The ibestt Study: a capacity-building research partnership for elementary schools
ibestt is a free online app developed at the University of Washington in collaboration with schools. ibestt was created to help teachers keep students with individualized behavior support plans learning in their own classrooms. It connects teachers with their school's behavior support team and makes daily data collection quick: one or two data points at the end of the day, with progress graphs drawn automatically.
Through a federally funded national research partnership between the University of Washington and the University of Louisville, elementary schools receive free access, training, and support.
Built with schools for schools
18schools co-developed ibestt
3partner districts
2states
600+support requests handled
Study overview
Schools that enroll will receive:
The ibestt app, free
Free access to the ibestt app and ongoing support from our team to use it effectively to design, implement, and monitor individualized behavior support plans in classrooms.
PD for the whole school
Free access to online PD modules focused on school-wide positive behavior support, available to any staff member.
School honorarium
A $500 honorarium for your school.
All participating schools are randomly assigned to the ibestt intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group receives ibestt access and training support in Fall 2026; the waitlist group receives the same access and training after the school year ends (summer or Fall 2027). Every enrolled school gets ibestt. Random assignment only decides when.
What partnering involves
Your school commits to using ibestt
Elementary schools that enroll as partners commit to using ibestt as part of their individualized behavior support process. The ibestt team provides technical support and training so all staff feel comfortable navigating the app and integrating it into their day-to-day work.
Research surveys are voluntary
To help us understand the impact of ibestt, we invite a small group of staff and families at each school to volunteer to complete surveys 2-3 times and to allow a review of student records (with parental consent). Completing research surveys is voluntary. Access to ibestt and training support is not restricted to those who complete research surveys.
Frequently asked questions
About the study
What is the goal of the research study?
In this project, we test whether ibestt is more effective and useful than traditional methods of behavior-support planning when implementing individualized behavior supports in the classroom. The study's overall goal is to help schools improve their implementation of the behavior support process and to understand how useful ibestt is in facilitating communication and collaboration.
What happens if our school is assigned to the ibestt intervention group?
[timeline graphic] Schools assigned to the intervention group receive access to ibestt in Fall 2026. Behavior support personnel complete initial training by November. The ibestt team provides ongoing technical support, consultation, and professional learning community (PLC) sessions throughout the year to support school-wide uptake. Behavior support personnel, teachers, and families who sign up complete online surveys 2-3 times over the course of the year.
What happens if our school is assigned to the waitlist control group?
[timeline graphic] Your team provides individualized behavior support as you usually do for the 2026-27 school year, and we send sample letters you can share with your school community about the study. We still invite 4-5 behavior support personnel, 5 teachers, and 5 families to complete surveys through the year - these help us learn about the behavior support process without ibestt. Your school receives free access to ibestt in summer or Fall 2027, with training then: two online modules plus a 90-minute session for behavior support personnel, and a brief instructional video for teachers. Ongoing support continues through the 2027-28 school year.
When will we find out which group we're in?
Your school will be notified of its randomly assigned group by mid-October 2026.
Participation and surveys
What staff will be involved if our school enrolls?
Behavior support personnel: anyone in the school who helps with individualized behavior support planning, implementation, and assessment - a counselor, behavior support specialist, BCBA, principal, assistant principal, or similar role.
Classroom teachers: teachers who have a student in their classroom who is receiving, or is about to receive, individualized behavior supports.
What will behavior support staff be asked to do?
Behavior support personnel engage in the school's behavior support process as usual; when your school receives ibestt, all behavior support personnel get an account and training. Those who also sign up for research surveys complete 3 online surveys (Fall, Winter, and Spring), roughly [25-45 minutes each - confirm], and receive $30 for each survey plus an additional $30 for completing all three.
If the school is in the intervention group, participants also take part in 2-3 hours of training and monthly PLCs to support ongoing use of the app.
How many teachers will participate, and what will they be asked to do?
Up to 5 teachers per school complete 2 study surveys - one at enrollment and a follow-up 14 weeks later - joining as they ask for help with behaviors and begin the behavior support process for a student. Each survey takes [40-55 minutes per the current consent forms; earlier draft said 20-30 - confirm with Jenny]. Teachers receive a $40 digital gift card after completing the first survey and a $60 digital gift card after completing the second.
How many students and families will participate, and what will they be asked to do?
Families of children who are or may soon be receiving individualized behavior support are eligible. Up to five families per school complete 2 study surveys - one at enrollment and a follow-up 14 weeks later - each about 20-25 minutes, available in English and in Spanish. Families receive a $50 gift card for each survey. All students continue to receive behavior support regardless of whether their families choose to participate.
Will research study staff have contact with students?
No. The research team has no direct contact with students. All data related to students are collected through teacher and parent surveys and records review.
Data and privacy
What types of data will be collected as part of the study?
Study data sources include online surveys completed by participating staff and families, and student-records review with written parental consent.
To help us learn about the existing behavior support processes at each school, our team also conducts a Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) protocol with all participating schools - once in the Fall, a 90-minute interview with an administrative team member. We share an individualized report summarizing TFI findings with each school.
How are study data protected?
Research study data - survey responses, student-record data, and TFI data - are confidential. All data are stored on secure, password-protected University of Washington cloud-based storage, with unique identification numbers rather than names whenever possible. Only the research team has access to study data. You can learn about ibestt's security features here [link].
After the study
Will we get to keep using ibestt after the study is over?
Schools can continue using the ibestt app at no cost for the duration of the study funding period, through August 2028. We are working on additional funding to offset the cost of ibestt beyond that and will communicate with each school about future use and cost.
Can other teachers or staff use the app if they don't complete study surveys?
Yes - the entire school receives free access to the app.
How enrollment works
1
Fill out the interest form. Tell us a bit about yourself and schedule a meeting with a member of our team. We'll give you a demo of ibestt, answer any questions, and help you decide whether the ibestt study is a good fit for your school.
2
District agreement. Our team connects with your district's leadership to complete an MOU and technology user agreement - and we complete any district-required research forms and applications ourselves. [Preview the district MOU and user agreement]
3
School sign-off. Once district approval is in place, we meet with school leadership and the behavior support team to learn more about your school and its behavior support process. The principal completes a school MOU to confirm participation. [Preview the school MOU]
Bringing ibestt to your school: study information toolkit
The documents below can help you share the ibestt opportunity with your team and district leadership: