Practice Team Research Articles

The Influence of School Management Team on Student’s Academic Performance in Tanzania

This research study investigated the impact of School Management Team (SMT) practices on students' academic performance in Tanzania. Focusing on various practices employed by school management teams, the study analyzed their correlation with students' academic achievements. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, it combined quantitative data analysis with qualitative interviews involving heads of schools, teachers, and students. Key factors examined included analyzing academic data, monitoring students' progress, and enhancing teachers’ up-skilling, coordinating supportive services and creating a supportive network with other stakeholders to enhance students' academic performance. Data was gathered from six secondary schools in Mbeya City Council to ensure a 374-representative view of management practices. The findings revealed that SMTs are crucial in enhancing students' academic outcomes in Tanzania. These results contribute to the existing literature on educational management and offer insights for policymakers, educators, and school administrators on effective practices to improve student performance within the Tanzanian education system

Leadership, management, and team practices in research labs: Development and validation of two new measures.

Effective leadership and management practices contribute to responsible, high-quality research and the well-being of team members. We describe the development and initial validation of a measure assessing principal investigators' leadership and management practices and a measure of research team practices. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 570 postdoctoral researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health reported on the perceived behaviors of their principal investigator (PI) and the research team. The PI leadership and management items factored into two dimensions: fostering relationships and directing research. Correlations of these new scales with existing, validated measures of ethical leadership and general leader behavior provided evidence of convergent validity. Providing evidence for criterion-related validity, scores on the new measures predicted lab climate for research ethics, self-reported productivity, and job satisfaction. Research team practices provided additional predictive value beyond leadership and management behaviors. This study provides construct validity evidence for the new Leadership and Management in Science (LAMPS) Measure and the Research Team Practices (RTP) Measure. Qualitative responses to an open-ended item reinforced the importance of relationships and directive supervision for a positive environment. These measures can be useful tools for future research or may be useful for PIs seeking feedback about their practices.

Comorbidity, Treatment, and Service Utilization Patterns in Difficult-to-Treat Depression Patients: A Retrospective Study in a Portuguese Community Mental Health Team

Background and Objectives: Observational studies with data from real-world clinical practice with patients with difficult-to-treat depression (DTD) are rare. This study aims to collect observational data from the real-world clinical practice of a Portuguese community mental health team (CMHT) on the prevalence of DTD and to explore differences between DTD and non-DTD groups. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study using data from Electronic Health Records (EHRs) of adult patients with psychiatric disorders followed by a CMHT from the Department of Psychiatry of the Coimbra Local Health Unit (between 1 December 2020–31 December 2022). The Dutch Measure for quantification of Treatment Resistance in Depression (DM-TRD) was used to assess the degree of treatment resistance and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to measure medical comorbidity. Results: A quantity of 473 patients were referred to Cantanhede CMHT for a first assessment. Of these, 219 patients met the criteria for a primary diagnosis of any depressive disorder. Assistant psychiatrists identified 57 patients with DTD during follow-up (approximately 26%). The DTD group had higher rates of depressive episodes, greater depression severity, increased service use, higher DM-TRD scores, and a higher prevalence of comorbid anxiety symptoms, personality disorders, and severe medical comorbidities. The DTD group also had a higher prescription rate of antidepressants. Differences were observed in the use of antidepressant augmentation strategies and in the prescription of anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs and analgesics, with higher prescription rates in the DTD group. We found correlations between DM-TRD and CCI scores, and between DM-TRD scores and all service use variables. Conclusions: Our results are consistent with a similar study in the United Kingdom, highlighting the need for a different approach to the management of DTD patients, who continue to live with a significant burden despite usual pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.

Medical Team Practices and Interpreter Alterations on Family-Centered Rounds.

