Date of Award
Fall 2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Educational Studies
First Advisor
Kathleen M.W. Cunningham
Abstract
The Dissertation in Practice (DiP) details a continuous improvement study utilizing Improvement Science and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to refine a school site's pre-referral/Student Study Team (SST) process. The need for this systemic refinement was driven by reported district-level equity concerns regarding the overrepresentation of Latinx students in special education. The study investigated the influence of a targeted Self-Regulatory Learning (SRL) Intervention Program, which leveraged an SRL Reflection Tool to teach explicit metacognitive and self-management strategies to Latinx students identified as at-risk of special education referral. Conducted in an urban public intermediate school, the research employed qualitative and quantitative data to measure both academic progress and the demonstration of self-regulatory skills. Findings demonstrate that integrating the intervention within the pre-referral phase provided direct, timely support, resulting in improved academic and self-regulatory outcomes for at-risk students. Furthermore, data collected from the intervention program enhanced the fidelity and effectiveness of the SST referral process. This study offers a data-driven, continuous improvement model for educational leaders seeking to refine pre-referral systems and foster greater equity in placement decisions.
Rights
© 2025, Abbie Sian-Stirone
Recommended Citation
Sian-Stirone, A.(2025). Using Improvement Science to Study the Influence of a Self-Regulatory Skills Intervention Program Within the Pre-Referral/Student Study Team Process. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8597