Current projects, dissertation origins, a five-stage study sequence, and the evidence library behind The SSCC Practice™.
The goal is not to design a study that proves SSCC works. The goal is to subject the practice to systematic evaluation, publish results whether favorable, mixed, or null, and revise the model in response to evidence.
Title: Professional Development (PD) & Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Post-COVID: High School Teachers' Perspectives.
Institution: Grand Canyon University, College of Doctoral Studies. Successfully defended and approved by the dissertation committee, July 2026.
Design: A qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with 12 general education high school teachers in California, analyzed through Braun and Clarke's (2022) Reflexive Thematic Analysis. CASEL's SEL Framework — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making — served as the conceptual framework.
The dissertation provides the origin story and the problem of practice. It supports the argument that educators want professional learning that is practical, coherent, modeled, reinforced, and connected to everyday implementation. It does not serve as evidence that SSCC works — that is a separate, future research question.
This theory of change is provisional and should itself be tested. It describes a plausible pathway, not a guaranteed causal chain — and early studies should prioritize implementation and proximal outcomes before making claims about discipline, violence prevention, or whole-school safety.
Are the four components clear, distinct, relevant, and comprehensive? Can the practice be operationalized into observable behaviors?
Is training acceptable, appropriate, feasible, and usable? Which components are most and least frequently used?
Does participation correspond with changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, or scenario performance — and are changes sustained 4–8 weeks later?
How do outcomes differ between SSCC-trained and comparison groups? Does implementation quality mediate outcomes?
Can SSCC be implemented across multiple schools with fidelity? What conditions support sustainability, and are there equity differences?
A mixed-methods, single-group pretest–posttest–follow-up pilot: baseline survey, a 60–90 minute standardized training, 4–8 weeks of implementation, and follow-up interviews. Learn about collaborating →
From Relationship-Centered Principles to In-the-Moment Adult Practice: A Conceptual Rationale and Research Agenda for the SSCC Practice. A formal problem statement, integrative literature review, practice definitions, and evaluation agenda.
Published in ACSA's EdCal, an EdWeb webinar panelist, and a presenter at the CASCWA State Conference on MTSS and PBIS implementation. See the full list on the About page →
These sources support component principles, measurement, implementation, or research design. They should not be read as direct evidence that SSCC itself works.