Robust evidence demonstrates inequities in communication during family-centered rounds for families who use a language other than English (LOE) for health care. This study aimed to characterize the type of interpreter alterations occurring on family-centered rounds and identify medical team communication practices associated with alterations. In this observational study of interpreter-supported family-centered rounds, we recorded and transcribed family-centered rounds encounters for Spanish-speaking families. We assessed measures of medical team communication behaviors and interpreter alterations (omissions, additions, and substitutions) using previously described instruments. We used a content analysis approach to apply defined codes to each interpreted segment and to characterize the nature of interpreter alterations. We assessed the association between medical team communication behaviors and interpreter alterations using χ2 tests. We recorded, transcribed, and coded 529 interpreted segments of 10 family-centered rounds encounters. At least 1 alteration was present in 72% (n = 382/529) of interpreted segments. Omissions were the most common alteration (n = 242/529, 46%) followed by substitutions (n = 177/529, 34%) and additions (n = 71/529, 13%). Interpretation resulted in a potentially negative alteration in 29% (n = 155/529) and a positive alteration in 9% (n = 45/529) of segments. Greater number of sentences in the segment preceding interpretation was associated with an increase in loss of information (P < .001), loss of social support (P = .003), and loss of partnership (P = .020). To improve communication with families that use an LOE, medical teams must abide by best practices for using an interpreter such as frequent pausing to prevent loss of both biomedical and psychosocial information.

Knowledge, Awareness, And Practice Of Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Involved In The Rehabilitation Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients Regarding Post-Radiotherapy Prosthetic Options.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients require specialized multidisciplinary team care throughout the diagnosis, treatment, and survival. To achieve rehabilitation goals, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) should have adequate information regarding post-radiotherapy prosthetic options. This enables optimal rehabilitation and improves their quality of life. AIM: To assess the Knowledge, awareness, and practice of a multidisciplinary team involved in the rehabilitation of Head and Neck cancer patients regarding post-radiotherapy prosthetic options. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Descriptive survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The URLs of the questionnaire consisting of fifteen closed-ended questions were shared via the web to the MDT team practicing in Tamilnadu and Pondicherry, to obtain a response of 119 which was the predetermined sample size. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Frequency and percentages and the results were further analysed statistically by the Chi square test. RESULT: Majority of the members in the multidisciplinary team were aware of few information on the impact of common treatment side effects on prosthetic rehabilitation and prosthetic options available, but were not practicing. CONCLUSION: Prosthetic options in postradiotherapy patients provides better results in terms of retention, stability, masticatory efficiency, comfort, and psychological well-being of the patient. Hence, the awareness of MDT should be increased regarding various available options of the prosthetic rehabilitation, advantages and disadvantages of prosthesis, and possibilities for retreatment in the case of failure for a successful treatment outcome.

Head Teachers’ Team Leadership Practices’ Influence on Financial Performance in Church of Uganda Founded Secondary Schools in Namirembe Diocese

The influence of Head Teachers’ team leadership practices on the financial performance is highly acknowledged. The paper aims to highlight the challenges of head teachers’ team practices and advance insights on how they can be overcome to enhance financial performance. The methodology employed was a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was gathered through questionnaires assessing perceptions of the above metrics. Qualitative data was collected through documentary review of reports and interviews to explore the underlying mechanisms through which the variables above interrelate. The total number of respondents were 326 sampled from eight out of twenty-three schools. Quantitative analysis revealed that it has a coefficient of 0.52 and a p-value of 0.004 which indicates a strong correlation and statistically significant relationship between effective team leadership and financial health. This indicated that a team leader yielded better cash flow management, alignment with financial objectives, and overall sustainability. Qualitative insights supported the above crucial role that head teachers’ have in engaging teams of CFSs in shaping financial decision-making processes. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to foster team cohesion, positive financial culture and ensuring the long-term sustainability of CFSs. Recommendations include strengthening leadership development programs that are not available currently in Church of Uganda. Further, to enhance team dynamics and aligning leadership practices with organizational goals to optimize financial performance in these settings

Three Scientist Practitioners: Self-Reflecting and Narrating Professional Careers and Daily Activities

In this paper, we present three narratives disclosing our experiences as scientist practitioners. Each author reflected on their career trajectories, and the natural interdependence of science and practice, and provided an illustration capturing the main features of their dual role. These three illustrations included collaboration with an integrated (practice and research) team, a deepened self-reflection, and an abbreviated case study with an elite athlete. Consistent with the limited literature on the scientist practitioners model, we share universal career trajectories as academicians who are intensely engaged in sport psychology practice (e.g., practice benefits from science, and vice versa). Some specific elaborations on the interrelated roles and tasks are the benefits of a journal reviewer’s role and the parallel functions of ecological validity (in research) and immersion (in practice) as bridging and balancing the scientist practitioner and scientist practitioner shift in daily activities, professional roles, and career phases. We offer practical considerations regarding the value of asking problem-solving-oriented questions, creating one’s own principles to navigate the dual role, and reminding ourselves about the interdependence of theory and practice.

