams participated in an independent multi-program evaluation carried out by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc (MPR). MPR assessed the effect of the seven SACD programs using: 1) standardized data collection for all sites; 2) a common set of descriptive measures on the type and level of SACD activities taking place at both the treatment and control schools; 3) a common set of outcome measures grouped under four outcome domains: Social and Emotional Development, Behavior, Academics, and Perceptions of School Climate; and 4) a uniform statistical analysis. The evaluation followed one cohort of 3rd grade students at 84 schools for three years through fifth grade from fall 2004 through spring 2007. The sample included 6,660 students, their primary caregivers, teachers, and principals from the 84 schools.

The report, Efficacy of Schoolwide Programs to Promote Social and Character Development and Reduce Problem Behavior in Elementary School Children (NCER 2011-2001), provides the results from the evaluation of the seven SACD programs carried out by MPR. The report includes three key findings: 1) the seven SACD programs increased the reported implementation of classroom activities intended to increase students' social and character development, 2) the control schools also reported the use of a variety of activities intended to increase students' social and character development as "standard practice" but not at the same levels as the treatment schools, and 3) there were no differences in students' social and emotional competence, behaviors, academic performance, or perceptions of school climate between students in schools implementing one of the seven SACD programs and those in the control schools.

Researchers can obtain the data files, documentation, and an electronic codebook from the multi-program evaluation after obtaining a restricted-use data license from IES (for information please see http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/licenses.asp). This longitudinal data set includes child, primary caregiver, teacher and principal reports on 20 student and school outcomes related to social and emotional competence, behavior, academics, and perceptions of school climate collected at five time points (fall and spring of third grade, fall and spring of fourth grade, and spring of fifth grade) as well as annual teacher and principal reports on the level of SACD activities taking place in the classroom and school.

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