Are you looking for new ways to "make the case" for research-based prevention to your school's administrators and staff?

Do you find yourself having a hard time differentiating between strategies, programs, and curricula?

Are you ready to select a research-based program for your school, but unsure of how to find the one that will best meet your prevention and academic needs?

If you answered YES to these questions, then this online workshop is for you!

As a participant in this event, you will have the opportunity to follow Patty Franklin, a fictional MSC at Stanton Middle School, as she begins the process of selecting a research-based program for her school.

Join her as she:

• convinces skeptical faculty that research-based prevention can make a difference

• develops a system for organizing the information she has collected about different exemplary and promising programs

• brainstorms with her Prevention Planning Team the factors that could affect their school's ability to effectively implement the program they select

This case study is designed to provide you with the tips, tools, and resources you need to locate and select the research-based program, or combination of programs, that is most likely to be effective in your school and community.

The Center's online continuing education training program offers a menu of skills-based, interactive learning activities designed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge into practice, enhance the exchange of effective practices among middle school coordinators (MSCs), and strengthen MSCs' capacity to implement effective prevention efforts.

You are ready to begin this workshop if you have (1) received confirmation of your participation and (2) visited the Orientation to Online Events website to ensure that you and your computer are prepared for this event. Then, please take a moment to read through this page. It will help you understand how the site is organized, how much time you should expect to spend participating in the event, and where to go for technical support.

Selecting Research-Based Prevention Programs for Your School is a three-part case study designed to be completed over the course of four days. On Days 1-3, participants will be expected to read the designated materials, answer the accompanying set of questions, and share their responses with other participants in the Discussion Area. On Day 4, participants can continue their online discussion and will be asked to complete an online evaluation.

• Day 1: Making the Case for Research-Based Prevention
  On Day 1, you will be introduced to Patty Franklin, MSC, as she prepares for an important meeting with her School Improvement Team. Her goal for this meeting is to obtain approval to move forward in selecting a research-based program for the school.

• Day 2: Getting on the Same Page
  On Day 2, you will see how Patty and her Prevention Planning teammates sort through the differences between prevention plans, strategies, programs, and curricula. You also will be invited to examine and reflect on Patty's system for locating and organizing programmatic information.

• Day 3: Assessing Feasibility: Is This the Right Program for Our School?
  On Day 3, you will be introduced to the concept of program "feasibility." Watch as Patty and her teammates discover the importance of selecting programs that match a school's or district's implementation capabilities.

• Day 4: Event Summary and Wrap-Up
  On Day 4, you will receive a summary of the week's discussion and be asked to complete an online evaluation. You are also invited to continue your online discussion.

Participants should log on at least once a day, although past participants have found that they could better monitor and contribute to the online discussion if they logged on several times throughout the day. Please allow enough time each day to read through the daily materials, complete any associated activities, and visit the Discussion Area. On average, past participants have spent approximately one hour per day reviewing materials, completing activities, and contributing to the discussion. The training facilitator will check in two to three times a day to answer any questions or to facilitate online discussion.

Each online event website contains these sections:

• Daily Materials (Days 1, 2, 3, etc.)
  This is where participants can acquire a basic understanding of the event topic. Materials will appear in a variety of formats and can be printed for future reference. Each day, participants will also be asked to answer two or three discussion questions. These questions are intended to help you reflect on and apply the information contained in the materials.

• Discussion Summary
  This section contains a summary of the questions and comments that were posted by event participants and facilitators during their week-long discussion.

• Resources & Links
  The information contained in this section is designed to complement the event materials, facilitate your participation in the event, and enhance overall learning.

• Event Support
  Participants with technical questions can go to this section and submit an online request for assistance.

• Discussion
  After reading each day's materials, participants will be asked to share their experiences and lessons learned in this section of the website.

Take some time to tour the site and familiarize yourself with its layout and content. Some particularly helpful tools that you may want to review include the following:

• Tips for Participating in Online Events

All of the materials and tools on this site can be printed and used for future reference. However, we strongly suggest that your review the materials online before you print them so that you can see how the different sections fit together.

To print a specific page, go to the page of interest, place your cursor on File (at the top of the page), go to Print, and then press OK. This will print everything on the screen in front of you. To print only the text (minus the navigation bars at the top and side of the screen), you must first open the site using the Web browser Explorer. Then place your cursor on the page you want to print, "right click" with your mouse, select Print, and choose OK.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to print the entire site with a single click of the mouse.

Participants with technical questions or problems can submit a request for assistance to Event Support. Your inquiries will be responded to immediately. You may also find answers to your questions in Tips for Participating in Online Events.

You will be able to visit this website at this address for one week after the event ends, though the Discussion Area will be closed during this time. After that, this event will be archived and housed in the Online Events section of the MSC website, where you will be able to access it at any time.

Patty Franklin rushed through the house trying to get out the door and into work in time for the first bell. She checked her briefcase one more time, making sure that her agendas, handouts, and overheads were safely packed away. Today's meeting was important, and she wanted to be certain that everything was just right. As drug prevention and school safety coordinator at Stanton Middle School, Patty had met often with the school's administrators, as well as the diverse school and community partners who comprised the Prevention Planning Team. Her team had worked hard to develop a comprehensive prevention plan that addressed some of the pressing needs facing local youth.

Yet, today marked a turning point: She and two of her team members were going to meet with the School Improvement Team to get their approval to move forward in selecting a research-based program for the school. The School Improvement Team, comprised of the principal, the vice-Principal, and a core group of teachers, was the school's primary decision-making body. Patty knew that obtaining their support and buy-in for her plans was critical and that it was up to her to do so. With a final glance through her bag, she checked her watch and headed out the door.

As Patty drove, she reflected on the progress that she and her committed planning team had made over the past year. Together they had spent several months gathering and organizing information from numerous school and community sources. An analysis of this information had helped the group define the drug- and violence-related problems most prevalent in their school as well as the students most at risk. The process of collecting the information also put them in contact with school and community partners eager to participate in the team's planning and programmatic efforts.

Based on their needs assessment, the group identified three immediate prevention priorities for the school: reduce bullying, reduce tobacco use, and increase school attendance. With these ends in mind, Patty worked with her planning team to determine which research-based strategies would most likely help them meet these priorities. School administrators and staff were particularly emphatic about the importance of selecting strategies that strengthened connections between students and the adults in their lives. They believed that no prevention program or strategy would work without a foundation of solid relationships. The team also needed to select strategies that would blend well with the whole-school reform program the school had recently adopted.

