Dr. McGinnis-Smith earned a PhD in special education with emphasis in EBD at the University of Iowa and an administrator certification from Drake University. She is coauthor of the social skills teaching series "Skillstreaming." She also coauthored with Richard Simpson "Skillstreaming Children and Youth with High Functioning Autism…

Approaches to identify and support student social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) needs are necessary to the provision of school-based prevention and intervention services. Limited information exists, however, regarding the current use of SEB practices such as screening in schools. The purpose of The National Exploration of Emotional/Behavioral…

This study addressed the concept of 'intersectionality' relating to refugee status and disability. It examined whether differences in attitudes depending on disability type (physical disability vs. behavioural disorders) are present and how the refugee status and disability in girls interact to influence attitudes. The attitudes of 1377…

Alternative schools serve over 612,900 youth, or about 1.3 percent of the total US school population. These institutions segregate and contain students subjectively viewed as having an intellectual or emotional/behavioral disability. They are often seen as dumping grounds, especially for low-income racialized youth and those labeled with a…

As schools across the United States move toward more inclusive models and as caseloads for special education teachers increase, special education paraprofessionals are being hired to fill service delivery gaps. Most often, paraprofessionals are asked to provide social and behavioral support to students with disabilities, and much of their time is…

Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) continue to have poor transition outcomes despite the continued advancement of evidence-based transition planning practices. Strategies tailored to the specific needs of students with EBD must be researched and disseminated to practitioners. A social capital approach to transition planning…

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…

Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) endure adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other traumatic experiences at higher rates than their non-disabled peers. Staff who work with these students can experience compassion fatigue, contributing to staff attrition and burnout. Trauma-informed care practices show promise in…

Multi-informant reports of student emotional and behavioral problems determine eligibility for school-based services; however, multiple informants often yield inconsistent reports of child concerns. Informant discrepancies are thought to reflect either measurement error or meaningful differences (e.g., situational variation). It is important to…

Several mental health programs have been developed in clinics and transported into schools, which has great potential for increasing access to intervention for students who may not be otherwise served. However, such programs may lack consideration of the complexity and constraints of schools, including the diversity of student needs and…

The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the "Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance -- Third Edition: Rating Scale" (SAED-3 RS), which is designed for use in identifying students with emotional disturbance for special education services. The purposes of this study were to evaluate (a) the measurement invariance…

In order to properly understand and compare traditional and innovative assessment techniques for students with disabilities, we must be able to access examples of how they work in a logical and thoughtful sequence. This finely curated collection of thirteen chapters presents ideas and research on different disability topics from key leaders in the…

Discipline decisions regarding students with exceptionalities are complex. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) includes regulations that may safeguard educational access and opportunities through the manifestation determination (MD) process. Professionals knowledge, skill, and advocacy may also play a role in the…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of PDT on the impulsive choice-making of young children with EBD who have difficulty waiting quietly and safely in the absence of other activities or stimuli. Specifically, we aimed to answer the question, does PDT with a school rule-following requirement increase delays at which young children…

School policies are largely driven by perceptions and expectations for how students should behave academically and socially, yet these practices often lack the cultural relevance and sustainability required to support racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RELD) students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral dis/orders (EBD).…