AS SEEN IN:
Forbes
•
NPR
•
PBS
•
People
•
NBC
•
ABC
•
CBS
•
Forbes • NPR • PBS • People • NBC • ABC • CBS •
MTSS, I&RS & School Consulting That Builds Skills, Not Just Systems
Better Student Support Starts with Understanding the Brain.
Is your school spending more time responding to student behavior than building the skills students need to succeed?
Are your teachers overwhelmed, your intervention teams overloaded, or your MTSS and I&RS processes becoming more about paperwork than progress?
You're not alone. And you don't need another complicated initiative.
Led by pediatric neuropsychologist and Raising Brains® creator Dr. Sarah Allen, our school consulting and professional development services help districts strengthen student support systems, build educator confidence, and turn neuroscience into practical interventions.
We help schools move beyond managing behavior to identifying and teaching the executive functioning, emotional regulation, and learning skills students need for success.
Let's Build a System That Works for Your School.
Dr. Sarah Allen providing brain-based professional development for teachers and schools
Stop Managing Behavior. Start Building Skills.
Traditional student support systems often focus on what students are doing wrong.
But behavior is the end of the story, not the beginning.
At Raising Brains®, we help educators look beneath the behavior to understand what's happening in the brain and identify the skills students need to develop.
Our practical Behavior → Brain → Skill → Support framework gives school teams a common language and a structured approach to understanding student needs, selecting interventions, and supporting progress.
Instead of asking, "How do we stop this behavior?" we help teams ask:
"What skill is this student missing, and how do we teach it?"
The result is a more proactive, practical, and sustainable approach to student support—one that works with the systems schools already have rather than adding another initiative to an already full plate.
How We Help Schools & Districts
-
Turn referrals and meetings into meaningful interventions.
When student support systems aren't working efficiently, teachers become frustrated, teams become overwhelmed, and students can go too long without the right help.
We partner with schools to strengthen MTSS, I&RS, and student support team processes so educators can identify needs earlier, select targeted interventions, and monitor student progress.
Services include:
Reviewing existing referral and intervention procedures
Strengthening team structures and meeting processes
Identifying the skills underlying student challenges
Developing practical intervention menus and tools
Supporting progress monitoring and data-based decision-making
Building staff confidence and consistency across classrooms
-
Sometimes the problem isn't the student. It's the system supporting them.
We work with school leaders to identify barriers that make it difficult for teachers and students to succeed.
Through systems reviews, root-cause analysis, and collaborative planning, we help districts create actionable improvement plans aligned with their needs, resources, and priorities.
Services include:
Reviewing behavior, referral, and student support data
Identifying patterns and gaps in existing systems
Evaluating intervention structures and staff support
Developing schoolwide or districtwide strategic plans
Establishing implementation priorities and measurable goals
Providing ongoing consultation to support sustainable change
-
Behavior tells us something. The challenge is figuring out what.
Students don't automatically know how to regulate emotions, manage frustration, organize materials, shift attention, or solve problems. These are developing brain-based skills that require instruction and practice.
We help educators recognize the executive functioning and self-regulation skills behind classroom challenges and identify practical ways to teach them.
Services include:
Classroom behavior and executive functioning consultation
Skill-based intervention planning
Emotional regulation and problem-solving strategies
Classroom coaching and implementation support
Practical tools for teachers and intervention teams
-
Great strategies only work when teachers can actually use them.
Our professional development brings neuroscience out of textbooks and into real classrooms—without requiring teachers to earn a doctorate or find three extra hours in their day.
We provide engaging, practical training and ongoing coaching that helps educators understand the brain behind behavior and confidently build student skills.
Popular topics include:
Raising Brains®: Building Skills vs. Managing Behavior
Executive Functioning: The Skills Behind Student Success
Student Mental Health Through Skill Building
Practical Classroom Interventions
Supporting Neurodiverse Learners
Building Student Independence and Self-Regulation
Training can be provided as standalone professional development or integrated into a larger school improvement initiative.
-
Inclusion works best when educators have the tools and systems to make it successful.
We partner with schools to strengthen inclusive practices, support students with complex needs, and help educators create classroom environments where more students can succeed.
Services include:
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) consultation
Special education program reviews
Classroom and program consultation
Support for students with complex behavioral and learning needs
Professional development for general and special education staff
Neuropsychological and program evaluation services, where appropriate
Why Raising Brains®?
We Connect the Science, the Skills, and the Systems.