Guided by the research on effective prevention strategies and a close look at the prevention strategies already in place (some successful, some not so successful), the team proposed a multi-pronged plan that incorporated four primary strategies: classroom restructuring and management, policy development and enforcement, skill promotion, and family and community involvement. Patty felt confident that these strategies would help increase students' social and emotional skills and improve student-adult relationships, both of which were critical to the achievement of their three prevention priorities (bullying, tobacco use, and attendance). She also knew that some of these strategies, such as restructuring classrooms and parental involvement, would overlap well with the school's education reform efforts. Now Patty and her colleagues were ready to identify programs that would be compatible with these strategies.

Patty felt well-prepared, but slightly uneasy, as she headed toward the meeting. She knew that the school's principal was impressed by how far the Prevention Planning Team had progressed and was eager to keep moving forward. Yet, past meetings had revealed some quiet resistance among faculty to the concept of "research-based" programs. Many of the members of the School Improvement Team were quite attached to a classroom-based prevention curriculum that they had been using for the last three years... a curriculum that had never been evaluated, according to Patty's research. In making her case for change, Patty would have to convince them of the benefits of switching to a program that had met strict criteria for quality and effectiveness.

As she stepped out of the car and headed toward the meeting, Patty was thankful that two of her planning team members would be attending the meeting with her. She would certainly need their support!

Please think about these questions and post your answers to the Discussion Area.

1. What are the strongest points that Patty can make in favor of research-based prevention programming? What tactics might she use to make her case?

2. Have you ever facilitated or attended this type of meeting? If yes, what was the most challenging part of doing so?

• School and Community Data Sources
• Overview of Research-Based Prevention Strategies
• Mapping Prevention Strategies
• Federal Criteria

Patty's planning team may have used some or all of the sources listed below to collect information about the drug- and violence-related problems facing Stanton's middle school students.

Education Statistics

Schools or school districts collect annual data and report findings on suspensions, expulsions, and disciplinary actions related to violence and substance use, such as physical fights and possession, use, or sale of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs on school property. Expect to find information on the reason for the disciplinary action(s), any injuries sustained, the type of substance(s) involved, and the grade of the student(s) involved. Keep in mind, however, that districts may have different ways of determining how to address violations of school rules (e.g., warning, detention, suspension, expulsion), which could make comparisons across schools difficult.

In addition, many schools collect other relevant information, including rates of truancy, absenteeism, and numbers of students enrolled or promoted. Other useful sources of information include school "report cards" (as opposed to individual student report cards) and aggregated standardized test results, which can reveal how well a school is performing as a whole.

Crime Statistics

Crime statistics are available from local police departments. Reports often appear in two sections -- offenses (reported crimes) and arrests. Offenses are the best indicator of the volume of crime occurring in the community. Arrests are a better measure of a police department's response to crime. Information on some types of criminal activities may only be available as arrest data or as reported crimes -- not as both.

Information available from police departments can include the following: arrests for alcohol or drug possession, sale of drugs, drunk driving, liquor law violations, arrests for teen violence, aggravated assault, vandalism, curfew violations, and disorderly conduct.

Court Statistics

The Administrative Office of the Courts (in most states) and other state agencies annually publish court statistics (e.g., convictions for various crimes) by county or district. Such reports may contain information on cases that involved drug-related, alcohol-related, or violent crimes.

Health Statistics

State and county health departments -- especially maternal and child health divisions, medical examiners' offices, and state offices of vital statistics -- collect information on a variety of health indicators, such as causes of disability and disease, deaths related to substance use and violence, and alcohol- or drug-related traffic accidents. Many state health departments also have a division devoted to alcohol and other drug services.

State health departments can also be a good source of information about policies, ordinances, and procedures related to substance abuse and violence prevention (e.g., DUI (driving under the influence) arrests, liquor law violations). They also provide information related to "availability" indicators for alcohol and firearms (e.g., the number of liquor licenses, alcohol outlet locations, and firearm outlet locations). Hospital records -- including hospital admission and discharge records, emergency room and emergency medical services records, and trauma registries -- represent another useful source of health-related data; they can reveal patterns of alcohol- and drug-related illnesses and injuries, as well as other injury and violence patterns in your community.

Political Data

Information on voter participation by congressional district or state is available from the local chapter of the League of Women Voters (http://www.lwv.org/) or from the Congressional Quarterly (http://www.cq.com/). High voter participation is often considered a marker for community cohesion and involvement.

Demographic Data

Census data, available through state and county planning offices and public and university libraries, can be used to determine whether your community has certain risk factors that tend to be associated with substance abuse or violence, such as poverty, unemployment, high crime and divorce rates, a large number of single-parent households, and fluctuations in population. Census data for most cities and towns can be retrieved from the U.S. Census Bureau's website (http://www.census.gov/), though many states and localities have similar information on their own websites as well.

Economic Data

Economic data can provide information about how difficult or easy it is to obtain tobacco, alcohol, or firearms in your region. For example, you can obtain information on retail alcohol, cigarette, and firearm prices from the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (http://www.accra.org/) and information on alcohol outlet locations through state departments' alcohol beverage control boards (http://www.atf.treas.gov/alcohol/info/faq/subpages/lcb.htm).Similar information on firearm and tobacco outlet locations can be found at local police departments and at state and local departments of public health, respectively.

Other Possible Sources of Information

• Social service agencies generally have records on a variety of relevant issues, including demographic data related to employment, poverty, child abuse, children in foster care, and families receiving public assistance.

• Area college and university researchers may have relevant information about (or current projects that are studying) different aspects of your schools and communities.

• Local newspapers and other media often contain information on local health problems, the state of the schools, and prevention programs and policies.

• Service directories provide contact and other information (e.g., eligibility requirements, hours of operation) for local and regional prevention, treatment programs, and enrichment/recreational programs

• The reference librarian at your local library may have additional resources.

To learn more about collecting information for your needs assessment, visit Using Existing Data to Inform Prevention Program Selection, an online event now archived on the MSC website.

Three types of strategies are generally used to prevent substance use and violence: those that target individuals (e.g., students, parents, teachers), those that promote institutional change (e.g., within the classroom, school, family, or community agency), and those that involve changes to the community as a whole. Historically, most school-based approaches to preventing or reducing high-risk behaviors have been designed to change individual behavior (e.g., skill-building activities). However, an increasing body of evidence describes the important role that schools and communities can play in promoting and reinforcing these individual-level changes, and urges practitioners to develop a coordinated approach to prevention that addresses change at multiple levels.

Key school-linked prevention strategies that support multilevel change are described below. Please note that particular combinations of strategies have not been studied to see how they affect (i.e., strengthen, weaken, or have no effect on) one another.

