Novel Approaches to Supporting Students With ADHD in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are likely to exhibit behavioral difficulties in the classroom that inhibit learning (Daley & Birchwood, 2010; DuPaul & Stoner, 2003; Fabiano et al., 2006; Friedman & Pfiffner, 2020; Loe & Feldman, 2007; Raggi & Chronis, 2006; Rapport, Chung, Shore, & Isaacs, 2001). These issues make addressing ADHD an area in need of continuous and contemporary support, particularly during early elementary school (Bitsko et al., 2022), in order to prevent the worsening, life-long issues that individuals with ADHD may confront throughout the lifespan. The present application focuses on supports and interventions for students in elementary school, as that is where initial identification and intervention typically occurs (Visser et al., 2014). With the advent of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) within school settings, a systematic approach to the delivery of universal, targeted, and indicated school mental health and educational supports may be enhanced. The most intensive tier of the MTSS (i.e., Tier 3) is currently the most under-developed. The creation of a positive behavioral support classroom through Tier 3 of the MTSS will assist teachers in improving the positive behavioral support provided to the student with ADHD. Thus, the present investigation will be situated within everyday school procedures for supporting a student with behaviors consistent with ADHD. Participants will be 288 elementary school children recruited from participating school districts within the existing school-based problem solving teams. We will work with grades kindergarten to sixth. Referred children will then all receive a lead-in, Tier 2 intervention to include a daily report card (DRC) intervention. Those who continue to need additional behavior supports in the Spring -- Tier 3 intervention -- will be allocated through random assignment to School as Usual or Academic/Behavior Competency (ACE) classroom in a Hybrid Type 1 design. The ACE classroom is an approach based on decades of research in summer treatment program classrooms (Fabiano et al., 2007; Pelham et al., 2025). Aim 1 evaluates the outcomes of the approach relative to school as usual. Aim 2 evaluates the implementation of the approach and explores components of user implementation that promote fidelity. Aim 3 explores moderators of the intervention outcomes (e.g., comorbid oppositional/aggressive behavior or learning disabilities).