Teachers today face high stress that can compromise their well-being, longevity in the profession, and the quality of their interactions with students. Pre-referral interventions, which address individual student difÞculties before consideration for special education, may help buffer teacher stress through student interventions and team support. Yet, little is known about how teacher stress changes across pre-referral interventions. This study followed 33 elementary education teachers prospectively through their participation in a pre-referral intervention team (PIT) program. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that, across the pre-referral process, teachers felt less distress related to referred students' needs, termed "dyadic stress." Teachers' dyadic stress was partially accounted for by student progress on referral concerns. Teachers' experience of PIT support was also linked to reductions in stress and lower dyadic stress after pre-referral interventions were implemented. The Þndings have implications for how school practitioners consult with teachers. C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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