The Well-Managed Schools Research Project
Download the Project Overview
We are seeking elementary schools interested in allowing their teachers to participate in a large-scale study to evaluate the Well-Managed Schools (WMS) classroom management approach.
WMS is a universal classroom management approach developed by Boys Town that involves teaching and reinforcing social skills within day-to-day classroom management and fits well within school-wide models of PBIS.
Participating schools can have up to half of their 1st through 5th grade regular classroom teachers trained in WMS as part of the research project.
- The WMS study is being conducted jointly by Iowa State University and the Boys Town National Research Institute
- The evaluation will involve 78 - 1st through 5th grade teachers
- This will be the last phase of a larger ongoing study that involves 405 - 1st through 5th grade classroom teachers
- Schools are asked to provide the research team with de-identified student data for participating teachers’ classrooms, including:
- Grades, Attendance, Disciplinary referrals, Standardized achievement test scores
- Elementary Schools will receive $50 per teacher (up to $1,000) each year to offset the time and any inconvenience for collecting student records and allowing data collection activities
What do participating elementary school teachers do as part of the study?
- Participating teachers agree to be randomly assigned to study condition
- Half will continue classroom management as usual
- Complete surveys and be observed across their period of participation
- All teachers receive small monetary incentives for providing survey data
What else do teachers assigned to the WMS Condition do as part of the study?
- Attend 2-day WMS training (may count as professional development)
- All WMS training costs are covered by project funds
- Training day salary support for teachers is available if training takes place outside of teachers' contracted time (if training takes place when school is in session, the project will cover the cost for substitute teachers)
- Receive WMS manual and companion workbook
- Receive posters and other implementation resources
- Participate in four coaching sessions by trained program consultant
- 20-minute observation followed by 10-minute consultation