Requesting Relatives' Consent for Intensive Care for Organ Donation: An Empirical Analysis of Spanish Transplant Coordinators' Practices.

Intensive care to facilitate organ donation (ICOD) involves the initiation or continuation of intensive care for patients with devastating brain injury for donation purposes. In the Spanish system, relatives undergo an early interview to request consent for this procedure. If they consent, a waiting time is agreed upon in the expectation that death by neurological criteria occurs and donation after brain death takes place. Otherwise, relatives can decide on donation after circulatory determination of death or withdrawal of life support. This study analyzes how Spanish transplant coordinators interact with relatives in early interviews and follow-ups on potential donation pathways. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a random stratified sample of 23 Spanish transplant coordination teams to explore strategies, practices, and perceptions of ICOD consent requests. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis. Previous coordination with other units and information retrieval regarding patient and relatives' situations is crucial. The development of early interviews includes an introduction to the family, identification of decision makers, empathizing with relatives and offering condolences, reaffirming the fatal prognosis, explaining the possibility of donating based on the patient's will, confirming the family's understanding and resolving doubts, and ensuring comfort and assessing family needs. Approaching families to obtain ICOD consent is a regular practice for Spanish coordination teams. It involves a highly professional and diversified set of strategies based on establishing a support relationship for relatives. Our study provides strategies that serve as a reference for obtaining ICOD consent from families in other settings.

Effects of COVID-19 on Irish general practice activity from 2019 to 2021: a retrospective analysis of 500,000 consultations using electronic medical record data.

General practice (GP) is crucial to primary care delivery in the Republic of Ireland and is almost fully computerised. General practice teams were the first point of contact for much COVID-19-related care and there were concerns routine healthcare activities could be disrupted due to COVID-19 and related restrictions. The study aimed to assess effects of the pandemic on GP activity through analysis of electronic medical record data from general practice clinics in the Irish Midwest. A retrospective, descriptive study of electronic medical record data relating to patient record updates, appointments and medications prescribed across 10 GP clinics over the period 2019-2021 inclusive. Data relating to 1.18 million record transactions for 32k patients were analysed. Over 500k appointments were examined, and demographic trends presented. Overall appointment and prescribing activity increased over the study period, while a dip was observed immediately after the pandemic's arrival in March 2020. Delivery of non-childhood immunisations increased sixfold as a result of COVID-19, childhood immunisation activity was maintained,while cervical smears decreased in 2020 as the screening programme was halted. A quarter of consultations in 2020 and 2021 were teleconsultations, and these were more commonplace for younger patients. General practice responded robustly to the pandemic by taking on additional activities while maintaining routine services where possible. The shift to teleconsulting was a significant change in workflow. Analysing routinely collected electronic medical record data can provide valuable insights for service planning, and access to these insights would be beneficial for future pandemic responses.

Impact and cost-effectiveness of synergy between embedded palliative care and quality improvement teams on EOL quality metrics and resources utilization in a community-based oncology practice.

32 Background: There is evidence that Palliative Care (PC) brings value to health care organizations by positively affecting outcomes and quality-of-care metrics, however hiring a full PC team may be challenging for community practices. This report describes the impact on end-of-life (EOL) quality metrics of a close collaboration between an embedded PC provider and the Quality Programs and Process Improvement (QPPI) team in a community-based oncology practice. Methods: Blue Ridge Cancer Care (BRCC) hired a PC physician in October of 2021 and in the following months created a QPPI team composed of a Senior Director, Nurse Navigators, Social Worker, and Health Equity Administrator. The PC provider and QPPI team established a close collaboration to optimize support and referrals to PC for patients with advanced cancer. This retrospective cohort review compared patients who received PC with those who did not. Metrics reviewed where hospice admissions and hospice length of stay (LOS) categorized in average LOS, &gt;3 days and &gt;30 days. Results: BRCC serves about 15,000 active patients a year, with more than 6,000 new consults, and a total of more than 60,000 visits. This analysis reviewed a total of 3,352 decedents from October 2021 through April 2024. Cumulative data are shown (Table). Conclusions: Our experience suggests that PC embedded in an Oncology practice can collaborate with the existing QPPI team to improve EOL quality metrics and save resources. Patients with PC Patients without PC Admitted to hospice 61% (n=166) 30% (n=962) Hospice &gt; 3 days 84% (n=140) 52% (n=477) Hospice LOS &gt;30 days 43% (n=71) 22% (n=202)