• Enhancing students' personal and social skills. Instructional approaches that promote critical thinking and enhance social and emotional skills may prevent or reduce the behaviors that lead to substance use and violence. Skills-based instructional approaches can be offered as discrete "health education" courses, incorporated within existing courses (e.g., social studies), or integrated across the academic curriculum (i.e., spread throughout numerous existing courses and activities).

• Connecting at-risk students and families with appropriate services. Teachers, guidance counselors, school nurses, and others in the school setting are in a prime position to identify young people at risk for substance use and violence. They can also connect students to (or provide) the necessary educational or therapeutic interventions, medical care, or social services. Strategies that target at-risk students and their families are most effective at enhancing protective factors and producing positive youth outcomes. Schools can offer these services in the school or through links to other social service agencies in the community. Three family-centered approaches, in particular, have shown great potential for success: parent and family skills training, family in-home support and home visiting, and family therapy.

• Providing safe and supervised alternatives. Enrichment and recreational activities that are enjoyable, safe, and supervised provide positive alternatives to situations that may lead to substance use and violence. These activities, which can include mentoring programs, community service, school-to-work assignments, and internships, can be offered in conjunction with a variety of community-based organizations and businesses. Although these activities alone are insufficient to counteract substance use and violent behavior, they are more likely to be effective if they are part of a comprehensive prevention plan that includes other strategies that have been proven effective.

• Restructuring classrooms to promote student engagement. Improving the very structure of and management style in a classroom can help students engage in the learning process, "bond" to their school, and improve academic performance. Effective classroom management strategies include establishing and enforcing clear classroom rules, managing classroom time to hold students' attention, and using rewards and discipline to promote positive behaviors. Classroom restructuring may also present a prime opportunity to connect with school reform planning teams working in your district to promote academic achievement among students.

• Influencing school and community norms. A critical part of any prevention initiative is the creation and reinforcement of a set of anti-drug and anti-violence messages within the school setting. One way to do this is by setting, communicating, and reinforcing positive norms -- clear and consistent social messages that substance use and violence are harmful, unacceptable, and illegal. To create and sustain changes, school-based efforts must also be supported and reinforced by the larger community.

• Establishing and enforcing clear school policies. School policies can be a powerful influence on reducing substance use and violence at school. When creating new school policies, make sure to communicate policy information and standards to students, school personnel, and families (including your rationale for developing the policy) and include clear consequences for infractions. It's also important to reward those who abide by the policies.

• Establishing and enforcing clear community policies. Establishing community policies that limit the availability of harmful substances and weapons represents another critical piece of a comprehensive prevention plan. Look to governments (municipal, state, and federal), public agencies (e.g., social service departments), and private organizations (e.g., HMOs, convenience stores) to institute policies. Although some new community policies may be necessary to help prevent substance use and violence among youth, many such policies are already in place.

• Building school-family-community partnerships. Schools, families, and communities must work together to design, deliver, and reinforce activities intended to prevent substance use and violence. For example, efforts to create, promote, and enforce social norms and policies directed at preventing substance use and violence must involve coordination and collaboration among schools, families, and communities. If anti-drug and anti-violence messages -- and the skills to follow through with those messages -- are to be effective, they must be reinforced rather than contradicted across these critical contexts.

For a detailed discussion of research-based prevention strategies, visit Chapter 3 of the MSC Training Manual Key School-Linked Strategies for Preventing Substance Abuse and Violence.

To catalog the prevention strategies and corresponding activities already in place at Stanton Middle School, the Prevention Planning Team used the tool below. Though it is not essential to retain this format, we strongly recommend having a system in place for collecting information about existing prevention efforts before initiating new prevention activities and strategies. Doing so will help you maximize available resources, reduce duplication of services, and increase coordination and efficacy.

The table that appears on your screen is intended for online viewing. To print this document, please choose either the Word or PDF file below. If you choose the Word option, you will be able to type information directly into the table. A PDF file will open in Adobe Acrobat Reader; it can be printed but not manipulated.

Mapping Tool PDF (12K) | Word (36K)

Quality of Program Design

• Program goals and objectives are clear and appropriate for the target population.

• Program content and methods address the needs of and effectively engage the target population.

• The program's underlying rationale is well-articulated, and its content and methods are aligned with its goals.

• The program is a complete intervention, rather than a single component (e.g., a video, an assembly, a book in the library).

Quality of Research Design

• Program evaluation includes pre- and post-testing with a control or comparison group.

• Program evaluation includes relevant, reliable, valid, and appropriately administered outcome measures.

• Data analysis was technically adequate and appropriate.

• Evaluation studies had low rates of participant attrition.

Evidence of Program Efficacy

• The intervention produced positive change in scientifically established risk and protective factors.

• The intervention reduced or delayed the onset, prevalence, and/or individual rates of risk behaviors.

• Follow-up measurement provides evidence of sustained program impact.

Capacity for Replication and Dissemination

• The program includes high-quality program materials (e.g., manuals), training, and technical assistance.

• The program includes tools and procedures to monitor the fidelity of implementation and evaluate program outcomes.

• The program has been replicated and produced similar positive results, and these replications have been documented.

• Evaluation findings have been published or accepted for publication by a peer-reviewed journal.

"Thanks for coming! See you in two weeks!" Patty called out as the last member of the School Improvement Team left the meeting room. Closing the door, she leaned back in her chair, relieved that the meeting was over. All in all, it had gone quite well, despite a rocky start. As expected, the group had at first resisted the idea of bringing in a new prevention program. Some were convinced that the program already in place was "research-based." Others claimed that student behavior seemed to be improving (based on their observations) and attributed these improvements to the current program. Still others, frustrated by the way prevention programs seemed to "come and go" at the school, lauded any program that could last more than one year.

Patty also sensed some general resistance to implementing prevention programs. Several teachers complained of limited instruction time and the pressure they felt to focus on improving test scores. They expressed concern that taking on a new prevention program at this time would compromise the effectiveness of their newly adopted whole-school reform program.

With the help of two colleagues from her Prevention Planning Team, Patty did her best to address the group's observations and concerns:

• First, she clarified the meaning and value of the term "research-based," stressing the connection between research-based strategies and programs and improved student outcomes in the areas of social skills, health, and school-related behaviors.

• Next, she reviewed key assessment findings, reminding the group of the process that they (together with the Prevention Planning Team) had gone through to translate these findings into prevention priorities.

• Finally, she suggested some prevention strategies that could help the school meet these priorities. She made sure to highlight the ways these strategies might work in conjunction with the school's other education reform efforts. (Click here to see the slides Patty used for her presentation.)

By the time she was done, the administrators and teachers on the School Improvement Team were much more enthusiastic about the proposed changes. They seemed to grasp that while research-based prevention could not guarantee positive outcomes, it could maximize their chances for achieving their intended results. They were also hopeful that a comprehensive and coordinated approach to prevention would result in something more than just another passing fad at their school.

"So, what do you think?" asked Patty, turning to her fellow Prevention Planning Team members. Janice, a sixth grade teacher, was enthusiastic: "Meetings at this school never move that quickly! They were a bit negative when we started, but they really came around!"

Eric, a youth worker at the Stanton Community Center, agreed that the meeting had been a success, but he shared a lingering concern: "While they did seem to buy into the concept of a comprehensive prevention plan, I'm not sure that we made it clear that the three main strategies we've proposed don't necessarily translate into three new pre-packaged programs. I have a feeling that they don't really understand the difference between plans, strategies, programs, and curricula. So often, these terms get used interchangeably!"

"You're right!" Patty agreed. "So, let's make sure we have our definitions straight. I think of a 'comprehensive prevention plan' as the big picture: everything we plan to do to meet our prevention priorities."

"Yes," Janice chimed in, "but a prevention plan has to be comprised of strategies that have been shown to be effective in preventing substance use and violence -- strategies like skills promotion and policy development. If we think of it graphically" -- Janice began sketching on the back of her notes -- "the prevention plan is a big circle, and 'strategies' are a smaller circle within it."

"Then 'programs,'" Eric jumped in, "are one way to put these strategies into action." He grabbed the pen and drew a smaller circle inside the "strategies" circle, which he labeled "Programs." "The sticking point," he continued, "is that not all strategies can be translated into programs. For example, 'skills promotion' is a strategy that is incorporated into many programs, such as Life Skills or Second Step. But 'policy development' -- also a strategy -- happens outside of a program."

"We also need to remember that many prevention programs incorporate multiple prevention strategies, Janice added. "For example, some emphasize classroom-based skill promotion but also promote a positive school climate and school-community partnerships."

This is the diagram Patty, Janice, and Eric sketched.

"And finally," Eric said, "let's not forget curricula. Many people use the term 'program' and 'curriculum' synonymously. In many cases, this is OK. For example, the Life Skills program is a classroom-based curriculum, and that's all. But other programs -- like Second Step -- have other components. The curriculum is just one piece of their overall program."

"No wonder people get confused!" Patty agreed. "I think that a primary goal of our next meeting should be to clarify these distinctions. The diagram we created today will help us do that."

"I've also been thinking," Patty continued, "that it will be important for us to describe our process for sorting through the research-based programs available to us and determining which program or programs will work best for our school. We don't want anyone to think that we're just choosing these programs out of a hat!"

The group paused for a few moments, thinking through the best ways to convey this information to a larger group. They knew that promoting genuine understanding among key school personnel would be absolutely essential to the effectiveness and endurance of their prevention activities. They'd need to be both clear and convincing.

Janice finally broke the silence. "Why don't we create a handout that lays out the steps we'll use to identify those programs that might meet our needs?" she suggested. "For example, if our starting point is the universe of prevention programs, our first step might be to eliminate programs that aren't right for middle school students -- such as programs that target grades K-5. Then another step might be to eliminate programs that don't match our priority areas: tobacco use and bullying. Do you follow?"

"I do!" said Patty. "I actually used a similar model to organize the information I collected last summer at the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program's National Training Assistance Meeting. The meeting showcased the 42 exemplary and promising substance abuse and violence prevention programs identified by the U.S. Department of Education. I developed my own set of steps to determine which programs would be most appropriate for our school."

"A handout sounds really helpful," agreed Eric, "but I also think we should develop a matrix that connects each of the programs on our 'short list' to the prevention strategies they employ. This will make it immediately clear which programs incorporate the strategies that we've selected for our school."

Patty and Janice nodded their approval for this idea, and Patty volunteered to develop the handout and matrix: "I'll distribute them to everyone at Friday's planning team meeting. Then I can get feedback and revise them in time for our next meeting with the School Improvement Team. Sound OK?"

Drained but optimistic, the trio agreed to the plan. They felt confident that these materials would paint a clear picture of where they wanted to go as well as their options for getting there.

Please think about these questions and post your answers to the Discussion Area.

1. Patty and her teammates felt that it was important that everyone have a shared understanding of the terminology. They needed to identify differences between prevention plans, strategies, programs, and curricula.

   Do you find that these terms are used interchangeably at your school? If yes, what steps have you taken to distinguish one from the other?

2. Patty presents one process for organizing the information she has collected about research-based programs.

   Do you find it helpful? Why or why not?

   Can you describe another process you have used to organize program information?

3. Do you think the School Improvement Team will find all of this "process related" information useful? How could Patty make it more useful?

• Prevention Programs and Student Outcomes
• Patty's Slide Presentation
• Patty's Selection Steps
• Program Matrix

Research-based prevention programs have demonstrated the capacity to produce a variety of positive youth outcomes. Below are some examples of statistically significant program evaluation results in the areas of health, social skills, and school-related behaviors.

The evaluation results described below were identified in: U.S. Department of Education. (2001). Safe and Drug-free Schools and Communities Announcement 2001: Nine Exemplary and Thirty-Three Promising Programs Identified via an Expert Panel Process. Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program (e-mail communication).

• Health-related Outcomes

  • Sixth and seventh grade students participating in Project Star demonstrated a 20 to 30 percent reduction in "gateway" drug use (cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) throughout high school.

  • Problem drinking (three or more drinks per occasion) was significantly lower among seventh grade students who participated in the Life Skills Training Program.

  • Middle school students who participated in Lion's-Quest Skills for Adolescence demonstrated higher levels of perceived risk or harm to student's health for all substances; lower rates of beer, liquor, and chewing tobacco use; and lower rates of intent to use beer and liquor in the future.

  • Middle school students participating in Project ALERT, relative to the control group, showed that current and occasional cigarette use was 20 to 25 percent lower, and regular and heavy cigarette use was 33 to 55 percent lower.

  • High school football teams who participated in the ATLAS Program showed improved nutrition and exercise behaviors and reduced drinking and driving occurrences compared with the control group.

• Social Skills Outcomes

  • Middle school students participating in the SCARE Program evaluation demonstrated decreases in state anger and trait anger and increases in anger control when compared to the control group.

  • Elementary school students who were taught the Second Step curriculum demonstrated increases in neutral and prosocial behavior over the school year, compared to the control group.

