The Pyramid Model is a conceptual framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s healthy social and emotional development and decrease child challenging behavior. Through coaching and technical assistance, Idaho early care and education environments will 1) address disparities in discipline practices, 2) use data for decision making, 3) promote family engagement, and 4) foster inclusion for children with, and at risk for, developmental disabilities.

The Pyramid Model provides guidance for early childhood special education personnel, early intervention personnel, childcare educators, families, and other professionals.

The Pyramid Model was developed by two national, federally-funded research and training centers: The Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Youth Children (TACSEI). The faculty at these centers represent nationally recognized researchers and program developers in the areas of social skills and challenging behavior.

All early childhood settings support the social and emotional development and inclusion of every child, birth through eight years of age.

Go to Project Details to learn more about the Idaho Pyramid Model Collaborative.

This Project follows the guidance from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI), a federally-funded project established to disseminate effective use of the Pyramid Model to support young children’s social, emotional and behavioral development through a variety of training and technical assistance activities. The Project focuses on program leadership, creating internal coaching capacity, and building knowledge for teachers to support the development of social and emotional competencies in young children. The Project provides technical assistance and professional development to teams, identified practitioner coaches, and instructional staff as part of the Project.

Contact:
SHANNON DUNSTAN
Early Childhood and State Systematic Improvement Plan Coordinator
Idaho State Department of Education
P.O. Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720
208-332-6908 (Office)
208-703-1660 (Cell)
sdunstan@sde.idaho.gov

JESSICA SPROUL
Head Start Collaboration Director
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Family and Community Services
208-995-4915
jessica.sproul@dhw.idaho.gov

MELISSA CRIST, M.S.
IdahoSTARS Director of Programs
Center on Disabilities and Human Development
1187 Alturas Drive Moscow, ID 83843
www.idahostars.org
208-885-6169 (Desk)
208-310-4935(Cell)
mcrist@uidaho.edu

KIMBERLY BROOKS, M.ED., IMH-E
IdahoSTARS Assitant Director
Center on Disabilities and Human Development
322 E Front St. Suite 200 Boise, ID 83702
www.idahostars.org
208-364-4012 (Desk)
208-830-9843(Cell)
kbrooks@uidaho.edu

SUZANNA WINTER
IdahoSTARS Pyramid Specialist
Center on Disabilities and Human Development
1187 Alturas Drive Moscow, ID 83843
208-885-6093
swinter@uidaho.edu

The State Leadership Team (SLT) is an interagency group that is responsible for planning and supervising the initiative, including: funding support, policy initiatives, evaluation, data-based decision making, training and coaching, site selection, and public awareness.
The primary purpose of the SLT is to ensure support and resources are available to sites so they can adopt and use the selected evidence-based practices with fidelity. The SLT will use the State Leadership Team Benchmarks of Quality to guide the initiative, assess progress, and plan future actions. The SLT will facilitate family engagement throughout the initiative.

Program-wide implementation of the Pyramid Model refers to a systemic effort within a program for Pyramid Model implementation fidelity. In program-wide implementation, a leadership team guides the implementation process and develops the supports and infrastructure needed to ensure that implementation of the Pyramid Model can occur within the classrooms and services provided to children and their families. The Leadership Team, with representation from program administrators and practitioners, is focused on the ongoing process of supporting the implementation of the Pyramid Model and using data-based decision-making to guide implementation efforts and monitor outcomes.

The program-wide implementation model ensures that programs are attending to both the implementation of evidence-based practices and the development of the infrastructure to support the durable implementation of those practices. Programs that have used this approach have experienced the following:

• Reductions in child challenging behavior
• Increases in children’s social skills
• Increased satisfaction of program staff and families
• Reduced turnover in the program
• Increases in teacher’s competence and confidence in the support of children
• Changes in classroom and program climate
• Sustained implementation of the Pyramid Model

RENEE MINER
Idaho SESTA Associate Director
Center for School and Community Partnerships (CSCP)
Yanke Research Park, 220 E Parkcenter Blvd MS1740
Boise, Idaho 83706
208-426-4858
reneeminer@boisestate.edu

Practice-based coaching is a cyclical process for guiding practitioners’ use of evidence-based practices for promoting positive child outcomes. Practice-based coaching involves the following components:

• collaborative partnerships
• shared goals and action planning
• focused observation
• reflection and feedback

Data decision-making is a foundational element of the Pyramid Model.

State leadership teams use data decision-making when examining statewide implementation components and outcomes for local programs, practitioners, and children.

Programs use data decision-making to examine their implementation of the Pyramid Model, practitioner implementation of Pyramid Model practices, and outcomes for families and children.

Contact:
KARA MASTALSKI, MA
IdahoSTARS Evaluation Coordinator
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Center on Disabilities and Human Development
322 E Front Street, Suite 200, Boise, ID 83702
208-364-4006
kmastalski@uidaho.edu
https://idahostars.org/

Resources:
2020-2021 School Year Pyramid Model Collaborative Data
2021-2022 Pyramid Model Collaborative Annual Report
2021-2022 Pyramid Model Collaborative Snapshot