Positive behavior support in school – a quasi-experimental mixed methods study and a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile positive school climate is important for students’ well-being and mental health, school personnel may experience challenges in creating a nurturing school climate. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) has shown positive effects on school climate and children’s prosocial behaviors, but fewer studies have been conducted in a European context.AimThis project aims to investigate the effectiveness of SW-PBIS program for students’ social-emotional skills and academic achievement as well as teachers’ and students’ perceptions of classroom learning environment. Furthermore, the study intends to evaluate how school-level factors mediate or moderate the effects of the intervention. In addition, the study includes a qualitative evaluation of the dynamic interaction processes that occur during program implementation in local school contexts.MethodsData on school- and individual-level measures are collected in intervention and control schools. With regard to challenges in retaining control groups over extended time periods, two waves of recruitment are used. In the first wave, an active control group is used and data are collected during three time points. In the second wave, a wait-list control group will be used and data will be collected during two time points during one school year. Hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to explore the effects of SW-PBIS on the outcomes of the study. An ethno-methodological approach will be applied to provide a detailed examination of the social interactional and meaning-making practices of different school implementation teams, and the negotiation of normative expectations and rules of conduct in peer-teacher-student interactions in different classrooms.DiscussionThe study is expected to contribute to knowledge on the effects of the SW-PBIS program and how these effects may be mediated or moderated by school-level factors. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the significance of school contexts in the implementation of the SW-PBIS program constitutes the strength of the study. The challenge in the study is the extended period of implementation of SW-PBIS, which entails difficulties in retaining a control group over the required time period. Therefore, two waves of recruitment are used, encompassing different procedures of allocation to intervention or control group.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06270914 on the 22nd of February, 2024 (retrospectively registered).

Merck Animal Health Veterinary Team study reveals factors associated with well-being, burnout, and mental health among nonveterinarian practice team members.

To assess the levels of burnout, well-being, and mental health of nonveterinarian employees of veterinary practices and, for context, compare them to veterinarians and the general population by use of validated instruments. An online survey of 2,271 nonveterinary practice employees drawn from members of the North American Veterinary Technicians Association, members of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, referrals from veterinarian respondents to a companion survey, and a large hospital group that owns several hundred US veterinary practices. The study was fielded from September 11 to October 9, 2023. A majority of practice team members were satisfied with their work in veterinary medicine. However, serious psychological distress was twice as prevalent among team members as among veterinarians and well-being was lower than that of veterinarians. Burnout was similar to veterinarians. Personality played a role: team members on average were more likely to score higher in neuroticism than veterinarians and the general population, and neuroticism was a predictor of low well-being, poor mental health, and burnout. There was also evidence of substantial financial stress among team members. Serious psychological distress was common among practice team members. Financial stress may play a role. Burnout and low levels of well-being were also common. This study provided a useful profile of the psychological conditions that many practice employees may be experiencing.

Pelatihan Pembuatan Kaligrafi Sistem Totol Spons di Pesantren Modern Nuur Ar-Radhiyyah

Calligraphy plays a very important role in the development of Islamic civilization. In the current era of globalization, young people are exposed to a variety of knowledge, cultures, perspectives, and ethics that influence changes within them. This training was conducted with the aim of introducing the art of calligraphy to the students (santri), which they can develop as part of their future careers. The training activities were carried out by members of the field experience practice team, who are students of the Islamic College (Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam) Jam'iyah Mahmudiyah Tanjung Pura. The activity included planning, implementation, and evaluation. The methods used in this training were lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. The results of this community service activity showed that: (1) The planning stage included initial observation, needs analysis, participant recruitment, and scheduling; (2) The training consisted of a one-time session using lectures, demonstrations, and writing practice; and (3) Evaluation was conducted during the training process, at the end of each session, and at the conclusion of the overall training. The dotted sponge calligraphy training left a unique impression and challenge for the students, fostering enthusiasm. It also brought about positive outcomes, such as helping students to develop calmness and concentration.

