Training and Technical Assistance Increase the Fidelity of Implementation of a Universal Prevention Initiative in Rural Schools: Results from a 3-Year Cluster-Randomized Trial.
Virtual coaching plus monthly learning-collaborative meetings tripled the odds that rural schools hit a large share PBIS fidelity within three years.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers followed 42 rural elementary schools for three years. Half got the Rural School Support Strategies (RS3) package. The package had three parts: leadership training for principals, virtual technical assistance (TA) from coaches, and monthly online learning-collaborative meetings. The other half kept doing PBIS on their own.
Each school was scored on the PBIS fidelity checklist. The goal was a large share or higher.
What they found
Schools that got RS3 were three times more likely to hit a large share fidelity. Early gains came from more TA hours. Later gains came from attending the monthly learning-collaborative meetings.
In plain words: coaching calls plus regular team check-ins kept rural schools on track.
How this fits with other research
Mulvaney et al. (1974) showed that a principal’s praise alone can boost student behavior. HMelegari et al. (2025) adds coaching and TA to that idea. The new study does not replace the old one—it builds on it.
Murdoch et al. (2024) used a problem-solving cycle to improve literacy in MTSS. HMelegari et al. (2025) uses a similar cycle, but for PBIS fidelity in rural schools. Both show that structured support helps staff stick to the plan.
Paden et al. (2025) and Bartle et al. (2026) both used video tools to raise staff fidelity. HMelegari et al. (2025) uses live virtual coaching instead of videos. All three agree: staff need ongoing feedback to stay accurate.
Why it matters
If you coach rural schools, ask for a set number of TA hours each month and set a standing virtual meeting. These two simple steps tripled the odds of hitting fidelity in the study. Start Monday by booking one extra coaching call and sending a calendar invite for a monthly team huddle.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The need for well-implemented evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for the prevention of behavioral issues among children and adolescents is substantial. In rural areas, the need often matches or surpasses that of urban areas. Schools have a wide reach for prevention-focused EBIs. However, implementation in rural schools is often hindered by limited resources and capacity. Rural School Support Strategies (RS3) are a bundle of implementation supports that address implementation challenges in rural settings. They include providing additional leadership and coaching training, individualized technical assistance (mostly virtual), and monthly meetings of a virtual learning collaborative. A cluster-randomized Hybrid Type 3 implementation-effectiveness trial tested RS3 for implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), a universal prevention approach to improving student behavior, academic outcomes, and school climate. Forty rural schools received a multi-day training on PBIS each summer for 3 years. Half were randomized to also receive RS3 support. Linear and logistic regression models examined the effect of treatment condition and dosage of support on implementation fidelity for Tier 1 (universal) PBIS. Condition and dosage (number of hours) of support increased the odds of schools achieving the 70% threshold for adequate implementation fidelity. In the first year, the higher dosage of technical assistance events increased the likelihood of schools reaching fidelity, whereas later in the trial, the higher dosage of attendance at the virtual learning collaborative sessions yielded significant improvements in fidelity. Implications for accelerating the implementation of universal prevention initiatives in schools-particularly in rural settings-are discussed. This study was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03736395), on November 9, 2018.
, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s11121-025-01776-0