25-12-Annual Report 2025_FINAL no bleed pages-1 - Flipbook - Page 12
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Researchers find success
working alongside school
districts to support
student well-being
Researchers behind the Behavior Alliance of South
Carolina (BASC) have provided pathways to success
and support for lasting change in school systems since
forming in Fall 2022. The South Carolina Department
of Education Office of Special Education Services
funds BASC at Clemson University to work directly
with the state to help districts and schools across
South Carolina build capacity for supporting students
with behavioral needs.
The BASC starts by guiding districts in collecting and
analyzing data to define school needs before providing
professional development for implementing multitiered systems of support, a collaborative, evidencebased approach that offers proactive support to all
students. Lakia Johnson-Drayton, assistant director
for the Department of Exceptional Children in the
Charleston County School District, said this approach
places the responsibility on an entire system instead
of one person, and she quickly saw the benefits
throughout the district.
“Working with BASC has really allowed our whole
team to become more in sync,” Johnson-Drayton
said. “Shared ownership makes the work doable and
prevents burnout, and it was refreshing to be given a
roadmap that spells out what tools we have, what we
need, what we should do differently and what we’re
already doing well.”
Megan Carpenter, project lead for BASC, said current
work focuses on universal supports for schools, such
as the type being implemented in Charleston County,
while plans are in place to include more support for
targeted and intensive supports. Carpenter said the
focus of BASC has shifted from one-off trainings to
building long-term district capacity. The entire goal is
not to be needed at all; as district leaders take over
the work, researchers designed BASC to phase out.
Carpenter feels that BASC’s work alongside districts to
build capacity has led to more districts taking notice
and requesting partnerships.
“That growing recognition is evidence that what
we’re doing is working,” Carpenter said. “Teachers
are applying new practices while other districts are
developing launch plans for our tier one supports.
We want to make [the school response] automatic,
preventative of future behaviors and part of a school’s
foundation for addressing behavior.”
BASC currently has two more years of confirmed
funding and strong state-level support. The project
is currently exploring additional funding sources for
a potential third cohort to expand its impact further.
Carpenter is tracking the cohorts’ implementation
results to prepare reports on effectiveness.
18
South Carolina school
districts currently
partnering with the BASC
200,000
students positively impacted by
BASC partnerships
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