Invo Healthcare, one of the country's largest and most experienced providers of school-based behavioral health services, today announced the launch of a new professional learning program to support educators and school staff to effectively address student behavior issues in the classroom, and in turn, promote a positive, safe school climate. The program is rooted in the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and will be implemented in school systems across the country during the 2022-2023 school year.

Across the country, students are struggling to adjust to being back in classrooms and interacting with peers and teachers. According to a recent survey from the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 80 percent of public schools reported the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted students' behavior and socio-emotional development. More than half reported a spike in classroom disruptions due to student misconduct, including increased numbers of fights and threats of physical harm. In response, a growing number of schools and districts are finding that research-based behavioral interventions can have a significant positive impact on students' development of critical social, communication, and learning skills.

"ABA is a research-based set of practices that have broad potential but have historically been limited in practice to serving students with autism spectrum disorder or with other significant behavioral needs. But those very same strategies also offer a lot of promise for educators looking to help students develop the classroom behaviors critical for learning," said Invo Healthcare President Matt Stringer. "Based on the demand we've seen, paired with input from innovative-thinking school districts, we've developed a coaching program to equip teachers with the knowledge and resources they need to confidently help young people navigate this unprecedented time."

To help districts scale these critical strategies, Invo Healthcare has developed a behavior coaching program focused on upskilling teachers and staff to incorporate behavior strategies into their classrooms. Led by a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA), who is trained to conduct behavioral assessments, interpret results, and design and supervise ABA interventions, Invo's interactive, semester-long program combines instructor-led education on ABA with ongoing 1:1 coaching, classroom observation, direct planning support, and monthly group meetings to model and implement the newly learned behavior strategies in real-time.

"The Invo Healthcare Behavior Coaching program is an innovative effort to address the needs of students and teachers," said William Edwards, the Director of the Clemson University Center for Behavior Analysis. "What makes the model unique compared to how many districts historically approach training is the level of individualization that can be provided to each teacher, the ongoing training and support, and the reliance on data to evaluate training efficacy. Districts traditionally provide training, but there is often a lack of focus on what happens after training. This model focuses on classroom implementation at a critical moment for our educators and students."