Consultation and Coaching to Increase the Uptake of Evidence-Based Practices: Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract

Traditional approaches to school consultation involve a voluntary, collaborative relationship between a consultant and teacher consultee to develop interventions for students with special needs, often over long periods, with ongoing problem solving and performance feedback. However, with the advent of multi-tiered systems of support, school consultation has evolved into a strategy to support the systemic adoption of evidence-based practices (EBPs). With this shift, consultants increasingly fulfill the role of coach, moving beyond traditional collaborative relationships to address the professional development needs of consultees. Consequently, researchers examining school consultation have moved beyond questions of feasibility and acceptability and have entered a new era of implementation science. This special issue of School Mental Health examines contemporary applications of school consultation and coaching in support of EBP implementation. The five original research articles in the special issue advance the literature in this developing field.