Research on Enhancing the Affinity of Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Private Universities in the New Era

In the new era, the ideological and political theory courses in private colleges and universities have the problem of insufficient affinity. College students in the new era have distinct personalities, psychology, and value orientations, but some college students feel distant from ideological and political theory courses. They do not pay attention to, understand, or even resist "big concepts" and "big propositions" such as the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as the lofty ideals and beliefs. Therefore, effective countermeasures must be formed to create a warm ideological and political classroom from the aspects of teaching content, teaching methods, teaching practice, and teacher team building, so as to increase the closeness of ideological and political theory courses among college students. Only in this way can the spirit of patriotism take root in the hearts of students and give play to the positive influence of ideological and political theory courses on the values of young college students.

In Defense of Democratic Qualitative Research Teams: A Bourdieusian Approach to Critical Reflexivity

In this article, we provide a critical reflexive tool developed to interrogate hierarchical research team structures. As members of a qualitative research team working on a large-scale federally funded project, we aim to provide guidance for scholars interested in working against established hierarchies toward more democratic team practices. Our approach is guided by critical scholarship that employs Bourdieu’s conceptualization of reflexivity to move beyond individual-level positionality, toward the critical analysis of the larger academic field and intellectual bias produced through the neoliberal academic field. Though some have argued for the need to preserve hierarchy, we stand in defense of democratic teams.

Midwives and doulas in Poland: mutual perceptions in the context of interprofessional cooperation

A doula is an independent professional who provides emotional, physical and informational support to women during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period. A doula is not medically qualified, but is trained in techniques to provide comfort, relaxation and proper breathing to women in labor during birth. The relationship between doulas and other members of the perinatal care team has an impact on women’s satisfaction and the quality of care provided. The purpose of our study was to analyze the mutual perceptions of the two professional groups and to subjectively assess the actual cooperation between midwives and doulas; Methods: The survey instrument for examining mutual perceptions of midwives and doulas in the context of interprofessional collaboration was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 13 items containing beliefs about collaboration between doulas and midwives and items describing experiences of collaboration between the groups. A total of 238 women participated in the survey: 165 midwives and 73 doulas. Results: Mutual perceptions of midwives and doulas can be described as positive or neutral. Examination of the experience of collaboration indicates a predominance of positive behavior. In almost all items, the beliefs of doulas and midwives differed significantly from each other showing the different perspectives of the two professional groups. The highest score in both groups was given to the statement Appropriate relationships between midwives and doulas have an impact on the satisfaction of parturients, which means that both doulas and midwives agree with it. Conclusions: There is potential for the dissemination of the doula profession in the Polish health care system. Both professions show more positive or neutral perceptions of each other than negative perceptions, which provides an opportunity to build a satisfying collaboration. The findings underscore the need to reconcile different attitudes in order to foster effective team practice and improve midwifery care outcomes. Training and meetings to learn about roles, competencies and explore each other’s work models provide an opportunity to strengthen this collaboration.

Adoption of clinical pharmacist roles in primary care: Longitudinal evidence from English general practice.

