Classroom management (CM) practices have a well-established, intuitive, and empirical connection with student academic, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. CM, defined as educator practices used to create supportive classroom environments, may be the implementation factor that is most impactful of the universal Tier I supports. Recognizing…

A line of research has supported the development and validation of Direct Behavior Rating--Single Item Scales (DBR-SIS) for use in progress monitoring. Yet, this research was largely conducted within the general education setting with typically developing children. It is unknown whether the tool may be defensibly used with students exhibiting more…

The studies in this special series examine the effectiveness of direct behavior ratings (DBRs) for use as a progress monitoring tool. In this article, we comment on the findings of the studies in the context of the broader school-based assessment movement and discuss areas for future inquiry within this line of research.

Direct Behavior Ratings (DBRs) are behavioral assessment methods that combine the benefits of systematic direct observation and behavior rating scales. That is, DBRs involve the observation of operationally defined target behaviors during a prespecified observation period and the evaluation of those behaviors via brief ratings. In this way, DBR is…

Frequent formative assessment of students' functioning, or progress monitoring, is a critical component of multi-tiered systems of support as data inform data-driven decisions about response to treatment. Progress monitoring tools for students' academic and behavioral functioning are readily available and widely researched; however, despite the…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) has been proposed as a promising approach to assess student behavioral progress in classroom settings. The current study examines raters and occasions as well as their interactions as sources of error in the use of DBR--Multi-Item Scales (DBR-MIS) and DBR--Single-Item Scales (DBR-SIS) for academically engaged (AE) and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of two different Direct Behavior Rating--Single Item Scale (DBR-SIS) formats on rating accuracy. A total of 119 undergraduate students participated in one of two study conditions, each utilizing a different DBR-SIS scale format: one that included percentage of time anchors on the DBR-SIS…

Despite significant advancements in supporting students' social, emotional, and behavioral health in recent years, progress remains hindered by limited formative assessment options. The focus of this special issue is on applications for Direct Behavior Rating (DBR), which is a hybrid assessment method incorporating procedures utilized in direct…

Implementation of research-based, Tier 1 behavior management strategies can be monitored to provide data-driven feedback and in support of integrity. The "Measure of Active Supervision and Interaction" (MASI) was developed to measure four behavior management practices (i.e., Praise, Correction, References to Behavior Expectations, Active…

The purpose of this commentary is to provide observation on the contributions to the special issue and remark on the broader implications of the research. As noted throughout the special issue, the intent was to demonstrate the use of progress monitoring within a problem-solving framework to evaluate student social and behavioral development using…

To evaluate students' responsiveness to an intervention, both student outcome and implementer treatment integrity data are needed. Teachers are often asked to self-report treatment integrity data. However, when self-report responses are compared with those from a direct observer, it is apparent that teachers commonly overestimate the extent to…

Many schools attempt to identify and service students at risk for poor mental health outcomes within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Universal screening within a MTSS requires technically adequate tools. The Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) has been put forth as a technically adequate screener. Researchers…

Direct behavior rating (DBR) may be a viable assessment for documenting current areas of impaired functioning and progress monitoring students' response to a behavioral intervention. Challenging behaviors are often addressed in general education settings using interventions such as the daily report card (DRC). To best implement and monitor such…

This study examined the treatment sensitivity of "Direct Behavior Rating-Single Item Scales" (DBR-SIS) in response to an evidence-based intervention delivered in a single-case, multiple-baseline design. DBR-SIS was used as a formative assessment in conjunction with a frequently used intervention in schools, a Daily Behavior Report Card…

The present study reports on the psychometric defensibility of the Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Screener (PWDS), which is a 10-item self-report behavior rating scale for measuring youth's bidimensional (also known as dual-factor or two-continua) mental health. The PWDS was developed using preexisting items within the Health Behavior in…