Bridging the Gap: A Case Study of Tailored Support for Students with Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Needs During the Transition to High School

Students with disabilities, particularly those needing additional support or intervention to manage emotions and behaviors, build healthy relationships, and navigate social and academic demands, face heightened risks of high school pushout that can be traced back to their transition into high school. Project Elevate (PE) is a multi-component intervention that strategically invests in early coordinated student, family, and school supports to prevent barriers associated with high school pushout, such as a lack of continuity of effective services across school sites. This mixed-methods pilot study examined the implementation of PE with three 8th-grade students and their parents during their last term in middle school. This study includes quantitative pre–post descriptive analyses of multi-informant reports of students’ social, emotional, and behavioral skills, as well as descriptive analyses of weekly teacher- and parent-reported behavior and student attendance. Qualitative analysis using the Framework Method was applied to student and parent interviews and open-ended responses on a satisfaction questionnaire to understand their experience receiving PE support. Session case notes were also used as contextual data to describe implementation processes and contextualize findings. Results indicated improvements in student attendance and reductions in home-based behavioral concerns, with mixed findings across school-based outcomes. Students and parents reported high satisfaction with the intervention, highlighting the value of individualized support, goal setting, and strengthened communication with schools. Findings from this intervention development pilot study provide preliminary evidence regarding the implementation and perceived value of PE. Results also highlight the importance of culturally responsive, relationship-centered practices that affirm student strengths and support access to educational opportunities. Further investigation of PE in larger studies is warranted.