First Step to Success

Product or Programme · All products and programmes
Evidence · 6 claims (5 for, 1 against) · 3 studies (2 causal, 1 quant-synthesis), q3–q4 · 1 of 3 report an effect size · 5 claims rest on one study

Description

First Step to Success is a behavior-coaching programme developed for children at risk of aggressive or antisocial behavior, combining screening, classroom intervention, and HomeBase parent training.

Components

• First Step to Success early intervention program (screening, CLASS classroom intervention, HomeBase parent training): First Step to Success is "an early intervention program designed to help children who are at risk for developing aggressive or antisocial behavioral patterns." A trained behavior coach works with the student, class peers, teacher, and parents for approximately 50 to 60 hours over three months. It comprises three interconnected modules — screening, classroom intervention (CLASS), and parent training (HomeBase) — in which students earn points toward behavioral goals, peers reinforce appropriate behavior, and parents are coached weekly in six competencies such as communication, cooperation, and limit setting. Implementation costs approximately $500 per student. (First Step to Success: WWC Intervention Report (2012))

Claims

• First Step to Success shows potentially positive but not statistically significant effects on emotional/internal behavior (effect size 0.26) [+W]
• First Step to Success shows no discernible effects on reading achievement/literacy [-W]
• First Step to Success shows potentially positive effects on other academic performance (SSRS Academic Competence, effect size 0.32) [+W]
• First Step to Success has positive effects on external behavior for children at risk for emotional disturbance (average improvement index +28) [+W]
• First Step to Success shows potentially positive effects on social outcomes (average improvement index +23) [+W]
• Parent Coaching Outperforms Information Only [+W]

Related Products and Programmes

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Key Sources

• First Step to Success: WWC Intervention Report. (2012). What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/179

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	product
id	first-step-to-success
title	First Step to Success
description	First Step to Success is a behavior-coaching programme developed for children at risk of aggressive or antisocial behavior, combining screening, classroom intervention, and HomeBase parent training.
status	review
moved_from	element/first-step-to-success-program
product_kind	programme
generated	by process:sweep-kinds on 2026-10-10
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — first-step-to-success-wwc-intervention-report-2012

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