Over the last decade, the number of clinical pharmacists working within multidisciplinary teams in English general practice has expanded Aim: This study examines changes in quality of prescribing after the adoption of clinical pharmacists in English general practices. Two-way fixed effects regression was used to compare differences in prescribing indicators in general practices in England with and without pharmacists following implementation between September 2015 and December 2019 Results: Between September 2015 and December 2019, the proportion of practices employing a clinical pharmacist increased from 236/ 7,623 (3.10%) to 1,402/ 6,836 (20.51%). Clinical pharmacist implementation resulted in statistically significant reductions in total costs of medicines per 1,000 patients (-0.85% ,95% CI -1.50%, -0.21%), the total number of opioid prescriptions per 1,000 patients (- 1.06%, 95% CI -1.82%, -0.29%), and the average daily quantity (ADQs) of anxiolytics per 1,000 patients (-1.26%, 95% CI -2.40%, -0.12%). Clinical pharmacist implementation also resulted in reductions in the total number of prescriptions per 1,000 patients (-0.58%, 95% CI -1.30%, 0.13%), and the total number of antibiotic prescriptions per 1,000 patients (-0.51%, 95% CI -1.30%, 0.27%) that trended towards statistical significance. There were no statistically significant differences in the share of broad-spectrum versus narrow-spectrum antibiotics (0.02%, 95% CI -0.07%, 0.11%) and the oral morphine equivalence of high-dose opioids (>120mg per 24 hours) per 1,000 patients (1.19%, 95% CI -0.46%, 2.85%). Our analysis is limited by aggregate data at the practice-level but supports the hypothesis that clinical pharmacist implementation results in improvements in prescribing quality.

Teaching patient safety in remote consulting

ABSTRACT A significant proportion of primary care consultations now happen remotely. Although the vast majority occur safely, a recent study highlighted areas of risk which may be compounded by the limited training many GPs have received in remote consulting. To provide safe remote services, consideration needs to be given to adapting practice workflow to optimise remote care. Patients less suitable for remote consulting, either due to disease, extremes of age, disability or for social reasons should be identified and prioritised for face-to-face encounters. Training supports both the development of individual communication skills for remote care, and effective team working. Practice-based group learning events can be used to share experiences, identify resources, and consider the risks in remote care and how they can be mitigated. The paper presents some fictionalised cases, illustrating where patients came to harm, as a result of a remote consultation, and where harm was averted due to actions taken by practice teams. These can be used to support critical thinking and discussion within practice development meetings and tutorials with trainee GPs and other practice staff. Using the paper as a basis for reflection, teaching and action can facilitate the delivery of safer remote care.

Pandemic impacts on rural general practice: Trainees and supervision team working and learning together.

To explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic disruptions on general practice trainees interdependent learning, from the perspectives of trainees and the whole of the practice team. Four rural general practices in Queensland that continued to supervise registrars, junior doctors and medical students through the pandemic. Twenty-three members of the general practice teams, including general practitioners, practice managers, receptionists, practice nurses, registrars, junior doctors and medical students. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants following an initial survey. Thematic analysis and the theory of interdependent learning were used to understand how supervision and training was both disrupted and sustained during the pandemic period. Reporting is informed by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. Learning affordances were transformed by the rapid implementation of physical distancing and other infection control measures. Telehealth consultations and remote working impacted on the interdependent relationship between the work environment, supervision team and trainees. Practice staff identified new ways of working that arose through this period, including changes to practice team roles and the supervisory dynamic that enabled patient care and trainee learning to continue. Social connectedness was important to the trainees and the implications for future training need to be further evaluated.

Soft Expulsion: What Happens When School-Based Supports aren’t Enough

AbstractVery limited research exists regarding the beliefs and practices of student support teams (SSTs), sometimes called child study teams or IEP teams, in settings with non-expulsion policies for young children with severely challenging behaviors. Previous research examined teacher and administrator beliefs and practices and found that they engage in practices related to soft expulsion (Murphy et al. in Child Youth Serv Rev 158:107441, 2024). Some school psychologists and SST members may also resort to soft expulsion, subtly pushing children out of their schools due to challenging behaviors (Zinsser et al. in Rev Educ Res 92(5):743–785, 2022). This study utilized an anonymous, online, self-report measure to investigate the practices and beliefs of SST members in early childhood education settings with non-expulsion policies. Participants included 108 school-based service providers in one state. The majority identified as school psychologists, held a Master’s degree, had between 1 and 5 years of experience, and worked 36–40 h per week. Results showed that most participants said they had the supports to meet the needs of children with severely challenging behaviors, yet most had worked with a child whose behaviors they were unable to manage. Our examination also uncovered indications of soft expulsion practices and a general lack of knowledge about existing non-expulsion policies. The implications arising from these beliefs and practices are examined and discussed.