Research suggests that a cycle of misbehavior can escalate quickly from corrections over minor rule infractions to threats of serious disciplinary consequences. There is also evidence that Black youth may be especially at risk for these escalations due to subtle or implicit racial bias, or cultural mismatches that may lead teachers to believe that…

Teachers and administrators in an urban, suburban, and rural school district on the east coast of the United States faced challenges implementing effective discipline policy interventions to manage student misbehavior. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of educators about the challenges of implementing discipline…

Disciplinary intervention is an important responsibility for teachers and administrators. Undesirable behavior must be addressed as it can cause disruptions to the learning environment and ultimately impede student learning and progress. A variety of punitive disciplinary interventions, ranging from time out to exclusionary practices such as…

Students who display problematic behavior in schools are subject to punitive disciplinary responses, such as detention and suspension, which typically lead to more serious academic and behavioral difficulties. There is evidence that alternative responses to problematic behavior, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and mindfulness…

According to the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS; 2022) three notable discipline problems reported by public schools including acts of disrespect toward teachers, verbal abuse towards teachers, and widespread disorder in classrooms has been consistently increasing over the last decade (U.S. Department of Education, 2022). Noncontingent…

This report investigates the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on school discipline. It highlights the challenges faced by educators, including increased student problem behaviors due to disruptions in traditional schooling. The study evaluates how different tiers of…

High rates of teacher turnover are of critical concern for education agencies on a national level. When surveyed, teachers commonly report that student problem behavior is a primary motivator for leaving the profession. Previous research indicates that efforts to promote classroom management skills that address disruptive student behavior may…

Violence by K-12 students is disturbingly common. Ensuring that schools have effective ways to identify and prevent such incidents is becoming increasingly important. Various concerning behaviors or disturbing communications, including direct threats, can precede acts of violence. Although removing every student exhibiting such behaviors might…

In contrast with professional norms and best practices, the legal requirements for functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavior intervention plans (BIPs) are meager in scope and specificity (Collins & Zirkel, 2017). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act makes no mention of FBAs or BIPs, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

The cross-sectionality of reading deficits and problem behavior begets many concerns including how exclusionary discipline is funneling Black students with reading deficits along the school-to-prison pipeline. Using a qualitative case study approach, this study investigated reading teachers' reports of the barriers they experience in predominantly…

The purpose of this study was to examine how to restore a child's social-emotional well being. As an administrator in a middle school, I have the opportunity to see the natural state that our children are in on a daily basis. I have observed over time, more specifically since COVID-19, that children are struggling to balance their emotions, their…

Using a mixed-methods approach in a predominantly African-American school district, a set of qualitative studies were conducted to establish priority areas for school-based interventions to curtail the use of exclusionary practices with African-American students exhibiting disruptive behavior. Study 1 employed concept-mapping methodology with a…

This study examined the impact of the Positive Behavioral Management Strategies (PBMS) online educational program on 624 participants in the southeastern region of the United States. The PBMS program incorporates established behavioral management principles with new research-based practices to promote healthy, positive relationships between adults…

Background: Few studies have considered policies which underpin the promotion of positive behaviour support (PBS). The present study examined policy beliefs about PBS and their relationship to restrictive practices. Methods: Discourse network analysis (a combination of critical discourse analysis and social network analysis) was used. Results: A…

This study examined the impact of a classroom-level component of The Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA), an instructional and restorative alternative to exclusionary discipline, on student behaviors and school discipline practices in middle schools. Intervention implementation, classroom observations, and all other data collection…