School District of Osceola County. (n.d.). School District of Osceola County Assessment of Conscious Discipline Impacts on Protective Factors and School Readiness: Results from the 2007 SAMHSA Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant.
Type of report: Not a research study. Summary of findings.
Summary:
The first part of this document (Assessment of the Protective Factors of Initiative, Self-Regulation and Attachment/Relationships) shares findings on changes in self-control, initiative, attachment/relationships, and resiliency factors. The study measured changes in these domains for two cohorts of children across 22 Pre-K sites (N=228 in 2009-10 and N=258 2010-11) who received Conscious Discipline skills training.
The second part of this document (Florida Assessment for School Readiness) shares findings on school readiness, as indicated by the Florida Assessment for Readiness Success for VPK (FLKRS), comparing children exposed to Conscious Discipline (N=949) and children with no Conscious Discipline exposure (N=6133). Readiness in all learning domains was measured by the Early Childhood Observation System for Social-Emotional Development (ECHOS). The Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR) measured the percentage of kindergarten students rated as having at least an 85% probability of reading success.
Findings:
The two cohorts of children who received Conscious Discipline skills training showed a significant increase in all domains measured. There was a 21 to 22 percent increase in self-control, 31 to 32 percent increase in initiative, 24 to 27 percent increase in attachment/relationships, and 31 to 33 percent increase in resiliency factors. The increases were also parallel between the two cohorts, suggesting reliability of these findings. Results for a comparison group were not reported, thus we are unable to confirm whether improvements could be attributed to the program or simply to the children aging and maturing.
Sixty-six percent of the children exposed to Conscious Discipline demonstrated school readiness, as measured by ECHOS, compared to 55 percent of children without CD. Additionally, 81 percent of kindergarten students exposed to Conscious Discipline were rated as having at least an 85% probability of reading success, compared to 51 percent of students no CD exposure.
Helpful Links
- Webinars: How Conscious Discipline Aligns with National Head Start Standards on Parent Education
- Knox County Head Start, Inc. 2016
- Head Start Conscious Discipline Alignment
- Conscious Discipline Improves SEL, School Climate, Readiness and Pro-Social Behavior
- Conscious Discipline Meets with Head Start Leadership
- Episode 001: Knox County Head Start is Building Bright Futures for Young Children AND Their Families
- A Conscious Approach to Self-Regulation: Knox County Head Start and the Conscious Discipline Program
- Arkansas State University (2014)
Julie Ruffo
Julie Ruffo hails from the Washington, D.C. area and holds a degree in Corporate Media from James Madison University. She’s enjoyed an evolving role with Conscious Discipline since 1999, including contractor, Creative Director, Director of Publishing and Product Development, and Brand Manager. Julie is a steadfast behind-the-scenes force in the authoring, product development, messaging, and mission of Conscious Discipline. When she’s not glued to her laptop, she can be found with her toes in the sand of the Outer Banks, experimenting in the kitchen, screaming on a roller coaster, or planning the next family adventure.
