Special education teachers are at heightened risk for stress and burnout, which negatively impacts teacher effectiveness and well-being. With a 5-year grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences, Penn State and Georgia State University researchers are teaming up with school districts in Georgia to test the effectiveness of the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) professional development program for the first time with special education teachers.
The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial with more than 220 special education teachers in elementary schools in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Teachers will participate in three days of CARE training to practice skills such as mindfulness, caring and compassion for themselves and others, listening, and managing classroom stress. They will also participate in monthly virtual check-in meetings during the school year.
In addition to measuring teacher, student, and classroom outcomes, the study will determine the cost-effectiveness of the CARE program in a special education setting.
View the CARE for Special Educators website.
Duration: 2021 - 2026
Project Funder(s)
Level(s) of Analysis
Special education teachers are at heightened risk for stress and burnout, which negatively impacts teacher effectiveness and well-being. With a 5-year grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences, Penn State and Georgia State University researchers are teaming up with school districts in Georgia to test the effectiveness of the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) professional development program for the first time with special education teachers.
The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial with more than 220 special education teachers in elementary schools in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Teachers will participate in three days of CARE training to practice skills such as mindfulness, caring and compassion for themselves and others, listening, and managing classroom stress. They will also participate in monthly virtual check-in meetings during the school year.
In addition to measuring teacher, student, and classroom outcomes, the study will determine the cost-effectiveness of the CARE program in a special education setting.
View the CARE for Special Educators website.
Project Funder(s)
Level(s) of Analysis
Duration
2021 - 2026
Project Team
Jennifer Frank (PI) Associate Professor, Education
Andrew Roach (Co-PI) Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Doctoral Program, Georgia State University
Deborah Schussler (Co-I) Professor of Education, SUNY at Albany
Damon Jones (Co-I) Research Professor, Health and Human Development
Mark T. Greenberg PRC Founding Director
Christa Turksma CREATE for Education
Patricia Jennings Project Consultant, University of Virginia
Bonnie Billingsley Project Consultant, Virginia Tech
Tamika LaSalle Project Consultant, Georgia State University
David MacKinnon Project Consultant, Arizona State University
Bridget Hamre Project Consultant, University of Virginia; Teachstone
Marisa DeCollibus Graduate Research Fellow
Catherine Jantzer CARE Project Manager
In the News
Project Team
- Jennifer Frank (PI)
Associate Professor, Education
- Andrew Roach (Co-PI) Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Doctoral Program, Georgia State University
- Deborah Schussler (Co-I) Professor of Education, SUNY at Albany
- Damon Jones (Co-I)
Research Professor, Health and Human Development
- Mark T. Greenberg
PRC Founding Director
- Christa Turksma
CREATE for Education
- Patricia Jennings Project Consultant, University of Virginia
- Bonnie Billingsley Project Consultant, Virginia Tech
- Tamika LaSalle Project Consultant, Georgia State University
- David MacKinnon
Project Consultant, Arizona State University
- Bridget Hamre
Project Consultant, University of Virginia; Teachstone
- Marisa DeCollibus
Graduate Research Fellow
- Catherine Jantzer
CARE Project Manager
In the News
