Implementation Fidelity of an Evidence-Based Mathematics Intervention with Tier 2 Elementary Students

Researchers have developed Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) to enhance student math outcomes within the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework. However, these EBPs often fail in real school settings due to poor implementation practices. Concerns about whether educators implement EBPs with sufficient fidelity persist. Implementation Fidelity (IF) measures how closely program delivery aligns with its intended design. This study investigated the effects and implications of an IF intervention package designed to equip general education majors with the necessary skills to implement a mathematics word problem-solving (WPS) intervention—the Conceptual Model-Based Problem-Solving (COMPS) intervention—with appropriate fidelity. Additionally, the study explored the real-world experiences encountered by education major college students when implementing the intervention in schools and examined practical factors influencing the implementation of mathematics EBPs in rural educational settings. The findings provide insights into effective strategies for improving IF in educational interventions and highlight the challenges and successes of implementation in real-world contexts.