  • Seventh graders participating in Lion's-Quest Skills for Adolescence demonstrated gains in knowledge and attitudes about ways to deal with peer conflicts.

  • A matched control group study showed that middle school students participating in SMART Team showed diminished beliefs supportive of violence and increased self-awareness of how to handle situations that invoke anger.

  • Eighth grade students participating in Facing History and Ourselves demonstrated a greater decrease in racism and a greater increase in social competencies than did comparison students.

• School-Related Behaviors

  • Seventh graders participating in Lion's-Quest Skills for Adolescence demonstrated greater gains in grade-point average than did members of a control group.

  • Ninth grade students participating in Community of Caring showed gains in grade-point averages, school attendance, and enrollment status, compared to a comparison group.

  • Elementary school students who participated in the Child Development Project demonstrated increased positive behavior in class (helpfulness, etc.), compared to a control group.

  • Reading scores of students participating in Growing Healthy improved for both third and fourth graders, as did third grade math scores, compared to the comparison group.

Slide 1

Slide 2

Slide 3

Slide 4

Slide 5

• Step 1: Define the universe of programs. Many federal agencies have compiled lists of research-based substance abuse and violence prevention programs, including the U.S. Department of Education (USED), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patty began her search by looking at programs identified by USED as either "promising" or "exemplary." Number of programs = 42

• Step 2: Look at your target audience. Patty limited her search to programs that were designed for middle school students. Out of this group, she eliminated 17 programs that targeted "at risk" students, keeping only those that were suitable for the general population. Number of remaining programs = 25

• Step 3: Match programs to your identified needs. Patty then made sure that the programs she selected matched at least one of the initiative's prevention priorities: tobacco use, bullying, and low attendance. She also had to make sure that when a program targeted a variety of behaviors (e.g., Project ALERT is designed to prevent the use of alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, and tobacco), it produced positive outcomes for the topics they were interested in (i.e., tobacco use). Through this process, Patty eliminated three more programs. Number of remaining programs = 22

• Step 4: Determine its effectiveness for middle school students. Patty was fairly certain that the team would not be able to obtain the requisite support to implement a comprehensive K-8 or K-12 curriculum. She therefore made sure to look at programs that were shown to be effective when implemented only during the middle school years. This eliminated two more programs. Number of remaining programs = 20

• Step 5: Make sure that it has a classroom component. Finally, Patty narrowed the list to include only those programs that were school-based and included a classroom component. She included programs in which the classroom component was highly structured (e.g., Aggressors, Victims, and Bystanders), as well as those that were more flexible (e.g., Peacebuilders). Thus, three more programs were eliminated. Number of remaining programs = 17

Patty developed the matrix below to organize the information she had collected about USED's promising and exemplary programs. Since she couldn't map all of the programs, she started with the 17 programs that matched her school's identified needs, included a classroom component, and which were shown to be effective when used with her target audience. She thought it would be helpful to highlight those strategies that matched the prevention strategies identified by her Prevention Planning Team.

The table that appears on your screen is intended for online viewing. To print this document, please choose either the Word or PDF file below. If you choose the Word option, you will be able to type information directly into the table. A PDF file will open in Adobe Acrobat Reader; it can be printed but not manipulated.

Program Matrix PDF (24K) | Word (56K)

Arriving early for her Friday morning planning team meeting, Patty reviewed the materials she'd finished drafting the night before. She looked forward to sharing them with her colleagues. Together, the documents presented a clear summary of the steps they'd taken so far to identify a research-based program for their school. Through a careful process of elimination, they had narrowed down the field to those programs that might be appropriate. Now they could begin exploring the feasibility of implementing any particular one.

Over the next 15 minutes, members of the Prevention Planning Team filtered in. After some brief updates, the group turned their attention to the meeting agenda. Patty summarized the meeting that she, Janice, and Eric had attended with the School Improvement Team earlier in the week, then distributed her drafted set of materials. The group quickly reviewed the Plan/Strategy/Program diagram. "This is great," one member piped up. "It's a clear way of highlighting the fact that 'program' does not equal 'strategy.' That's a hard distinction to get across!"

Patty then walked the group through her "system" for narrowing the universe of potential programs. As she spoke, she referred the group to the one-page document she'd developed (see below).

"Of course," Patty concluded, "finding the information we needed wasn't always easy. I found most of what we wanted online (click here for some of the links Patty used to collect information), but I also made a few trips to the library to hunt down some original research articles. And once or twice I had to contact a program developer to find out what we wanted to know. Any questions so far?"

As members shook their heads, Patty moved on to the matrix, designed to match programs and strategies. "As you can see," Patty explained, "programs use a variety of strategies to produce intended outcomes. The purpose of this matrix is to help us -- as well as the School Improvement Team -- readily identify those programs that use the strategies we think will work best in our schools.

"The matrix is limited to the 17 school-based programs mentioned above: those with a classroom component that have been shown to be effective with a general population of middle school students. Of these programs, six of the programs incorporate at least two of the prevention strategies we're interested in. My suggestion is that these are the programs we should investigate further."

The group pored over the matrix until Janice exclaimed, "This is really useful, but it just occurred to me that we haven't considered cost. Aren't some of these programs very expensive?" Patty knew that this was the perfect time to raise the issue of feasibility.

"You're right," Patty agreed. "Cost is an issue. And there may be other practical issues that could affect our school's readiness or ability to implement a particular program." Heading toward the blackboard, Patty grabbed a piece of chalk and suggested that the group spend some time brainstorming a list of these factors.

Initial discussion focused on the availability of resources, such as money for program materials and training, and the availability of space. Yet, as the conversation gathered momentum, several less-tangible -- but equally important -- issues emerged. These issues were related to the overall political climate of the school and community, and their readiness to take on a new prevention program.

Several members of the Prevention Planning Team voiced their concerns. Tom, the father of a seventh grader, was concerned that parents might object to a drug prevention program that discussed "hard drugs," such as heroin and cocaine. "A lot of parents around here don't want to admit that their kids use drugs.

Hearing about hard drugs might be too much for them. However," he continued, "they might not mind a program that focused primarily on smoking, drinking, and maybe marijuana. Maybe we could start there, and then address other types of substances next year."

Janice shared another concern: "While many of the more comprehensive programs on the list look great, I'm afraid that parents and teachers will be reluctant to take on another schoolwide program. We are, after all, in the midst of adopting a schoolwide education reform plan. Since the reform plan is likely to address classroom restructuring and policy development, why don't we focus our attention on identifying a classroom-based program that emphasizes parent involvement and skills promotion? There must be several that could be successfully infused into the curriculum!"

