Research
Project STAY
About
Project Stay supports teachers of Autism in years 1-3. Special education teachers working in high-needs schools or districts are more likely to leave their positions than teachers in adequately resourced schools. This high rate of turnover is costly, both in terms of fiscal resources lost and the impact it has on student achievement. Teachers of students with autism are at an especially high risk of leaving due to the unique needs of this population. Fortunately, high quality induction programs based on research-based practices have been shown to positively impact teacher retention and student outcomes.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES Award # R324B210017)
Purpose
This project aims to develop an induction program that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of beginning teachers of students with autism working in high-needs schools or districts.
Timeline
Project STAY started in the 2021-2022 school year and concludes in the 2024-2025 school year.
We’re Looking For
Teachers who
- Are in their first three years of teaching elementary special education
- Teach at least one student with autism
- Work in a high-needs school or district
Expectations
Expectations for participation differ depending on the year of the project. See links to each year of the project for a description of the resources or time that would be needed from different participant groups.
Study Design
The induction program will be developed iteratively over four years based on multiple rounds of feedback from stakeholders to ensure it is acceptable and feasible. Years 1-2 consisted of classroom observations, focus groups and feedback from an advisory board. Information from these sources will be used to develop the first iteration of the induction program. Year 3 consisted of small-scale implementation of the program with feedback from teachers and administrators. We will use the data from Year 3 to make needed revisions and implement the program a final time in Year 4 to test its effectiveness with a larger pool of teachers and students.
Alignment with Policy
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) recognizes the value of high-quality induction programs and the impact they have on retention and student outcomes. As such, PDE has renewed their commitment to support the development and implementation of high-quality induction programs to retain teachers, especially among teachers working in high-needs schools or districts, by dedicating funding to the implementation of such programs (PDE, 2019).
Benefits
School
- Data was collected from multiple sources in Years 1-2 on the needs of beginning teachers of students with autism. We will share study results with school and district administrators to inform the provision of professional development for this population.
- In Years 3-4, we will be providing in-depth induction and mentoring support to beginning teachers at no cost to the district. Given the results of prior research, it is possible that this support will result in increased teaching effectiveness, decreased burnout, and an increased commitment to stay in teaching.
Teachers/Administrators/Specialists
- Teachers who participated in classroom observations in Year 1 received a $25 Amazon gift card.
- Teachers, administrators, and specialists who participated in focus groups in Year 1 received a $150 stipend and will be reimbursed mileage for travel.
- Teachers who participate in the STAY induction program in Year 3 or 4 of the study will receive a $1,000 stipend.
- In addition to financial compensation, teachers may improve their classroom management and instructional skills as a result of participating in subsequent years of Project STAY.
Students
- Students with autism in participating classrooms may experience increased academic engagement and IEP goal attainment as a result of the targeted training and support provided to their teachers in Years 3-4 of the study
Contact
Dr. Kristi Morin
Associate Professor
Contact our Project Coordinator at stay@lehigh.edu or 610-758-3248.
References
Pennsylvania Department of Education. (2019, May). Every Student Succeeds Act: Pennsylvania consolidated state plan. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Presentations and Publications
Teacher Education Division (TED):
Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD):
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Beginning teachers will qualify if they (a) have three or less years of experience teaching special education, (b) teach at least one student with autism in an elementary-level classroom, and (c) work in a high-needs school or district. Mentor teachers will qualify if they (a) have five or more years of experience teaching students with autism in an elementary-level special education classroom, (b) work in a high-needs school or district, and (c) are recommended by school or district leaders as an exemplary teacher.
A: There are multiple opportunities to receive a stipend for participating in Project STAY.
First, if you are a beginning teacher and participate in a classroom observation during Year 1 (2021-2022), you will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.
Second, teachers, administrators, and district specialists who participate in a focus group in Year 1 (2021-2022 school year), will receive $150 and be reimbursed mileage for travel to and from the focus group.
Third, teachers who participate in the STAY induction program during Year 3 (2023-2024 school year) or Year 4 (2024-2025 school year) will receive $1,000, distributed at a rate of $250 for every two months that you participate in the study.
A: No. You can choose to participate in only Year 1, only Year 3, Years 1 and 3, or only Year 4.
