Association for Behavior Analysis International

This presentation will detail my personal experience of how the research to practice gap is affecting schools, teachers, and students. I will explain my journey from higher education to the front lines of special education as an elementary school teacher and back to higher education. As a behavior analyst and former professor, I became a teacher. However, I encountered barriers to providing research-based practices in special education classrooms. These barriers include confusion by school and district administrators about what constitutes evidence and how this resulted in selection of curricula that were ineffective. A lack of understanding of basic principles of behavior also led to Positive Behavior Support programs that required young children to wait too long to earn a reward for their behavior. Amidst these struggles, the teachers and administrators were motivated to improve the academic and behavioral outcomes of children. However, the gap between research and practice is so wide that small steps are needed to slowly change the knowledge and skills of school administrators and teachers in order to produce meaningful effects for children. Recommendations for ways to begin this journey will be provided.

The target audience are individuals working in higher education, teacher training, and in supervision of BCBAs or BCaBAs in school settings. Prerequisite skills include an understanding of public school systems including curricula development and selection, evidence-based practices, and legal/ethical issues in K-12 education.