A Formative Program Evaluation of the "Creating a Culture of Care in Schools Using Restorative Practices" Implementation Team Training
Loading...
Authors
Gulley Barlow, Stacey
Date
2025
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The Maine School Safety Center (MSSC) created the “Creating a Culture of Care in Schools Using Restorative Practices” program in response to requests from school leaders for assistance in training staff to equitably support the increasingly complicated and dysregulated behavior students were exhibiting. This need was complicated by the geography of Maine and its status as the state with the most rural schools (67%) in the U.S., which limits accessibility to training for many educators.
This mixed method formative program evaluation, presented for the degree of Doctor of Education in Leadership, Learning and Community, grounded in the Ethic of Care, Sociocultural Theory and Restorative Justice Theory, examined the efficacy of the program’s implementation team training. Accessibility of programming for rural schools was also evaluated. Data was collected using a survey of implementation team training completers.
Findings revealed success in responding to the needs of rural schools as a result of the MSSCs policy of on-site training. Respondents achieved foundational understanding of restorative practices and application, but desired additional opportunities to rehearse the skills in supported settings. Additionally, a discrepancy was revealed between school administrators and staff in the perception of potential staff and community buy-in. This research contributes to the growing body of scholarship that defines best practices in school based restorative practices implementation, particularly in rural settings.