Children from diverse backgrounds are more likely to receive special education services for emotional or behavioral disorders. These data validate the research that advocates for practitioners to use evidence-based and culturally sustaining practices. This article discusses how strategically implemented, evidence-based, and culturally sustaining…

A critical component of any school-based prevention program is early identification of student risk as reported by Lane et al. (Remedial and Special Education 32:39-54, 2011). While screening for academic risk has grown in the last decade, screening for behavioral risk has remained stagnant. Few schools systematically screen for behavioral and…

Despite schools increasingly adopting multitiered systems of support (MTSS) for prevention and intervention of mental health concerns, many are slow to adopt universal mental health screening (UMHS), a core MTSS feature, due to concerns about their limited capacity to meet the needs of all identified. In this study, we examined differences in the…

Researchers have suggested that screening, identification, and treatment are important components of comprehensive systems of positive behavior support. The authors highlight a procedure for using multiple data sources to develop strategies at the universal intervention level. Examples of schoolwide assessments include interviews, observations,…

A study involving 11 elementary and 9 middle schools illustrates how office discipline referrals can be used to indicate the status of school-wide discipline, and how schools can use the information to modify their universal interventions for all students and their targeted interventions for students with severe behavior problems. (Contains…

The report of the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE) is questioned with reference to the achievement gap it identifies, its recommendations regarding prevention, its suggestion that many students are misidentified, and its concern for over identification of African American students in the category of emotional and…

This article presents a prereferral assessment and intervention process implemented in an elementary school. Included in the description are procedures, examples of record forms, and a case study illustrating the operation of the process. The advantages and disadvantages of the process, as perceived by the faculty and staff, are listed. (Contains…

This practicum involved development and implementation of an inservice training workshop on behavior management in the high school setting. Participants were five teachers with students who exhibited challenging behaviors. Prior to the workshop, a needs assessment was conducted which found that the school had a high rate of referral and placement…

The research evaluation project attempted to assess the effectiveness of new state (Kansas) guidelines for determining eligibility and placement of students in the areas of learning disabilities (LD), behavioral disorders (BD), and speech/language; and to assess the effectiveness of preassessment instructional programming options and screening…

This report discusses the outcomes of two studies that investigated the effectiveness of the Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative (SS/HSI), a federal grant program designed to promote healthy childhood development and prevent violence and substance abuse. The first study, titled "Results of a Longitudinal Study of Disciplinary Referrals…

This handbook is intended to assist Ohio educators in identifying students for placement in classes for individuals with severe behavior handicaps. The following topics are discussed: (1) definition of severe behavior handicapped, with examples and discussion of five characteristics and three qualifiers; (2) alternatives to referral, with examples…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the effectiveness of the Preschool and Early Childhood Functional Assessment Scale (PECFAS) Screener, an assessment designed to assist in the early identification of mental health concerns in preschool-aged children. Formed in 1993, the Putting All Communities Together 4 Families…

A study of an innovative home-school preventative project in Britain designed to work with families with children seen to be at risk of developing long-term behavior problems concluded that the project has potential for wider development, although short-term funding and inappropriate referrals inhibit its capacity to produce sustainable outcomes.…