There have been an increasing number of incidents in which school resource officers (SRO) have been used to manage student disciplinary issues with disastrous results. Court cases brought by parents and advocacy groups claim SROs have traumatized and injured students. This article addresses several critical issues concerning SROs being used to…

Zero-tolerance policies have created schools that are often intolerant and destructive to children and communities. High rates of suspension and expulsion of students are associated with negative outcomes and school dropout. New approaches to staff development that create positive school communities are essential in stemming the…

Positive behavior interventions and Supports (PBIS) programs are being introduced in school districts throughout Illinois and the rest of the United States, resulting in decreased behavioral incidents and increased academic achievement. Programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing benefit from implementation of this type of…

This paper describes a schoolwide staff development model based on a proactive instructional approach to solving problem behavior. Discussion focuses on comparison with traditional models of staff development, reactive approaches to school discipline, and students with diverse learning and behavioral histories. (DB)

Describing the state of the science of ABA, this comprehensive handbook provides detailed information about theory, research, and intervention. The contributors are leading ABA authorities who present current best practices in behavioral assessment and demonstrate evidence-based strategies for supporting positive behaviors and reducing problem…

One approach to student behavior that may be particularly useful in exclusionary settings is school-wide positive behavior supports (PBS). Increasingly, evidence shows that PBS is an effective approach to student behavior in regular public schools (Sugai & Horner, 2005). While the data on behavioral systems in exclusionary schools are…

An adapted version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to collect data regarding three types of job satisfaction: general, intrinsic, and extrinsic among high school assistant principals in Mississippi. Forty-nine percent of the 245 assistant principals surveyed participated in the study. Results indicated a high degree of…

Using ethnographic techniques, this article explores the complex interaction of control and caring in two alternative education programs for students resisting traditional schooling in Cincinnati (Ohio) Public Schools, a predominantly low-income, African-American urban school district. A community-based orientation for staff proves essential in…

The purpose of this pilot study was to review the effects of professional staff training in crisis management and de-escalation techniques on the use of seclusion timeout and restraint procedures with at-risk students in a K-12 special day school. An exploratory pre-post study was conducted over a two-year period, comparing the use of these…

To translate the concept of a conflict resolution curriculum into everyday practice, teachers can identify their own filters and agendas in conflicts; examine the classroom environment; and refine their interaction skills. (LB)

The Iowa Behavioral Initiative is a staff development venture designed to help educators with the increasingly complex student behaviors which seem to defy former standards of intervention. Participation in the Initiative activities provides general and special educators with practical, validated strategies for dealing with student behavior…

Written primarily for teachers and educators, school administrators and personnel, policy makers, and parents, this book discusses the alternative control procedures available to educators faced with student behavior problems and presents one set--those related to problem management--as most effective. The authors' Systematic Management Plan for…

The Montana Behavioral Initiative (MBI) was developed in 1995 in response to increased incidents of student behavior problems. The intent of MBI is to improve educational environments to meet the needs of all students, including those with behavioral challenges. Each participating school conducts needs assessments and develops site-specific goals…

Four articles in this special section discuss (1) ideas for making discipline a positive experience for child care staff and children (Karen Stephens); (2) scenarios illustrating the power of adult messages to children (Karen Stephens); (3) classroom environments that facilitate positive discipline (Marjorie K. Kostelnik); and (4) strategies for…

The first of three interactive staff development units on discipline in early childhood classrooms, this multi-media pack explores how to evaluate the attitudes teachers take into the classroom, and how to "reframe" those attitudes so teachers can effectively manage--rather than try to eliminate--conflict. The 25-minute teaching videotape examines…