New What Works Clearinghouse Study Reviews: Impacts of the Positive Action Program

Not all education research is equal—the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) identifies high-quality studies and meaningful findings to inform educator decisions and improve student outcomes. This week, the WWC highlights three new study reviews of the Positive Action program. Positive Action is a teacher professional development program and curriculum designed to improve social and emotional skills, behavior, mental health, physical health, and academic achievement. Lessons are scripted and use student discussion, activities, and materials such as posters, games, stories, plays, and puppets. The Positive Action curriculum can be delivered to all students in prekindergarten to grade 12. The studies examined the effects of the Positive Action program implemented in three settings: Positive Action was implemented in elementary schools for students in grades K–8 in Chicago, Illinois. Positive Action was adapted for summer career camps for youth in grades 8–10 in New Orleans, Louisiana. School counselors implemented the Positive Action Counselor Kit (PACK), which is a supplement to Position Action, with students in grades 2 and 3 within elementary schools implementing Positive Action.  Study One: Duncan et al. (2017) study of Positive Action in elementary schools In this IES-funded study, elementary schools implemented Positive Action over six school years. The program included schoolwide climate-focused activities and classroom lessons for students in grades K–8. The lessons focused on improving self-concept and promoting responsibility and positive thoughts and behaviors. Teachers implemented 2 to 4 lessons each week lasting 15 to 20 minutes during classroom instruction. Study design: Duncan and colleagues (2017) randomly assigned 14 public schools in Chicago, Illinois, serving students in grades K–8, to either implement Positive Action (7 schools) or continue with usual instruction (7 schools). In the study schools, 54% of students were Black, 11% were White, 4% were Asian, and 30% were Hispanic or Latino. Ninety percent of students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.  Study findings: Schools that implemented Positive Action had lower student absenteeism and fewer school-level suspensions and disciplinary referrals among students in grades 3–8 than schools in the comparison group. However, Positive Action had no discernible effects on mathematics or literacy achievement for students in grades 3–8 measured through scores on the Illinois Standard Achievement Test. The study included findings for other outcome measures that did not meet WWC standards or were not eligible for review. WWC rating: This study meets WWC standards with reservations. Access the full study review here, on the WWC website. Tier 2 Evidence: The WWC assigns evidence tiers to main findings from studies that meet WWC standards with (or without) reservations. The study has favorable, statistically significant findings, meets WWC standards with reservations, and has at least 350 students and 2 educational sites. The WWC assigns a Moderate Evidence (Tier 2) designation to this study according to the Department of Education’s evidence definitions. See the video titled Using the WWC to Identify ESSA Evidence Ratings to learn more about how the WWC assigns evidence tiers to studies. Study Two: Patel et al. (2018) study of Positive Action adapted for summer camp In this study, teachers provided a subset of Positive Action lessons during summer career camps for teens. The lessons focused on promoting self-concept, improving their social interactions, and developing goals for self-improvement. Teachers at the summer camp delivered 41 lessons from the program. Study design: Patel and colleagues (2018) recruited 12 summer career camps in New Orleans, Louisiana, to participate in the study. Camp directors decided whether to implement Positive Action at their camp. Nine camps implemented Positive Action and three camps implemented other programs that included character development. Of the 239 camp attendees in the study, 97% were Black, 55% were female, and 100% were English speakers. Attendees were age 14 on average and in grades 8–10. Study findings: Positive Action had no discernible effects on standardized measures of youth behavior.    WWC study rating: This study meets WWC standards with reservations. Access the full study review h­­ere, on the WWC website. No Evidence Tier: The WWC has not assigned an evidence tier to this study because it does not report a favorable, statistically significant main finding that meets WWC standards. See the video titled Using the WWC to Identify ESSA Evidence Ratings to learn more about how the WWC assigns evidence tiers to studies. Study Three: Common et al. (2019) study of Positive Action Counselor Kit (PACK) In this IES-funded study, school counselors implemented PACK with students in grades 2 and 3. As a supplement to the schoolwide Positive Action program, school counselors delivered PACK to small groups of students outside of classroom instruction twice a week in 25- to 30-minute sessions. PACK has 42 lessons focused on supporting socio-emotional development for students at high risk for internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Study design: Within four elementary schools implementing Positive Action, Common and colleagues (2019) randomly assigned 24 students at risk for behavior problems to receive either PACK (12 students) or another behavioral intervention with a similar aim called Social Skills Improvement System (12 students). The schools were located in a small Midwestern city. Seventy-one percent of the students were White, 13% were mixed race, 8% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 4% were Black, and 4% were Native American. Thirteen percent were Hispanic or Latino. About one-quarter of the students were receiving special education services before the study began. Study findings: Compared to the Social Skills Improvement System, PACK had no discernible effects on standardized measures of student behavior.    WWC study rating: This study meets WWC standards without reservations. Access the full study review here, on the WWC website. No Evidence Tier: The WWC has not assigned an evidence tier to this study because it does not report a favorable, statistically significant main finding that meets WWC standards. See the video titled Using the WWC to Identify ESSA Evidence Ratings to learn more about how the WWC assigns evidence tiers to studies.