Indiana is piloting implementation of the State’s Pyramid Model framework during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years across Local Education Agencies, community-based childcare, and Head Start programs. This pilot includes two years of support from Program Coaches to Local Coaches at implementation sites beginning in June and running through May of the following year.
Why become an Indiana Pyramid Model Site?
- Access to the Pyramid Model Implementation Data System (PIDS), paid for by the state.
- Access to the Indiana Pyramid Model Implementation Center through training and coaching.
- Ability to apply for Indiana Pyramid Model grants though the state, awarded annually.
- Invitations to the Annual Celebration, including the potential for state recognition, speaking engagements, and prizes.
- Research finds that all children in the Pyramid Model classrooms were rated as having greater growth in their social skills than children in the control classrooms.
- One study shows teachers who received training and coaching in the Pyramid Model implemented the Pyramid Model practices and continued to use them a year after coaching ended.
Interested in learning more about becoming an implementation site? Contact the State Leadership Team at [email protected].
Indiana’s Professional Development and support structure for Pyramid Model Implementation consists of a four leveled approach for training, coaching, and support.
Level 1 State Leadership Team The State Leadership Team is comprised of several state agency representatives responsible for developing policies and procedures, securing funding, and aligning the vision needed to support Indiana’s Pyramid Model scale‑up and long‑term sustainability.
Level 2 Program Coaches Program coaches are responsible for the train‑the‑trainer component, providing technical assistance to local coaches as they navigate implementation with their sites.
Level 3 Local Coaches Local coaches are responsible for training all implementing classroom teachers and ensuring the fidelity of practice.
Level 4 Pyramid Model Practitioners Pyramid model practitioners are the implementing classroom teachers. They receive training and guidance from the local coaches (Level 3).
Critical Elements of Program-Wide Implementation
This is a roadmap for organizations to successfully adopt and sustain the Pyramid Model. It’s ideal for anyone looking to understand the critical steps and best practices for program-wide implementation in early childhood settings.
Implementation Site Agreement
This is an agreement between local early education programs and Indiana’s Pyramid Model State Leadership Team, outlining mutual commitments for implementing the Pyramid Model with fidelity.
Implementation Manual
This is a comprehensive guide for Indiana early childhood programs seeking to implement the Pyramid Model, a framework designed to promote young children’s well-being and address challenging behaviors.
PIDS Program Data Collection
This is an agreement between Indiana’s Pyramid Model State Leadership Team and local early education programs, outlining mutual responsibilities, funding, training, and data-sharing requirements to ensure consistent and high-quality implementation of the Pyramid Model across Indiana
Program Benchmarks of Quality
This is a checklist tool for early childhood programs implementing the Pyramid Model, outlining critical elements and specific benchmarks to assess and guide high-quality, inclusive practices.
Indiana Pyramid Model Initial Implementation Plan
This plan is a month‑by‑month guide outlining required staffing, training, coaching, and data activities for Indiana Pyramid Model programs to implement with fidelity.
Program Pyramid Model Sustainability Template
This template helps programs plan and sustain long‑term, high‑fidelity Pyramid Model implementation across leadership, workforce, data, resources, policies, and family engagement.
Local Coach Guide
This guide provides local coaches with an overview of the Pyramid Model and outlines their roles and responsibilities.
Program Coach – Local Coach Agreement
This agreement fosters collaboration by outlining responsibilities of each role and a commitment to the coaching model.
Practitioner – Local Coach Agreement
This agreement fosters collaboration by outlining responsibilities of each role and a commitment to the coaching model.
Example Local Coach Schedule
This is a tool to support local coaches in ensuring their time is spent building an effective workforce, improving nurturing environments and responsive relationships, and working on targeted supports and intensive interventions.
The Look, Think, Act: Coaching Classroom Teachers
This is a tool that provides local coaches with coaching strategy that aligns with Pyramid Model implementation in the classroom.
Preparing for the Pyramid: Classroom Essentials
This is checklist that can be used as a tool to identify six classroom components essential for successful Pyramid Model classroom implementation.
