Preventing School Exclusion and Opioid Misuse: Effectiveness of the Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA)

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

5076 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-04-15

Study Completion Date

2027-10-01

Brief Summary

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This project will test the effectiveness of the Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA) in reducing the use of exclusionary discipline, improving teacher practice and student outcomes, and decreasing substance misuse using a randomized controlled trial in 60 middle schools across six states.

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Detailed Description

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Extensive research has documented the link between exclusionary discipline and numerous detrimental youth outcomes including lower academic achievement, a greater likelihood of being pushed out of school, and an increase in substance use and future criminal justice involvement. To engage in upstream prevention to reduce opioid and other substance misuse among youth there is a need to examine systems-wide, preventative interventions in schools to reduce educators biased and punitive interactions with students while implementing equitable supports. Thus, "Preventing School Exclusion and Opioid Misuse: Effectiveness of the Inclusive Skillbuilding Learning Approach (ISLA)" is being submitted to the National Institutes of Health, through the HEAL Initiative (RFA-DA-23-051). The proposed project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ISLA, an instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline, on improving the social determinants of health (SDOH) of education access and quality, and social and community context to prevent school exclusion and opioid and other substance misuse. The investigators will conduct an effectiveness-implementation Hybrid Type 1 clustered randomized controlled trial in 60 middle schools across six states. All students and educators randomized to treatment will receive ISLA, and the investigators will evaluate impacts of ISLA on student outcomes from the end of 6th to the end of 8th grade. In addition, the investigators will incorporate methods to understand intervention processes across multiple levels of the school context. Our first aim is to examine the effectiveness of the ISLA. The investigators will test the direct effects of ISLA on the SDOH of education access and quality, specifically: (a) exclusionary discipline practices (office discipline referrals, in- and out-of-school suspensions, expulsions); (b) student engagement; and (c) inclusive teaching practices. The investigators will also test the direct effects of ISLA on the SDOH of social and community context, specifically: (a) student-teacher relationships; and (b) school climate. Additionally, the investigators will test the direct effects of ISLA on opioid and other substance misuse and associated risk factors. Our second aim is to examine the mediators and moderators of ISLA intervention effects which serve as key mechanisms for change in opioid and other substance misuse and associated risk factors. The investigators will examine the putative mediating effects of ISLA social determinant mechanisms on opioid and other substance misuse and associated risk factors. The investigators will also examine the potential moderating effect between student race/ethnicity and the ISLA intervention on reductions in exclusionary disciplinary practices. Finally, our third aim is to evaluate the implementation outcomes of the ISLA intervention, including: (a) feasibility, usability, acceptability, and fidelity; (b) sustainment; and (c) cost analysis. This project will fill a persistent gap in the field of substance use, by evaluating whether upstream school-based preventative interventions that target and improve SDOH can have meaningful impacts on preventing opioid and other substance misuse and associated risk factors.

Conditions

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Middle Schools School Exclusion School Community Teaching Practices Opioid and Other Substance Misuse

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Wave 1 Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach (ISLA)

Following a baseline year for data collection, school staff in 15 schools will be trained and supported in implementing ISLA schoolwide for two consecutive years.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach (ISLA)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA) is a school-wide, multi-component, instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline that begins with universal prevention grounded in positive, preventative classroom strategies for all students, and layers on additional supports for students in need.

Wave 1 Waitlist Control

These 15 schools will receive no intervention while wave 1 intervention schools undergo training and coaching on ISLA.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Wave 2 Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach (ISLA)

Delayed one year after wave 1: Following a baseline year for data collection, school staff in 15 schools will be trained and supported in implementing ISLA schoolwide for two consecutive years.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach (ISLA)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA) is a school-wide, multi-component, instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline that begins with universal prevention grounded in positive, preventative classroom strategies for all students, and layers on additional supports for students in need.

Wave 2 Waitlist Control

These 15 schools will receive no intervention while wave 2 intervention schools undergo training and coaching on ISLA.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach (ISLA)

The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA) is a school-wide, multi-component, instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline that begins with universal prevention grounded in positive, preventative classroom strategies for all students, and layers on additional supports for students in need.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

\* Staff member in either a control or intervention condition school

\* 6th grade students in either intervention or control schools during first data collection period for each wave

Exclusion Criteria

* None

Cohort Students: The student cohort sample will include all students in Grade 7 during the first year of ISLA implementation, who will be followed into Grade 8 during the second year of ISLA implementation (such that data can be collected from the end of Grade 6 to the end of Grade 8). With an average middle school size of 660 students per school, we project the cohort size to be 220 students per school, for a total of 11,880 to 13,200 students.

Sub-cohort Students: A random sample of 50 assenting 6th grade students (at the time of baseline data collection) per cohort per school will be selected to provide additional data, for a total of 2,700 to 3,000 students (consent will be gathered from parents/guardians). With the help of each school administrator, the research team will conduct the randomization process using each school's enrollment. School administrators will invite all 6th grade students to participate via recruitment emails to their parents/guardians. A random selection of students will be made from those parents who are consented.

* students who cannot complete the online survey independently (e.g., require assistance beyond text-to-speech files to comprehend the items and available responses) specifically:
* students who cannot comprehend written or spoken English or written or spoken Spanish, or
* students who are eligible for alternate assessment for statewide achievement testing.

Minimum Eligible Age

8 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

15 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes