In education, we often celebrate innovation—new programs, promising practices, or districtwide initiatives launched with enthusiasm. But the true mark of success isn’t what starts strong—it’s what lasts and transforms student outcomes over time. Sustainability is the bridge between good intentions and lasting impact. And, according to a growing body of research in implementation science, sustainability isn’t an accident—it’s a product of intentional planning, capacity building, and systems alignment. Implementation is ongoing and never-ending. Even after adult behavior changes, it must be supported through continuous reinforcement and recalibration to ensure consistency in practice. Sustaining implementation requires systems that not only help adults follow through on core practices but also bring new team members on board and equip them to implement with fidelity over time. Without this cycle of support, the consistency needed to produce outcomes for students begins to unravel.

Why Sustainability Matters

Sustainability in education refers to the ability of an initiative, program, or practice to be maintained over time and to continue producing positive outcomes for students. This requires systems, leadership, and policies that continue to prioritize the implementation of a specific program or practice. When we fail to consider sustainability from the start, we risk short-lived efforts that dissolve with leadership changes, budget shifts, or staff turnover. When we plan for it intentionally, we create the conditions for durable and meaningful change. This stage represents a critical shift from active deployment to long-term integration.

What Implementation Science Tells Us

Implementation science emphasizes that sustainability isn’t a phase after implementation—it’s built into the implementation process itself. Fixsen et al. (2005) outline the importance of implementation drivers (competency, organization, and leadership) and stress that sustainability depends on aligning these drivers with long-term goals. In the broader implementation literature, these drivers are referred to as implementation strategies that reflect what leaders have control over to facilitate implementation outcomes such as fidelity and sustainability. 

Key factors that support sustainability include:

• Well-defined implementation initiative that has operationalized core practices and programming, including roles and responsibilities, and outcomes to be achieved
• Ongoing and embedded professional learning and coaching to maintain staff capacity
• Leadership support at multiple levels
• Data systems that inform continuous improvement (fidelity monitoring and outcome evaluation)
• Adaptability to local context without drifting from the fidelity of core practices and programming (flexibility within fidelity)

Lessons from PBIS Research

Dr. Kent McIntosh’s research on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) has conducted research that has generated valuable insights into what supports sustained implementation in schools. His work has identified the following conditions as most predictive of sustainability:

• Administrative leadership that actively champions the work, including how to make the system less vulnerable to administrative turnover
• Dedicated time for implementation team collaboration to plan systems that support implementation and adult behavior change
• Ongoing professional development to deepen competence and consistency in delivering core practices with fidelity
• Alignment with school priorities and other initiatives and staying the course with the implementation effort (prevent the flavor of the month phenomenon) 
• Mechanisms to onboard new staff and prevent knowledge loss over time

McIntosh and colleagues also emphasize that sustainability is closely tied to improved outcomes for students. Schools that maintain core PBIS practices over time show stronger reductions in problem behaviors and increases in school climate and academic engagement.

Sustainability Starts from the Start

In education, we can’t say anything has truly sustained until it has survived a summer. Our school calendars are uniquely structured—we take a long break, return months later, and hope to pick up where we left off. But all too often, this pause leads to implementation drift or shifting priorities that push once-important initiatives to the margins. Planning for sustainability means expecting and preparing for this natural disruption.

It’s also important to remember: sustainability doesn’t just mean continuing a program—it means sustaining what works. True sustainability happens when a school system achieves high-fidelity implementation that leads to measurable improvements in student outcomes. Schools shouldn’t aim to sustain practices that are inconsistently delivered or ineffective. The goal is to ensure that impactful practices are embedded, supported, and produce the results we hope for long after the launch phase.

One of the most powerful insights from implementation research is this: if we want to sustain the work, we must start with the end in mind. That means asking not only, "How do we launch this well?" but also, "How will we keep this going three years from now, when staffing has changed and attention has shifted?"

Sustainability Checklist: Start With the End in Mind

Use this checklist to build sustainability into your implementation planning:

In addition to the checklist, here are some key questions to guide critical conversations needed during the sustainability stage of the implementation process. Answers to these questions ensure that leaders and staff and considering what is needed to drive sustainability and continue to achieve a return on the investment of time, resources, and energy. 

Free Reproducible from Solution Tree, from Implement with IMPACT.

Access the Sustainability Checklist

Access the Sustainability Questions 

Closing Thought

Sustainability isn’t just about keeping an initiative alive—it’s about ensuring that what we invest in continues to matter for students year after year. By building with the long view in mind, we give ourselves the best chance to see the outcomes we hope for take root and grow over time. Sustainability isn’t a finish line. It’s a way of doing the work from day one.

Ready to take the next step in building strong, sustainable systems of support in your school or district? Explore our MTSS implementation page, preview samples of our multi-tiered solutions, or book a call with a CharacterStrong Implementation Consultant to learn how we can help bring this work to life in your community.