Patty supported this suggestion, reminding the group that the administrators and teachers had only recently agreed to give up the current classroom-based prevention program: "We can start small, and then expand our program or add a second component next year. Also, we'll want to make sure that any new strategies or programs we select will strengthen prevention activities and policies already in place at the school."

Patty looked at the chalkboard and reviewed the feasibility issues that the group considered important. Today's discussion had been helpful; as a result of their brainstorming, they would eliminate from consideration any drug prevention programs that included discussions of hard drugs, as well as any comprehensive, schoolwide programs. Instead, they would look at classroom-based programs that focused primarily on "gateway drugs" and/or bullying prevention. Yet that still left four programs that could, potentially, work in their school.

Glancing at her watch, Patty was surprised to see that the meeting was about to end. She quickly volunteered to develop a Feasibility Checklist comprised of the issues raised. She could use it to help the administrators and teachers on the School Improvement Team hone their thinking about program selection. It would be interesting to see their reactions to the list; she suspected that they would identify many issues that had been overlooked by today's group.

Patty had no doubt that her next meeting with the School Improvement Team would be challenging; there would be a lot of material to cover, and it would be up to her to keep the discussion on track. Still, she was proud of the progress the Planning Team had made and looked forward to sharing the fruits of their labor. The program selection process they had developed was both sound and grounded in research. From these strong beginnings, she felt confident that their prevention initiative would be a success!

Please think about these questions and post your answers to the Discussion Area.

1. Though a variety of feasibility variables will be factored into your decision to select a prevention program, not all of these variables will carry the same weight.

   Which variables will carry the most weight in your school or district? Why?

   Can you imagine a situation where faculty and administrators assign different weights to the same variable? What might you do in this situation?

2. Finding information about programs of interest can sometimes be challenging. What strategies have you used to track down important information, particularly as it relates to program implementation?

Feasibility Checklist

The set of questions below is designed to help you identify factors that you might consider when selecting a research-based program for your school. You can use this list to begin assessing your school's capacity to implement a given program.* For example, if a program of interest costs $10,000 to implement for a year, and your annual budget is only $3,000, you may want to consider another program.

The table that appears on your screen is intended for online viewing. To print this document, please choose either the Word or PDF file below. If you choose the Word option, you will be able to type information directly into the table. A PDF file will open in Adobe Acrobat Reader; it can be printed but not manipulated.

Feasibility Checklist PDF (28K) | Word (36K)

Resources

• How much does it cost?

• What are the time requirements?

• Does it require staff training?

• Do we have access to the target population?

• How much space will we need?

• Do we have the necessary equipment?

• Can we access program materials?

• Does the program require any additional services (e.g., transportation)?

Target Population

• Are program materials appropriate for our target target population (e.g., age, gender, socioeconomic status)?

• Are members of the target population likely to accept the new program?

• Are program materials culturally relevant (e.g., language, customs, norms)?

School Climate

• Are school administrators and staff likely to accept the new program?

• Will you be able to obtain the buy-in of school administrators?

• Does the new program fit with existing prevention efforts?

• Will you be able to obtain the buy-in of staff?

• Do prevention programs have a favorable history in your school?

Community Climate

• Are community members likely to accept a new program?

• Will you be able to obtain the buy-in of key community leaders?

• Does the new program fit with existing prevention efforts?

• Will you have access to a referral network for program participants?

• Do prevention programs have a favorable history in your community?

Evaluability

• Is baseline data available?

• Are financial resources available for evaluation?

• Will you have access to participants over time?

• Do you have access to appropriate evaluation skills?

• Does the program design lend itself to straightforward evaluation (e.g., it does not include multiple components)?

Future Sustainability

• Does the program require close collaboration between the school and community?

• Can you depend on strong, ongoing leadership?

• Will you have access to renewable financial support?

• Does the program have a positive image in your community?

• Does your initiative have a strong advocate(s) or spokesperson(s)?

*For more information on how to assess the capacity of your school to implement a given program, read about the Feasibility Tool in Chapter 6 of the MSC Training Manual Word (120K).

• Discussion Summary

  This document summarizes the questions and comments posted by participants throughout the four-day event. Please review the summary, then visit the Discussion Area to share your impressions.

• Evaluation

  The evaluation form is no longer available. Please submit any comments or suggestions to amalia.cuervo@ed.gov

Summary of the Week's Discussion

Thank you all for making the discussion component of this online event so dynamic and informative! You asked important questions, shared valuable experiences, exchanged practical tips, and made many excellent points. Here is a brief overview of your rich discussion.

On Day 1, MSCs noted that Patty and her planning team had the support of the Principal and were well-prepared with data about student needs and research about prevention strategies and programs. Participants suggested the following strategies for Patty and other MSCs to consider as they proceed:

• Be aware of the goals of the school as a whole, as well as the goals of individual educators

• Familiarize administrators and educators with local data about student needs

• Demonstrate the connection between risk behaviors, such as substance use and violence, and poor school performance among students

• Use evaluation reports and examples from other communities to demonstrate the potential of prevention programs to reduce the risk behaviors displayed by students

• Explain the many benefits of research-based programs for students, classrooms, and teachers

• Present options for integrating prevention programs into the existing school curriculum and coordinating prevention activities with overall school reform efforts

On Days 1 and 2, the topic of prevention terminology emerged as an important issue for MSCs to address.

• Several MSCs suggested using different language to describe research-based programs:

  "I have used a few different strategies that are effective in approaching others about research-based prevention. One is to not call it "research-based" even though that's exactly what it is. Just by changing the language to say it's "proven effective, has proven positive results, or is evidence-based" doesn't scare people away."

  "One of the most challenging parts is getting people past the term "research-based." Some people assume these are canned packages with no flexibility to adapt to the school's needs. They also can be scared off by that word "research." I have used other terms like "evidence-based, proven effective or proven positive results" to help minimize their hesitation."

• Many MSCs acknowledged that various terms (e.g., prevention plan, strategies, program, curriculum) were often used interchangeably. They offered these suggestions for assigning consistent meaning to these terms:

  • Have everyone sit together and go over the meanings. This will help to ensure that all involved are "singing off the same sheet of music."
  • When you begin a new group, ask participants to share their definitions and perceptions of different terms. It will give you an idea of their perspective. Then work together to adopt a common language framework.
  • Make up a definition list and see if the group will agree to use the same terminology for planning purposes.
  • Whenever possible, use examples!
  • Be careful to use proper and agreed upon terminology in your own verbal and written communication with school personnel.

On Day 3, MSCs discussed different factors that affect their search for or selection of a research-based prevention program.

• Several MSCs stated that monetary issues factor heavily into their search for a research-based program due to budget constraints. In response, one participant mentioned that program costs can vary considerably:

  "I do agree that monetary issues can be a concern, but keep in mind that not all research-based programs have to cost an arm and a leg. One that comes to mind is Project Alert. Our district has paid $125.00/per teacher and this amount included a full day of training, the curriculum, support and updates. Our district is on a tight budget as well."

  Another participant highlighted the impact of politics on school finances:

  "Locally, we are faced with an election year and the politics of an election year will make financial issues even more critical. That just means that we must be more creative in our approaches."

• Other factors mentioned by MSCs as influencing the program selection process include the following:

  • Support from school administrators and teachers
  • Time required to implement the program
  • Parental opposition to coverage of certain topics in their child's curriculum (e.g., specific types of drugs)
  • The need to brainstorm with your planning team and weigh the different ideas/opinions that emerge
  • The potential of a program to fit into the mix of current projects taking place in both the middle schools and the district, including the school system's overall educational plan and school reform
  • Administrative changes and teacher turnover
  • Whether or not the program was found to be effective in the same type of area (e.g., inner-city)
  • The potential of a prevention program to affect academic outcomes
  • The potential for prevention lessons to be taught within the context of academic subject areas
  • Concern for the school's reputation: "If we offer a violence or drug prevention program, then we must have a problem."

Strategies used by MSCs to locate and learn about potential programs for their schools include the following:

• Contact the federal agency that lists the program as effective

• Contact other schools that are using different programs to get first hand accounts of how they work and how effective they seem to be

• Talk to the program developer(s)

• Talk to other prevention specialists

• Conduct research on the Internet

• Attend program trainings

• Network with other MSCs, as well as with school personnel and community leaders

• Obtain hard copies of printed materials and create an "in house" resource library for all area MSCs

Many MSCs found Patty's process to be both sensible and informative, as well as largely similar to their own approaches.

"I find the steps that Patty followed are very helpful. Although I did not use the same set of steps as she, I realize that I essentially filtered through available programs in much the same manner."

"I think that Patty's organization skills are superb!..... I do things the same way collecting, sorting, eliminating, and putting information in chart or graph form. It helps to 'picture' the information and bring clarity to the work."

One MSC commented on the case study or story approach of this training:

"I would just like to say how much I enjoyed the format of this training. Walking us through the process helps us to vicariously experience Patty' successes and the barriers that she encountered."

Tip Sheets

• Tips for Participating in Online Events
• Glossary

Links

• Links for Locating Research-Based Programs
• Links to Research-Based School Reform Models
• Links to General Prevention Planning Sites

Facilitated communication among participants in this online workshop will be asynchronous, meaning that MSCs can log on to the event at their convenience to read and contribute messages. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you participate in this exciting online event.

• Your involvement is the key to event success! We hope to have enjoyable and stimulating discussions, but that can only happen if you log on and participate.

• Make sure that you have adequate time to review new information and messages.

• Log in at least once a day and participate in the online discussion as often as you can. You can share long or short messages, ask big or small questions, or contribute brief reactions to the messages posted by other MSCs and facilitators.

• You can compose, review, and edit messages in a word-processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word) or in the event's Discussion Area prior to posting your messages online. Your messages will not appear online until you actively choose to post them. This allows you time to think about what you want to say and how you would like to say it.

• When you reply to a message that was posted by a fellow MSC or a facilitator, make sure to refer to the original message in your response so that others can follow the conversation.

• To participate more fully during the event, try enabling the mailing list feature. This will enable you to receive all discussion postings by e-mail.

• If you have any technical questions or problems, please do not hesitate to submit a request for assistance to Event Support. We promise you a quick response.

• Relax and have fun with this opportunity to learn and connect with your fellow MSCs!

Adobe Acrobat:

A collection of programs developed by Adobe Systems, Inc., for creating and distributing electronic documents. These programs let you create and/or read a Portable Document Format (PDF) for your files, which preserves the document's layout. This is an advantage over other electronic formats, such as HTML, where the layout can vary depending on the software being used.

Asynchronous discussion:

Two-way communication that occurs with a time delay, allowing participants to respond at their own convenience. An example of an asynchronous discussion is the Discussion Area used for these online events.

Chat room:

A "virtual" room where people have real-time (synchronous) communication with one another via computer. During a chat session, either user can enter text by typing on the keyboard; the entered text will then appear on the other user's monitor. Most networks and online services offer a chat feature.

Discussion Area:

The section of this website where active participants can engage in asynchronous discussion.

Discussions:

Online "conversations" that take place within central Discussion Areas of the WebBoard. Discussions appear on the left hand side of the screen. One or more discussion areas will be available to you during an event.

Internet access:

One's ability to log on to the Internet. There are a variety of ways to do this. Most online services, such as America Online, offer access to some Internet services. It is also possible to gain access through a commercial Internet Service Provider.

Internet Service Provider (ISP):

A company that provides direct Internet access via modem or high-speed connection. For a monthly fee, the ISP gives you a software package, user name, password, and access phone number. You can then log on to the Internet, browse the World Wide Web, and send and receive e-mail.

Link:

In hypertext systems (i.e., the World Wide Web), a link provides a direct path from one document or Web page to another.

Logon:

The steps you must take to gain access to a network. Most personal computers have no log-on procedure -- you just turn on the machine and begin working. For larger systems and networks, however, you usually need to enter a user name and password before the computer system will allow you to execute programs.

Modem:

A device used to link computers via a phone line; "modem" is short for modulator-demodulator.

Online:

An adjective meaning that you or your computer are connected to another computer via a modem. It can also mean that you have unspecified access to the Internet.

Online learning:

The process of learning new skills and acquiring knowledge via the Internet, without needing to be physically present in the learning environment.

Online resource:

Information that is located on the Internet.

Post:

Sending a message to the Discussion Area of the WebBoard that begins or continues a thread of discussion. You must first select a Discussion before posting a new topic (or continuing an ongoing one).

Reply:

A posting/message made in response to another posting/message, always threaded under an existing topic on the WebBoard. Replies appear indented beneath the messages to which they correspond.

Synchronous discussion:

Interaction between two or more people that occurs at the same time, that is, with no appreciable delay between the end of one message and the beginning of another. Talking on the phone and participating in a chat session are examples of synchronous discussion.