A: If you are a beginning teacher, you will receive mentoring from a mentor teacher, attend trainings, participate in a teacher network, and complete pre-and-post-study measures, and provide feedback in interviews (interviews are part of Year 3 only).
If you are a mentor teacher, you will provide mentoring to a beginning teacher, attend trainings, complete pre- and post-study measures, and provide feedback in interviews (interviews are part of Year 3 only). Both beginning and mentor teachers who participate in Year 3 or Year 4 of the study will receive a $1,000 stipend.
A: Our research team will do our best to maintain your confidentiality; however, your principal, district leaders, and other teachers may know that you are participating in the study. Project STAY staff will not share any identifying information about you in publications or presentations without your prior consent.
A: Upon request, participating teachers and school/district leaders will receive a copy of findings from Project STAY.
Year 1-4 Activities
During Year 1, teachers and district partners will support the STAY program in the following ways:
Districts, Schools, and Intermediate Units
Support recruitment of the following groups of school personnel to participate in a one-time focus group lasting approximately 2 hours:
- 6-8 beginning teachers
To qualify for the study, the beginning teacher must (a) have three or less years of experience teaching special education, (b) teach at least one student with autism in an elementary-level classroom, and (c) work in a high-needs school or district. - 6-8 experienced mentor teachers
To qualify for the study, experienced mentor teachers must (a) have experience formally mentoring a beginning elementary-level special education teacher (b) work in a high-needs school or district. - 6-8 school or district level administrators
Examples of school or district level administrators include principals, assistant principals, and special education administrators. To qualify for the study, administrators must work in a high-needs school or district. - 6-8 district or intermediate unit level specialists
Examples of district or intermediate unit level specialists include coaches, technical assistance providers, or related positions. To qualify for the study, specialists must work in a high-needs school or district.
Support observation of beginning teachers’ classrooms by project staff (10 total observations, lasting approximately 4-6 hours each)
Teachers, Administrators, and District Specialists
Participate in a focus group lasting approximately 2 hours to share feedback on (a) in which areas novice teachers need the most support, (b) what induction and mentoring opportunities are currently available to teachers, and (c) how the components of the STAY induction program can be revised to increase feasibility and acceptability.
Teachers, administrators, and district specialists who participate in focus groups in Year 1 of the study will receive a $150 stipend and will be reimbursed mileage for travel.
Beginning teachers only: be observed once for 4-6 hours by project staff. Note: The purpose of these observations is to inform the development of the STAY induction program and ensure it is relevant and meets the needs of beginning teachers. Beginning teachers will receive a $25 Amazon gift card for participating in a classroom observation.
Year 2 is a development year and no active participation is needed from teachers or school partners. During this year, our team will use data from Year 1 to develop a specially designed induction program that meets the unique needs of beginning elementary teachers of students with autism working in high-needs schools or districts.
The STAY induction program will include web-based online training modules for beginning teachers and mentors, data collection sheets, and a STAY induction implementation manual. We will solicit feedback from an established advisory board on the initial draft of the STAY induction program and make any needed revisions based on this feedback.
During Year 3, teachers and district partners will support the STAY program in the following ways:
Districts, Schools, and Intermediate Units Activities
Support recruitment of the following groups of school personnel to participate in the STAY induction program:
- Five beginning teachers
To qualify for the study, the beginning teacher must (a) have three or less years of experience teaching special education, (b) teach at least one student with autism in an elementary-level classroom, and (c) work in a high-needs school or district. - Five mentor teachers
To qualify for the study, mentor teachers must (a) have five or more years of experience teaching students with autism in an elementary-level special education classroom, (b) work in a high-needs school or district.
Beginning Teachers
- Receive mentoring from a mentor teacher, attend trainings, observe exemplary teaching, participate in a teacher network, provide feedback in interviews, and complete pre- and post-study measures.
Beginning teachers who participate in Year 3 of Project STAY will receive a $1,000 stipend.
Mentor Teachers
Provide mentoring to a beginning teacher, attend trainings, model exemplary teaching, and provide feedback in interviews, and complete pre- and post-study measures.
Mentor teachers who participate in Year 3 of Project STAY will receive a $1,000 stipend.
