This study of the functioning of multidisciplinary school teams is based on responses from 332 staff members in 43 elementary and 11 secondary schools. Respondents represented five professional groups actively involved with school teams: principals/vice-principals, teachers, psychoeducational consultants, social workers, and guidance counselors. The results indicate that elementary teams meet more frequently than secondary teams and that more frequent meetings are associated with higher levels of member satisfaction. Typically, three quarters of meetings are devoted to discussing individual students and their needs. Most respondents see team members as being actively and collaboratively engaged in decision making. Classroom teachers, however, felt less engaged as active participants. They were seen as providers of information about referred students rather than as sharers of expertise regarding strategies and interventions. Areas in which professional development needs were identified included (a) more focus on classroom and schoolwide prevention programs, (b) greater teacher involvement in decision making, and (c) more focus on intervention strategies and follow-up activities.
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