No abstract

This article reports on the further development of the task-centered model for difficulties in school performance. We used Bailey-Dempsey and Reid's (1996) application of Rothman and Thomas's (1994) design and development framework and annual evaluations of the Partners in Prevention (PIP) Program to refine the task-centered case management model. Data from four recent PIP evaluations suggests the significant improvement in academic achievement and behaviors that present as barriers to school performance.

Based on the significant findings reported in the previous paper on academic progress and behavioral changes documented in annual evaluations, further study of the Partners in Prevention (PIP) Program was conducted. The PIP Program was compared to a school counseling approach through a quasi-experiment, which looked at how each approach influences change in academic achievement, the behaviors that present as barriers to academic success and the students', parents', teachers', and practitioners' perceptions of progress on intervention goals.While the PIP Program was found to have greater influence than the school counseling approach on overall grades and reading averages and on students' perception of their improvement on targeted goals, there were no differences between the two approaches in terms of improvements in behavior.