Research & Evaluation

Research and evaluation are a core component of our program offerings. Research and outcomes on trauma-informed schools models have been more widely shared over the years but more is still needed to ensure best policy and practices are being utilized. We have established a longstanding partnership with Duke University’s Center for Child and Family Policy to serve as our lead evaluator. With our research and evaluation partner, we are able to look at both process outcomes and program outcomes with our work and partnership with schools.

Some of the evaluation tools we currently use include:

• Anonymous Pre-/Post- Staff Surveys on
  • increased knowledge of trauma and stress,
  • increased use of resilience-building practices,
  • teacher self-efficacy ratings,
  • staff stress levels and,
  • school climate ratings.
• De-identified School Discipline and Attendance Data: overall and broken down by race and ethnicity
• Customized Measurement Tools: Resilience Coaches collaborate with school Resilience Teams to develop tailored success metrics, such as teacher fidelity checklists for morning meetings, to evaluate specific local strategies.

For our process outcomes, we collect artifacts from schools, such as:

• School Action Plans that include goals, change ideas, and measurable outcomes
• Strategy Artifacts, such as pictures
• Focus Groups to better understand engagement and mindset shifts
• Tracking the number of trainings and Resilience Team meetings held by the school

Strategic Resarch Partnership

Since the NC Center for Resilience & Learning’s inception in 2017, Dr. Katie Rosanbalm has served as our lead evaluation and research partner. Her expertise ensures that every cohort we lead is grounded in clinical psychology and rigorous quantitative data.

Expertise & Impact

Dr. Rosanbalm is a child clinical and quantitative psychologist whose work is at the forefront of program implementation and evaluation. Her research focuses on:

• Self-Regulation Development: Co-authoring a foundational series of white papers on self-regulation from birth through early adulthood.
• Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Building evidence-based frameworks for mental health and education.
• Systems of Care: Conducting longitudinal evaluations of child welfare reform and prevention programs.

Beyond the Research: Katie’s influence extends into policy and practice across North Carolina. She serves on multiple state-level boards and task forces dedicated to strengthening the implementation of programs for children and families. Her partnership allows R&L Leaders to bridge the gap between high-level university research and the daily classroom experience.

Explore More: Learn more about all of Katie’s work and projects at Duke University here.