What are the common barriers to successful implementation of Positive Action® (PA)?

  • Lack of teacher buy-in and administrative support
    • Ideally, key teachers, principals, and superintendents will be involved in developing the plan to implement Positive Action from the beginning.  Have these key stakeholders sign memoranda of agreement to ensure clear communications and expectations.
    • Learn how Positive Action connects with the PA Department of Education’s academic standards
  • Underestimating the importance of planning pre/post survey administration, data entry, and outcomes reporting
    • Review the developer’s guide as well as tools from the EPISCenter website early in the process.
    • Identify a key person to oversee this process and answer questions from administrators and instructors.
  • Lack of adherence to the curriculum, as originally designed
    • Instructors should utilize an interactive style and use all of the dynamic activities outlined in the manual.
    • Instructors may not include outside materials in the lessons.
    • Adaptation can occur in the areas of: names of characters, settings of stories, and cultural references.
    • Areas of the curriculum not adaptable: concepts, methodologies, or strategies.
Program(s)