African American students continue to be suspended at rates disproportionate to same-aged peers. The purpose of this study is to use empirical evidence to determine the associated influence of restorative justice (RJ) on a large urban district by studying discipline gap data for the 3 years before and after implementation. Results of the study…

Implementation of a culturally responsive positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework is associated with positive outcomes for secondary students when implemented schoolwide. Yet, educators often report more implementation challenges in secondary school as compared to elementary school settings. Difficulties obtaining student…

Positive behavioral support is an approach that uses the principles of applied behavior analysis and system changes to improve individuals' quality of life and reduce problem behaviors. In positive behavior support, it is aimed to determine the functions of the problem behaviors of the child and to gain appropriate behaviors that meet the same…

Research suggests (a) students benefit when educators implement positive and proactive classroom behavior support practices (e.g., maximizing structure, teaching expected behaviors, delivering engaging instruction) and (b) educators benefit when school leadership teams invest in positive and proactive professional development support systems…

As public schools in the U.S. are becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), there has been an effort to generate empirical support for culturally responsive practices in schools to promote a variety of positive outcomes for children (e.g., behavioral health, mental health, academic achievement). School psychologists can…

Managing problematic classroom behavior is a challenge for many teachers, regardless of population. The website, www.basicfba.com, designed by researchers at Portland State University, offers teachers and practitioners a wealth of materials to assist them in conducting and maintaining a functional behavior assessment and behavior support plan.…

School climate has received considerable attention in the literature and educational policy as a potential target for school improvement and school safety efforts. This paper provides a critical review and synthesis of the literature on school climate, with a particular focus on topics related to measurement, data collection, analysis, as well as…

The field of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) has grown and changed significantly in the past 25 years and should be expected to continue that trend for the next 25 years. These changes cannot always be predicted, but they can be managed by considering some current changes to the definition of PBS (Kincaid et al., 2016). This paper discussed how…

Students who are at risk for or show low-intensity behavioral problems may need targeted, Tier 2 interventions. Often, Tier 2 problem-solving teams are charged with monitoring student responsiveness to intervention. This process may be difficult for those who are not trained in data collection and analysis procedures. To aid practitioners in these…

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between implementation fidelity of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) and student outcomes over time. The sample included 477 K-12 schools across 10 states implementing SWPBIS for varying numbers of years and at varying levels of fidelity (but with 78% of…

Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS) is a framework for establishing a schoolwide positive social culture with a continuum of behavior supports and an effective learning environment for all students. This framework was initially implemented in elementary and middle schools and more recently in high schools. Coaches for…

Implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) in K-12 schools is well documented in the literature. However, far less documentation can be found in the literature related to its implementation with students with significant intellectual and other developmental disabilities being served in either typical or…

Closing the U.S. academic achievement gap is as complex as it is comprehensive due to the disproportion of instructional opportunities available to underserved student populations. Underserved student populations are defined as minority and/or students of color from low-socioeconomic families and communities, English language learners and recent…

Numerous evidence-based classroom management strategies to prevent and respond to problem behavior have been identified, but research consistently indicates teachers rarely implement them with sufficient implementation fidelity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation planning, a strategy involving logistical…

Research has shown principal support to be a critical variable for implementing and sustaining evidence-based practices. However, there remains little understanding of the factors that may influence a principal's personal decision to support a practice. The purpose of the current study was to examine events that influenced principals' support for…