Threaded discussion:

In online discussions, threaded discussions include a series of messages that have been posted as replies to one another. A single forum or conference typically contains many threads covering different subjects. By reading each message in a thread, one after the other, you can see how the discussion evolved. You can also start a new thread by posting a message that is not a reply to an earlier message.

T1 communication:

A high-speed network link that transmits data at 1.5 mbps (millions of bit per second). T1 lines transmit data almost 30 times faster than an ordinary phone line.

Topic:

A specific thread of discussion within a Discussion Area of the WebBoard. Topics appear indented, under a Discussion.

URL:

Short for "uniform resource locator," this is a website's specific Internet address.

Web:

Short for the World Wide Web, this is a method of using the Internet to access information via a graphical user interface.

Web access:

One's ability to log on to the Internet, an online service, or another network.

Web browser:

A software application used to locate and display Web pages.

Web-based learning (workshop/training):

The process of learning new skills and acquiring knowledge through the use of an educational site.

WebBoard:

The brand of software we use for the MSC online events to help conduct both synchronous and asynchronous online discussions.

Web server:

A computer that delivers (serves up) Web pages to your computer. Every Web server has an Internet Provider address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the address <http://www.edc.org/msc> into your computer, this sends a request to the server whose domain name is <edc.org>. The server then fetches the page named in directories as "msc" (the general MSC website) and sends the requested page to your browser.

Web service provider:

See Internet Service Provider.

Website:

Any collection of pages that is accessible on the Web, usually referring to a constellation of separate pages accessed through a main title/menu or home page. You can access a website by instructing the computer to find and connect to the site's specific Internet address, known as its "uniform resource locator" (URL).

• Blueprints for Violence Prevention
  http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/blueprints/

  The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Justice, launched this site to disseminate information about effective violence prevention and intervention programs. The project has identified 11 model programs that meet a strict scientific standard of program effectiveness. Nineteen other programs have been identified as promising. These interventions have been summarized in a series of "blueprints" that describe their theoretical rationales, core components, evaluation designs and results, and practical implementation experiences across multiple sites.

• CDC/DASH's Programs that Work
  http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/rtc/index.htm

  In response to requests from schools for effective prevention programs, the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Programs that Work (PTW) project. Curricula included in the project have been shown to effectively reduce tobacco use and the sexual risk behaviors that contribute to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. The website offers a detailed overview of PTW's selection criteria and descriptions of selected programs.

• Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies (CAPT): Database of Effective Prevention Programs
  http://www.northeastcapt.org/science/pod/search.asp

  The Northeast CAPT of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has created an online, searchable database of effective prevention programs approved by a variety of federal and research agencies. The database allows visitors to compare selection criteria across agencies, review information about the sources those agencies used for their evaluations, and find contact information and descriptions of each intervention.

• CSAP Model Programs
  http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov/

  In 1987, the High-Risk Youth Demonstration Grant Program first began awarding grants to develop innovative programming tailored to the needs of identified subpopulations of youth at high risk for substance abuse. Since then, a comprehensive screening process has been undertaken to identify which of these programs effectively promoted positive youth outcomes. This website provides background information on the problem of youth substance use, brief overviews of and contact information for effective programs, and detailed implementation and evaluation information about model programs.

• SDFS' Exemplary and Promising Programs
  http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/programs.html

  The U.S. Department of Education's Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program (SDFS) has used an expert panel process to identify programs that should be promoted nationally as promising or exemplary. A 15-member Expert Panel oversaw a valid and reliable process for identifying effective school-based programs that promote healthy students and safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools. Using this process, the panel identified 9 exemplary and 33 promising programs.

For information on how and where a particular research-based program was implemented, contact the program developer. They can direct you to appropriate school contacts.

• Annotated Bibliography of Resources from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
  http://www.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/pic02.html

  The purpose of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory is to improve teaching and learning practice. This database of reference materials includes information on educational reform, coherent teaching practice, and improved student learning.

• The Catalog of School Reform Models
  http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/catalog/index.shtml

  This site provides descriptions of 32 "entire school" reform models, plus additional entries on reading/language arts, mathematics, and science reform. Selection criteria include evidence of effectiveness in improving student academic achievement, extent of replication, availability of implementation assistance, and comprehensiveness.

• An Educators' Guide to Schoolwide Reform
  http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/ district_organization/Reform/index.htm

  This guide reviews the research on 24 "whole school," "comprehensive," or "schoolwide" approaches. It rates the different approaches against a common set of standards, compares them in terms of scientifically reliable evidence, and provides detailed information about each. A one-page table summarizes the approaches' relative strengths, and brief profiles describe their key features and provide contact information.

• Comprehensive School Reform
  http://www.ncrel.org/csri/

  The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory provides numerous links to websites and products relevant to comprehensive school reform. Two of these are Comprehensive School Reform: Making Good Choices and Making Good Choices: Districts Take the Lead. The first document presents a three-step strategy for deciding whether comprehensive school reform is a good choice for your school, and, if so, whether one of the existing programs is right for your school. The second presents five components that describe district reform efforts that support, shape, and enrich school improvement, as well as several assessment tools to help identify where your district stands relative to the five components.

• Building a Successful Prevention Program
  http://captus.samhsa.gov/western/resources/bp/index.cfm

  This site, developed and maintained by the Western Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies, describes a seven-step model for prevention: Community Readiness and Mobilization, Needs Assessment, Prioritizing, Resource Assessment, Targeting Efforts, Best Practices, and Evaluation.

• Community ToolBox
  http://ctb.ku.edu/

  The Community ToolBox website, created by the University of Kansas Work Group on Health Promotion and Community Development and AHEC/Community Partners in Amherst, Massachusetts, contains numerous "how to" tools designed to help practitioners with the different tasks necessary for community health and development. There are sections on leadership, needs assessment, community assessment, advocacy, grant writing, and evaluation, including an overview of the strategic planning process.

• Decision Support System
  http://www.preventiondss.org

  This site presents a seven-step model for prevention based on CSAP's logic model for strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of prevention programs. The logic model is presented as a circular (recursive) process beginning at Assess Needs and progressing through Develop Capacity, Select Programs, Implement Programs, Evaluate Programs, Report Programs, and Get Technical Assistance and Training.

• Drug Information And Decision Support (DIADS) Assessment
  http://education.indiana.edu/cas/diads/diads.html

  Developed by the Center for Adolescent Studies at Indiana University, this brief assessment tool is designed to help prevention planners develop and implement comprehensive programs that will work in their schools. By assessing what a school is currently doing to prevent drug abuse and the levels of support for those activities, DIADS can determine a given program's chance of success.