Expert Instruction Podcast
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April 21, 2026

Ep. 59: Rethinking Fidelity — Making Behavior Support Plans Work in Real Classrooms

Learn how schools can reframe fidelity as a way to assess behavior support plans instead of the people implementing them. Explore with us how small, doable strategies can make implementation more effective for both students and teachers.

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We continue our exploration of Tier 3 support by focusing on an important and often misunderstood part of behavior support plans: measuring fidelity. Joining us today is Rose Iovannone.

  • Rose is a research professor at the University of South Florida and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She also serves as director of the University of South Florida Interdisciplinary Center for Evaluation and Intervention, where she supports individuals with complex needs from early childhood through young adulthood. In addition to her research, Rose works closely with educators through training and professional development to support practical, real-world implementation of behavior support systems.

In this episode, Rose helps us reframe fidelity as a way to evaluate whether a behavior support plan is actually feasible, effective, and aligned with classroom realities, rather than a measure of teacher performance.

She also gives us actionable ideas for how teams can build buy-in, start small, and integrate fidelity into their ongoing problem-solving process.

For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links:

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Megan Cave

About

Megan Cave

Megan Cave is a member of the PBISApps Marketing and Communication team. She is the writer behind the user manuals, scripted video tutorials, and news articles for PBISApps. She also writes a monthly article for Teach by Design and contributes to its accompanying Expert Instruction podcast episode. Megan has completed four half marathons – three of which happened unintentionally – and in all likelihood, will run another in the future.

About

Danielle Triplett

Danielle Triplett, M.Ed., is a Senior Research Assistant and member of the PBISApps training team. Danielle is a passionate educator and researcher dedicated to serving her community and advocating for the best interests of children and adolescents. Her areas of research and academic pursuits focus on improving educational equity, alternatives to exclusionary discipline, using data for decision-making, multi-tiered systems of support for behavior and mental health, and educational coaching. Prior to joining the University of Oregon, Danielle served as a district PBIS coach and a middle school language arts teacher. Outside the office, you can find her snowboarding, baking chocolate chip cookies, and daydreaming about interior design.