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.
Duration: 2021 - 2026
Jennifer Frank (PI) Associate Professor, Education
Andrew Roach (Co-PI) Associate Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Doctoral Program, Georgia State University
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.
Project Funder(s)
Level(s) of Analysis
Duration
2021 - 2026
Project Team
- Jennifer Frank (PI) Associate Professor, Education
- Andrew Roach (Co-PI) Associate Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Doctoral Program, Georgia State University
Deborah Schussler (Co-I) Professor, Education
Damon Jones (Co-I) Associate Research Professor
Mark T. Greenberg Emeritus Bennett Chair of Prevention Research and Founding Director, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
Christa Turksma CREATE for Education
Patricia Jennings Project Consultant, University of Virginia
Bonnie Billingsley Project Consultant, Virginia Commonwealth University
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
Project Team
- Jennifer Frank (PI) Associate Professor, Education
- Andrew Roach (Co-PI) Associate Professor and Coordinator of the School Psychology Doctoral Program, Georgia State University
- Deborah Schussler (Co-I) Professor, Education
- Damon Jones (Co-I) Associate Research Professor
- Mark T. Greenberg Emeritus Bennett Chair of Prevention Research and Founding Director, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center
- Christa Turksma CREATE for Education
- Patricia Jennings Project Consultant, University of Virginia
- Bonnie Billingsley Project Consultant, Virginia Commonwealth University
- 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