Schools don't need more complicated programs. They need a better understanding of what students need—and practical ways to provide it.
Raising Brains® combines neuroscience, executive functioning, child development, and real-world school experience to help educators make meaningful changes.
What makes our approach different?
Brain-Based, Not Just Behavior-Based
We help educators understand the developing brain and identify the skills driving student behavior.
Practical, Not Overwhelming
Our tools and strategies are designed for busy educators working in real classrooms with real challenges.
Systems-Focused, Not Another Initiative
We strengthen existing MTSS, I&RS, and school support processes rather than creating unnecessary layers of work.
Built for Long-Term Success
Through consultation, coaching, and professional development, we help schools build the internal capacity to support students long after our work together ends.
Because knowing how the brain works changes how we teach, how we respond, and what students believe they can achieve.
Meet Dr. Sarah Allen
Pediatric Neuropsychologist | School Consultant | Bestselling Author | Creator of Raising Brains®
Dr. Sarah Allen is a pediatric neuropsychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with children, families, educators, and school systems.
Her professional background includes school psychology, special education leadership, teacher supervision, neuropsychological assessment, and district consultation.
As the creator of Raising Brains® and Brainy Tales, Dr. Sarah has developed practical frameworks, educational resources, and professional learning programs that translate neuroscience into strategies educators can use.
Her work focuses on helping schools move beyond managing behavior to understanding the brain, building executive functioning skills, and creating systems that support student success.
Known for making complex brain science approachable, relatable, and even funny, Dr. Sarah believes educators shouldn't need a doctorate in neuroscience to understand how to help students succeed.
The goal isn't to give schools more to do. It's to help them make what they're already doing work better.
AS SEEN IN:
What People Are Saying
“Super informative, relevant, engaging and thought provoking.” - Deborah, Director of Special Education
“Exactly what we needed!!!!!” -Superintendent of Schools
“Sarah was great! She kept the talk engaging and interesting! A lot of great information and functional strategies were provided and I’m excited to try to implement some! THANK YOU!”
Check out this speaker. She has a lot of great information to share to help your school! - Stephanie Verbarg, Supervisor of Special Education
“A great presentation which gives brain structure/function information and how these structures can help/hinder a student's/adult's ability to handle/express emotions and successfully maneuver through their daily lives.”
“Connects the neurology and scientific workings of the brain to realistic and practical strategies to support educators, students, and the school community.” - Director of Pupil Services
Flexible Support for Schools & Districts
Every school is different. Your support should be, too.
Targeted Team Consultation
For schools looking to strengthen a specific area, such as I&RS procedures, MTSS interventions, executive functioning support, or classroom behavior strategies.
Professional Development & Coaching
For schools that want to build staff understanding, confidence, and practical skills through engaging training and ongoing implementation support.
Schoolwide or Districtwide Strategic Partnerships
For districts ready to take a comprehensive approach to student support, including systems analysis, strategic planning, team development, and sustained implementation.
Whether you need a single consultation or a multi-year partnership, we'll work together to develop a plan that fits your school.
Let's Talk About What Your District Needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an MTSS consultant do?
An MTSS consultant helps schools strengthen their systems for identifying student needs, selecting interventions, monitoring progress, and supporting teachers. Raising Brains® combines school systems consultation with neuroscience-informed approaches to executive functioning, student behavior, and skill development.
Can Raising Brains help improve our I&RS process in New Jersey?
Yes. Raising Brains works with New Jersey schools to strengthen Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) through team development, strategic planning, intervention support, and educator coaching.
How can schools reduce challenging behavior without adding another program?
Schools can begin by strengthening the way they identify and teach the skills underlying behavior. The Raising Brains® Behavior → Brain → Skill → Support framework helps educators identify developing skills and provide targeted instruction within existing classroom and student support systems.
Does Dr. Sarah Allen work with schools outside New Jersey?
Yes. Dr. Sarah provides speaking, professional development, and school consulting services for educators and school districts beyond New Jersey. Services can be customized based on district needs and the scope of the partnership.
Can Raising Brains support both general education and special education teams?
Yes. Raising Brains supports general education teachers, special education staff, child study teams, administrators, and student support personnel. The approach emphasizes collaboration, skill development, and practical interventions across educational settings.
Ready to Build Stronger Systems and More Successful Students?
Your teachers don't need another binder of strategies they'll never have time to use.
They need practical tools, effective support systems, and a better understanding of the brain behind student behavior.
Let's create a plan that works for your educators, your students, and your district.