An outcome evaluation presented to the Virginia Beach School Board found measurable improvements tied to three behavioral and mental health initiatives — Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST), Communities in Schools (CIS), and the BASE program — and the administration agreed to continue the programs with targeted modifications.

Research staff reported that overall staff perceptions improved year-over-year: about 79–80% of staff agreed there are supports at their school for student behavioral and mental health needs, and 66–68% reported being satisfied with the supports. Division-wide indicators showed declines in reported suicide risk assessments and a seven‑percentage‑point drop in chronic absenteeism for 2024–25 compared with 2022–23.

BIST: Implemented at five elementary schools in 2023–24 (three additional schools in 2025–26), BIST emphasizes early intervention, predictable classroom routines, common language, and safe/"focus" rooms to teach replacement skills. Staff surveys of BIST schools showed high satisfaction with the approach; monitoring discipline data for BIST schools showed larger decreases in the percentage of students with multiple referrals or suspensions compared with the division overall.

CIS (Communities in Schools): Coordinators employed by Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads provide school-wide outreach and individualized student support. In 2024–25 coordinators ran 129 school-wide events with about 6,000 total student attendances, and 552 students received individualized supports. Where CIS focused on attendance goals, five of eight schools with attendance goals showed greater gains than the division in percent of students attending 90% of days enrolled; parent awareness metrics for family engagement also rose at CIS schools.

BASE (behavior and social-emotional program): BASE, a six- to nine-week intervention located at Windsor Oaks for general-education elementary students who need intensive behavioral supports, served 29 students in 2024–25. Analyses comparing BASE participants with matched comparison groups showed meaningful declines in referrals and suspensions through the quarter in which the student returned to the home school. A longitudinal look indicated some rebound in disciplinary events at the start of the next year for former BASE students, suggesting the transition back to the home school requires strengthened follow-up support. Staff and parent surveys of BASE were generally positive: 64% of staff reported satisfaction, and all parents who completed the item said the program was helpful for their child.

Costs and funding: The three initiatives combined required significant staff resources but were partially supported by external funding (Title grants, DoDEA and other grants, and Communities in Schools funding). The report listed approximately $775,000 paid by VBCPS in 2024–25 after external funding allocations; administration noted a large share of costs were grant‑supported.

Recommendations and administrative response: The evaluation recommended continuing BIST, CIS and BASE with enhancements: ensure consistent BIST implementation across staff; strengthen communication between CIS coordinators and school staff about which students receive services; and ensure receiving teachers get BASE students' transition plans and strategies at the start of the next school year. Administration concurred and committed to more coaching, better communication with principals and teachers, and improved transition reports for returning BASE students.

Next steps: Staff will implement recommended communication improvements, provide follow-up coaching for BIST schools, and monitor outcomes; board members asked for more disaggregated teacher/teacher-assistant response rates and site-level participation details in future reports.