The statewide BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Re-Entry Consulting Program created the original Return to Learn Concussion Management Team (CMT) model in 2013 in Pennsylvania to assist students with concussion return to school and to facilitate a screening process for students who require higher level BrainSTEPS Program consultation. Over 1,300 Return to Learn teams have been trained. Colorado adopted the model and began training CMTs in 2017. CMTs serve as the 1st layer of student support following concussion at the school-building level.

All teams consist of at least one Academic Monitor and one Symptom Monitor who agree to manage the student's educational program over the course of recovery. CMTs support students returning to the demands of school while promoting recovery. CMTs evaluate data from the academic and symptom monitoring tools weekly to make decisions regarding the need to adjust academics until recovery.



Agreement for All School-Based Concussion Team Members Who Take Training:

  • Become part of the statewide Return to Learn Concussion Management Team network for ongoing updates and collaboration.
  • Refer any student who does not recover from a concussion in 4-6 weeks to the local BrainSTEPS team at www.brainsteps.net.
  • Participate in scheduled monthly BrainSTEPS sponsored statewide: Concussion Management Team Conference Calls.
  • Complete follow-up on-line implementation surveys emailed to all CMT members at 3 months and 9 months post training.

Return to Learn Concussion Teams are not BrainSTEPS teams

BrainSTEPS Team: Consultation and training available for all severities of student acquired brain injuries including concussions. Return to Learn Concussion Management Teams: School-based and are only trained to manage student concussions for the initial 4-6 weeks post-concussion.

By forming a BrainSTEPS sponsored Return to Learn Concussion Management Team, your school will receive:

  • BrainSTEPS and Department of Education created Return to Learn Protocol for schools
  • Return to Learn Concussion Monitoring Toolkit which includes:
    • Academic Monitoring Tool
    • Symptom Monitoring Tool Elementary
    • Symptom Monitoring Tool Middle/High
    • Teacher initial individualized initial academic adjustment letters based on phase of recovery
    • Parent letter
  • Ongoing support for formation of district wide implementation of procedures and policies from the Program Coordinator via regularly scheduled state conference calls.
  • Consultation and training support from regional BrainSTEPS Teams if a student has not recovered in 4-6 weeks.
  • BrainSTEPS monitoring for all referred students (even if recovered) annually until graduation to ensure as the brain develops, new cognitive or behavioral issues are supported.

Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for letting us share their videos:


  • CDC HEADS UP campaign
  • Concussion Legacy Foundation
  • Kami and Lucy Kaczanowicz

Course Outline

Janet Tyler

Introduction to the Return to Learn CMT Training
Presented by Janet Tyler, Ph.D., CBIST

15 Minutes
Mark Halstead

Concussions: What You Need to Know From a Medical Perspective
Presented by Mark Halstead, MD

45 Minutes
Brenda Eagan

Concussions: What You Need to Know From an Educational Perspective
Presented by Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Ed.D., CBIST

20 Minutes

Academic Planning for the Return to Learn Concussion Management Team - Part 1
Presented by Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Ed.D., CBIST

50 Minutes

Academic Planning for the Return to Learn Concussion Management Team - Part 2
Presented by Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Ed.D., CBIST

67 Minutes

Academic Planning for the Return to Learn Concussion Management Team - Part 3
Presented by Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Ed.D., CBIST and Janet Tyler, Ph.D., CBIST

56 Minutes

Concussion Return to Learn Protocol & Monitoring Toolkit Utilization
Presented by Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Ed.D., CBIST

51 Minutes