Tribes Outcome Evaluation

Methodologies: Experimental

WestEd researchers are evaluating the short-term effectiveness of an innovative school-based violence prevention program, the Tribes Learning Communities Program, in improving the classroom environment, reducing children's antisocial behavior and risk factors for later violence, and increasing protective factors such as resilience.

"Tribes" is a universal prevention strategy that emphasizes fostering resiliency in children.

The intervention is delivered classwide for the entire academic year, with children organized into smaller learning groups (i.e., "tribes") and teachers trained to facilitate a nurturing classroom climate.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice, this research study is being conducted in 1st-4th grade classrooms in the San Francisco Unified School District.

Research Questions

The study investigates the following research questions:

• What is the short-term impact of participation in the Tribes Learning Communities Program on students' social skills and disruptive and disorderly behavior in the classroom?
• Does Tribes promote teacher practices that facilitate prosocial, nonviolent behavior?
• Are the impacts of Tribes on student outcomes sustained six months after leaving a Tribes classroom?

Methodology

This study is taking place in elementary schools in the San Francisco Unified School District, and targets students, grades 1-4.

The outcome evaluation employs a group-randomized experimental design to assess program effects. Within each school, teachers (and their students) are randomly assigned to the experimental condition, with teachers assigned to the intervention condition using Tribes in their classrooms and control teachers delivering usual lessons.

Researchers are gathering data in four major outcome areas: classroom environment, teacher practices, and student behavior and reasoning.

Multiple, repeated measures, including teacher surveys and checklists, parent checklists, direct evaluator observations of classrooms, and individual student interviews are being employed.

Mixed-modeling techniques (HLM) will be used to investigate treatment/control group differences in changes in classroom and student outcomes.

Key Findings

Key findings of the Tribes Outcome Evaluation will be made available on this web page following the study's completion data. Preliminary findings will be posted earlier when made available.

Contact Information

Thomas Hanson
562.799.5170
thanson@wested.org