During Year 4, teachers and district partners will support the STAY program in the following ways:
Districts, Schools, and Intermediate Units
Support recruitment of the following groups of school personnel to participate in the STAY induction program:
- 22 beginning teachers
To qualify for the study, the beginning teacher must (a) have three or less years of experience teaching special education, (b) teach at least one student with autism in an elementary-level classroom, and (c) work in a high-needs school or district. - 22 mentor teachers
To qualify for the study, mentor teachers must (a) have five or more years of experience teaching students with autism in an elementary-level special education classroom, (b) work in a high-needs school or district.
Note: Only 11 beginning/mentor teacher dyads will actively participate in the STAY induction program during Year 4.
Beginning Teachers
Receive mentoring from a mentor teacher, attend trainings, observe exemplary teaching, participate in a teacher network, and complete pre- and post-study measures.
Beginning teachers who participate in Year 4 of Project STAY will receive a $1,000 stipend.
Mentor Teachers
Provide mentoring to a beginning teacher, attend trainings, model exemplary teaching, conduct classroom observations, and complete pre- and post-study measures.
Mentor teachers who participate in Year 4 of Project STAY will receive a $1,000 stipend.
Meet the Team
-
Dr. Kristi Morin
Associate Professor
Dr. Lee Kern
Professor and Director of the Center for Promoting Research to Practice
Dr. Melinda Leko is a professor and current chair in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Leko has research interests in educator preparation and development to promote and support equitable educational experiences for learners with disabilities. She has received more than $5.5 million in external funding to support these research interests, including a recent IES Development and Innovation Award aimed at developing an induction program for emergency certified rural special educators. Dr. Leko has disseminated her research findings in over 40 peer-reviewed articles, four book chapters, and one book. She is the co-editor of Teacher Education and Special Education and associate editor for both researcher-focused and practitioner-focused journals.
Dr. Jessaca Spybrook is a professor of Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology at Western Michigan University, specializing in evaluation, measurement and research. She earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Michigan, where she also received an M.A. in Applied Statistics and a B.A. in Elementary Education. Her research focuses on improving the design of causal inference studies, particularly in education. She is an expert in power analyses and is coauthor of Optimal Design and PowerUP!-Moderator, programs for conducting power analyses for main effects and moderator effects for multilevel studies. Dr. Spybrook has substantial experience designing and conducting statistical analyses for cluster randomized trials (CRT) and frequently provides consultation to research organizations on the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational studies, including to the American Institutes for Research and Abt Associates. Additionally, she is a regular invited speaker at the annual IES Summer Institute on CRTs and she has conducted numerous workshops at the Annual Meeting for the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. Dr. Spybrook’s research has been funded by IES, NSF and the William T. Grant Foundation. She was a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow in 2010-11 and a Fellow for the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness in 2015-16.
Demi Rohlfing is currently a director of Special Education at a school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the content manager for Project STAY, and a doctoral student in the special education program at Lehigh University. She graduated from Kutztown University in 2014 with a B.S. in education. Additionally, she earned her Master of Education and Supervisory certificate in special education from East Stroudsburg University in 2020. Mrs. Rohlfing has been in the field of special education as a paraprofessional, teacher, facilitator, and administrator for over a decade. Her research interests include teacher preparation, in-service teacher training for special educators and paraprofessionals, strengthening teacher and paraprofessional relationships, and the use of evidence-based practices in the field of special education.
- Grace Murphy is currently a third-year doctoral student in Special Education at Lehigh University’s College of Education. Grace graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in anthropology from The Catholic University of America before becoming more familiar with child development in a classroom setting as a lead preschool teacher. She furthered her education at Tufts University from 2019-2021, where she received her M.A in Child Study and Human Development, with a concentration in 21st Century Literacies: Media and Technology. Currently, her research interests include the female presentation of autism, autism across the lifespan, and autism comorbidities, with a special focus on identifying and diagnosing autism in females, individuals without an accompanying intellectual disability, and individuals in late childhood and early adulthood. Her main goal is to help improve the diagnostic process for groups of individuals whose autism is commonly missed in childhood so that early diagnosis and accommodations can be achieved.