Safe Schools Research Initiative, Texas, 2015-2017 (ICPSR 36988)

Version Date: Nov 29, 2018

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Principal Investigator(s):
Orlando Noyola, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (Tex.)

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36988.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

This study sought to examine any major changes in schools in the past two years as an evaluation of the Safe and Civil Schools Initiative. Students, faculty, and administrators were asked questions on topics including school safety, climate, and the discipline process.

This collection includes 6 SAS data files: "psja_schools.sas7bdat" with 66 variables and 15 cases, "psja_schools_v01.sas7bdat" with 104 variables and 15 cases, "psja_staff.sas7bdat" with 39 variables and 2,921 cases, "psja_staff_v01.sas7bdat" with 202 variables and 2,398 cases, "psja_students.sas7bdat" with 97 variables and 4,382 cases, and "psja_students_v01.sas7bdat" with 332 variables and 4,267 cases. Additionally, the collection includes 1 SAS formats catalog "formats.sas7bcat", and 10 SAS syntax files.

Citation

Noyola, Orlando. Safe Schools Research Initiative, Texas, 2015-2017. [distributor], 2018-11-29. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36988.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2014-CK-BX-0015)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

None

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

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Time Period(s)

2015 -- 2017

Data Collection Notes

  1. These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  2. Qualitative data collected as part of this study is not included as part of the data collection at this time.

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Study Purpose

A team of researchers from SRI International and Copia Consulting (hereafter referred to as the SRI team) partnered with the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) as an external evaluator, per grant requirements, to answer the following research questions:

  1. To what extent was the Foundations program implemented with fidelity in the participating schools? What factors facilitated or constrained implementation and why?
  2. Was implementation of the Foundations program effective at improving students' perceptions of school climate, safety, and school engagement; increasing student attendance; increasing students' academic achievement; and reducing students' problem behaviors and discipline referrals?
  3. Was implementation of the Foundations program effective at improving staff perceptions of school climate and safety?

Study Design

The SRI team assessed the district's degree of implementation of Foundations and its associated outcomes at the school, student, and staff levels in participating schools. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) had a mixed-methods design in which the team collected and analyzed both quantitative data (e.g., administrative data and surveys) and qualitative data (i.e., interviews, focus groups) from staff and students. Schools were randomly assigned to either the treatment or comparison condition. Treatment schools (four middle schools and four high schools) received training and technical assistance for 2 years to implement the Foundations program. Comparison schools (four middle schools and three high schools) demonstrated the variations in behavioral and instructional practices that naturally exist among schools to provide a comparison for the effect of the MTSS framework.

Sample

Randomization occurred at the school level. Before randomization, middle and high schools were placed in strata based on three key school-level variables (e.g., middle vs. high school, baseline School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET) scores, and number of school suspensions per 100 students). Eight middle and seven high schools were assigned at random to treatment or control conditions from within each stratum.

For the MDS3 Student Climate Survey, a representative random sample of English classrooms at each of the 15 treatment and control schools was selected. The classroom selection process took into account representativeness across grades, types of students, and burden on the school to administer the survey.

Time Method

Longitudinal: Cohort / Event-based

Universe

Students and staff at eight middle and seven high schools in one school district located in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

Unit(s) of Observation

Individuals, Schools

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Response Rates

In the first year, 947 of 1,932 staff (49 percent) completed the survey; in the second year, 876 of 1,831 staff (48 percent) completed it; and in the third year, 924 of 1,836 staff (50 percent) completed it.

In the first year, 755 of 15,213 students (4.9 percent) completed the survey; in the second year, 1804 of 15,474 students (11.6 percent) completed it; and in the third year, 1708 of 15,443 students (11 percent) completed it.

Presence of Common Scales

Modified version of the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) Climate Survey (Bradshaw et al., 2012)

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Original Release Date

2018-11-29

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Weight

None

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Notes

  • These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.