Systematic Review Protocol for Behavioral Interventions in Grades K-12 - Version 4.1 - Purpose and Literature Review Scope

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati

Systematic Review Protocol for Behavioral Interventions in Grades K-12 (Version 4.1, November 2024) guides the What Works Clearinghouse’s systematic reviews of evidence on school-based behavioral interventions for kindergarten through grade 12. The protocol prioritizes targeted and intensive approaches for grades K-5, aiming to increase student engagement, reduce disruption, and support positive peer and adult relationships. It covers internalizing and externalizing behaviors and anticipates impacts on social skills, emotional well-being, academics, attendance, discipline, teacher practices, school climate, and equity concerns, including disproportionate discipline. It also defines literature search and screening criteria for eligible interventions and study relevance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Purpose Statement

Guiding Review Questions

Literature Search

Screening of Research Using Eligibility and Relevance Criteria

Relevant Interventions

Systematic Review Protocol for Behavioral Interventions in Grades K-12 Version 4.1 (November 2024) A Publication of the National Center for Education Evaluation atIES WHAT WORKS NCEE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION This protocol guides the What Works Clearinghouse’s (WWC) systematic reviews of evidence on behavioral interventions designed to improve outcomes of students in kindergarten to grade 12. The protocol is used in conjunction with version 4.1 ofthe WWC Standards and Procedures Handbooks and version 4.1 of the Study Review Protocol to inform systematic reviews for both practice guides and intervention reports. PURPOSE STATEMENT Systematic reviews under this protocol focus on behavioral interventions designed to improve outcomes of students in grades K-12, giving initial priority to interventions in grades K-5. Specifically, this protocol focuses on targeted and intensive interventions that increase student engagement, minimize disruption, and facilitate positive, productive relationships with peers and adults. The WWC can review a wide range of behavioral interventions under this protocol. While the term behavior is all-encompassing, this protocol will focus on behaviors related to both major disorders of childhood: internalizing behaviors (e.g., excessively shy, anxious, and/or socially withdrawn) and externalizing behaviors (e.g., non-compliant, disruptive, and/or aggressive). See the Study Review Protocol (version 4.1) for definitions of the intrapersonal competencies and student behavior outcome domains. In addition to these behaviors, interventions might also improve students’ social skills and emotional well-being and/or influence students’academic achievement, school attendance and progress, student discipline, as well as teacher practices and retention, school climate, and school equity concerns, such as disproportionate uses of discipline practices. Reviews under this protocol will review and report on these outcomes to provide a better understanding ofthe behavioral interventions in their broader context. Behavioral interventions reviewed under this protocol should be school-based, implemented during regular school hours, and focus on behaviors observed in the classroom. Interventions may span a range of intensity, encompassing increased behavior specific praise, incorporating instructional choices, Tier 2 self-monitoring or Check-In/Check-Out, and Tier 3 functional assessment-based interventions. While whole-school and whole-class interventions are within the scope of this protocol, they will have higher priority for review if they are bundled with targeted and intensive interventions and report findings for students identified as needing targeted and intensive supports. The following questions will guide the systematic evidence review: • Which practices and interventions improve students’ behavioral outcomes? • Which practices and interventions improve related outcomes, such as social emotional well-being, school attendance and progress, student discipline, school climate, school equity, and teacher practices? • For what populations of students and in what settings are behavioral practices and interventions effective? • Are certain components of interventions more effective than others at improving outcomes? LITERATURE SEARCH As described in Section III: Identifying Relevant Literature and Appendix B: Principles for Searching for Studies to Review ofthe WWC Procedures Handbook (version 4 .1), the WWC conducts literature searches in consultation with research librarians. In conducting literature searches under this protocol, the WWC identifies studies on behavioral interventions that have not yet been reviewed by the WWC. These searches are intended to identify studies that are relevant and useful to educators or other decision makers. To do this, the WWC identifies studies from the following sources: • Federally funded research available in Education Resources Information C

FAQs

What is the purpose of this K-12 behavioral interventions systematic review protocol?

It guides WWC systematic reviews of evidence on behavioral interventions intended to improve K-12 student outcomes, with initial priority for grades K-5 and a focus on targeted and intensive supports that improve engagement and relationships.

What kinds of student behaviors and outcomes does the protocol address?

It focuses on internalizing behaviors (e.g., excessive shyness, anxiety, social withdrawal) and externalizing behaviors (e.g., non-compliance, disruption, aggression). Outcomes may include social skills, emotional well-being, academic achievement, attendance and progress, discipline, teacher practices, school climate, and equity concerns.

How does the protocol handle literature searching and study eligibility?

The WWC conducts literature searches in consultation with research librarians and identifies studies not yet reviewed by WWC using sources such as ERIC and other databases. Studies must meet eligibility criteria in the Study Review Protocol (version 4.1) and the relevance criteria listed in this protocol, with relevant intervention types defined for inclusion.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Melati