Designing a comprehensive needs assessment for SEB-focused MFSS planning: lessons from a Delaware district

Abstract

The Delaware Positive Behavior Support (DE-PBS) Project is a technical assistance (TA) center for the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) that supports Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across Delaware in implementing a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) for social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) needs. As a TA provider for DE-PBS, I have helped LEAs implement universal SEB screening as part of their MTSS. However, many schools in those districts are screening without the necessary infrastructure to respond to the data. To help plan SEB-focused MTSS efforts in one Delaware LEA, I developed and piloted a district-wide needs assessment and action plan process. I first explored peer-reviewed articles to identify the determinants that influence the successful implementation of a SEB-focused MTSS in schools. Based on this information, I developed an MTSS needs assessment and action plan process. I then piloted the process with one Delaware LEA. To do so, I conducted a quantitative survey to gather information from school-level implementers about perceived implementation strategies in place across their schools that predict the sustainability of school-wide SEB supports. Next, I conducted focus groups with school-level implementers and interviews with LEA-level implementers to expand upon the quantitative results. Finally, participants from the LEA responded to the needs assessment results by participating in two facilitated MTSS action plan sessions. Overall, the results from this needs assessment and action plan process provide insight into the needs of MTSS implementers in one Delaware district, with some methodological limitations.