Social, emotional, and behavioral problems present many issues and concerns for youth, families, and schools. Schools have adopted various frameworks of prevention and intervention meant to assist with such concerns. Two widely used frameworks are positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and social-emotional learning (SEL). The…

What do teachers perceive to be the impact of positive behavior management systems on supporting teachers, students, and families? This research investigated the implementation and impact of school-wide positive behavior support systems as a crucial approach to addressing behavior challenges and supporting both teachers and students. Recognizing…

This study examines whether Positive Behavior Interventions can support student performance in schools in three Southern districts. Schools today seek opportunities for interventions to support student behaviors and increase engagement. Three school districts in the southeast of the United States have been trained to implement a schoolwide…

In this study, we examined the extent to which educators believe students with complex support needs (CSN) participate in and benefit from practices associated with school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). We conducted a survey of 622 teachers in the United States and analyzed responses according to the implementation…

A common consequence for students who engage in disruptive behaviors at school is their removal from the instructional environment. Depending on the frequency and/or intensity of the disruptive behavior, this removal occurs from classrooms (e.g., office discipline referrals), school buildings (e.g., suspensions), or districts (e.g., expulsions).…

The focus of this doctoral project was to investigate the implementation of a new behavioral management system, Positive Behaviors Intervention and Support (PBIS), by the teaching staff in grades K-6 at a specific school. The aim of PBIS is to create a consistent set of behavior expectations across the entire campus, rather than just within…

Disruptive behaviors are some of the most difficult behaviors for teachers to address in schools. They can take multiple forms in the classroom, and can impact the student displaying them, as well the rest of the learning environment in terms of academic engagement. Disruptive behaviors are believed to be displayed by students for the purpose of…

It is important classroom teachers have efficient tools to support student demonstration of expected classroom behaviors as contextually inappropriate behavior can impede learning. This is of particular importance in secondary settings given overreliance on punitive strategies (e.g., suspension). Interdependent group contingencies have been shown…

Previous research has shown that disruptive behavior can impair students' academic success (Pierce et al. in Remedial Spec Educ 25:175-188, 2004, https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325040250030501), as well as increase teacher's stress level (Westling in Remedial Spec Educ 31:48-63, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932508327466). The Class Pass…

One successful approach for proactively reducing problem behavior is the use of a multitiered system of supports (MTSS). MTSS is usually comprised of three tiers, with an increasing intensity of support at each tier to meet student needs. Tier 1 includes preventive strategies staff implement with all students. Typically, Tier 2 behavioral…

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based practice that promotes positive academic and behavioral outcomes for all students and is intended to support the needs of all students across three tiers of support. However, research suggests students with complex support needs have limited access to Tier 1 PBIS. Teachers'…

Identification and validation of effective Tier 2 interventions that address a wide range of student-level factors is critical to the sustainability of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). Within the context of Check-in Check-out (CICO), function of behavior affects outcomes for many students, especially for those who engage in…

Behavior-specific praise is an evidenced-based and effective classroom and behavior management strategy. Despite the effectiveness of behavior-specific praise, low rates of classroom implementation and expressed needs for additional professional learning on classroom and behavior management strategies persist. School leaders can use existing staff…

The effects of imposing accountability pressures on public school teachers are empirically indeterminate. In this paper, we study the effects of accountability in the context of teacher responses to student behavioral infractions in the aftermath of teacher evaluation reforms. We leverage cross-state variation in the timing of state policy…

Middle school is a cornerstone for success in high school. However, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement of adolescents often decline as they transition from elementary to middle school, resulting in lower school grades and more challenging behaviors, especially for adolescents with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders…