The School-wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support model (SWPBIS) continues to gain widespread use across schools in the U.S. and abroad. However, despite its widespread use across schools and the large body of research demonstrating its utility, little research has examined the implementation process to see what factors contribute or inhibit its successful implementation. Informed by Rogers’ diffusion theory, this study examined factors that may influence the sustained implementation of the SWPBIS. These factors are relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialibility, and observability. Results of this study indicated that the relative advantage and observability of SWPBIS may explain school personnel’s willingness to continue with its implementation. These results led to some important implications for practitioners involved in the implementation of the SWPBIS. Limitations and recommendations for future research are also provided.

Middle school special education teachers are often concerned about challenging behavior. In recent years, school wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has been shown to be effective in improving students behavior. Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a SWPBS-based program designed to for implementation at the classroom level. CW-FIT utilizes an interdependent group contingency by utilizing social skills training, teacher praise, and positive reinforcement to improve students behavior. Students are taught how to achieve specific social skills and then work in teams, using these social skills, to earn a group reward. CW-FIT has been effective in elementary general education classrooms. It has also worked well for small classrooms of students in elementary schools who have emotional and behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorder, or other health impairment. CW-FIT has not yet been evaluated in a middle school special education setting. The present study examined the effects of CW-FIT implementation on teacher praise rates and student on-task behavior in a middle school self-contained classroom, where 12 of the students had severe disabilities and 11 were typically-developing peer tutors. A single-subject, reversal design was used to evaluate impact. Results indicate that CW-FIT increased teacher praise rates and student on-task behavior. Both teachers and students reported CW-FIT to be socially valid. The present study suggests promising results for the implementation of CW-FIT in a middle school self-contained classroom.

Teacher education programs focus on preparing teachers to instruct students, but they usually do not focus on preparing teachers to manage students’ behavior, which may prevent teachers from providing effective instruction. This project study evaluated a classroom behavior management model, CHAMPS, designed to help teachers manage student behavior so they can focus their time and energy on instruction and student success. Positive Behavior Systems (PBS), used in the field of behavioral management, served as the theoretical foundation for this study. The evaluation design followed Stufflebeam’s (2003) Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) by employing the outcome-based approach, which evaluated the extent to which a program is meeting predetermined outcomes and objectives. The open-ended research questions explored whether the classroom management system accomplished its goal of guiding teachers in making effective decisions about managing behavior. Data were collected from a researcher-created qualitative questionnaire and phone interviews from a purposeful sample of 7 elementary school teachers who attended all 5 CHAMPS training sessions and who implemented CHAMPS strategies in their classrooms. Qualitative data were open coded and reoccurring themes including connections, support, structure, teach, and model were identified and interpreted for meaning. The findings indicated that CHAMPS, as a model for classroom management, successfully guided these participants in making effective decisions about managing students’ behavior. This study may contribute to a greater understanding of effective classroom management strategies and awareness of classroom behavior management issues for teachers, administrators, and district stakeholders.