From February through May 2000, three five-day national training workshops were conducted for separate groups of middle school drug prevention and school safety coordinators (MSCs) newly hired through 3-year grants from the U.S. Department of Education. Designed to improve MSC's skills to coordinate drug and violence prevention strategies in their schools, the workshops were attended by 272 coordinators from 32 different states, and approximately 85 school districts. Process data were collected using questionnaires administered at the close of each training day. Additional process and outcome data, including respondents' knowledge, skills, and behavior, were collected using matched pretests and posttests. Outcome data were also collected approximately six months post-training using mailed questionnaires. The response rate for this follow-up was 76% across the three workshops. This substantial investment in training produced largely positive outcomes. There were positive pretest to posttest gains in knowledge and behavioral intentions, most of which were sustained at six-months. For example there were positive pretest to posttest changes in all of 32 items designed to measure change in knowledge of assessment and planning; design and implementation of prevention programs; school reform; and communication skills, web skills, funding sources, and evaluation. Changes on all but four of these items were statistically significant (p<.05). Analyses also indicated that results across the three workshops were very uniform as were results for MSCs with varying degrees of previous relevant experience.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe methods for evaluating prevention training programs for gatekeepers. 2. Assess the degree to which evaluation findings for this and similar trainings reflect positive outcomes. 3. Discuss whether such national training initiatives produce a reasonable return for the investment.
Keywords: Prevention, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The National Training Center for Professional Development and Leadership at Education Dvelopment Center, Newton, Massachusetts
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.