The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the level of implementation of School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) in the State of Florida. The relationship between the fidelity of implementation of SWPBS as measured by the Benchmarks of Quality tool to academic and behavioral outcomes for middle and elementary schools was then analyzed. The academic outcomes for this study included FCAT Reading and Mathematics subtest scores. The behavioral outcomes were measured using the number of Office Discipline Referrals per 100 students and the number of days for Out of School Suspensions per 100 students. The literature review suggests that many outcomes have been associated with implementation of SWPBS. These include a reduction in ODRs and OSS days, increased academic achievement, increased instructional time, decreased administrative time addressing discipline, increased teacher satisfaction, improved peer relationships, and an increase in perceived school safety (Muscott, Mann,& LeBrun, 2008; Lassen, 2006; Landers, 2006; Lassen, Steele, & Sailor,2006; & Luiselli, Putnam, Handler, & Feinberg, 2005). The results of this study found that SWPBS is being implemented with fidelity in the majority of schools in one year and that these schools maintain or increase fidelity over time. Findings also suggest that there may be a relationship between greater implementation and lower ODR and OSS rates and to a lesser extent, academic outcomes. This research adds to the knowledge base regarding SWPBS implementation fidelity and its relationship to academic and behavioral outcomes and may be of use to policy makers, practitioners, and future researchers.

Decisions to refer students for disciplinary consequences (Hyman & Perone, 1998), eligibility for special services referrals (Smart, Wilton, & Keeling, 1980), and even suspension or expulsion (Brooks, Schiraldi, & Zeidenberg, 2000), are all likely to be driven by teacher perceptions of student behavior. Yet though there is a wealth of research investigating the mechanisms and consequences of teacher perceptions of student behavior, the accuracy of these perceptions has not been addressed in the literature. This study contrasted staff responses on questionnaires about student behavior by infraction category, school locations, and times with the actual referral counts from each setting to achieve a measure of perceptive accuracy for each participant. The results presented in this study extend the research literature on teacher perceptions by providing strong support for data sharing as a perception-changing mechanism among participants working in schools implementing school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS). Participants assigned to conditions in which school-wide discipline data were shared had accuracy scores which were statistically higher than those in non-data sharing conditions. However, asking participants to report their perceptions more than once did not increase the accuracy of their responses in a statistically significant way. The application of an experimental research design and the use of appropriate statistical significance tests draw attention to effects which are statistically real. Additionally, the random assignment of participants within schools to one of four conditions provides us with confidence that the intervention, and not some factor, caused the change in accuracy scores among participants.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) is a plan based on broad assessments of schools and their climate that can be implemented to create classrooms and schools that are focused on community and positive behavior (Horner, Sugai, Todd, & Lewis-Palmer, 2005). SWPBS involves creating and explicitly stating expectations, teaching those expectations, encouraging appropriate behavior, and defining ways to handle inappropriate behavior. Current tools that are suggested for use in conducting an assessment of school climate are: the Best Behavior School Discipline Assessment (BBSDA) also known as the Best Behavior Self-Assessment Survey (BBSAS), the School-Wide Evaluation Tool (SET), the Oregon School Safety Survey, and the Effective Behavior Support Self-Assessment (EBS Self Assessment) (Horner, et al., 2005; Sprague & Walker, 2005). All of these indicators and evaluation tools are helpful in planning SWPBS programs as well as assessing the integrity of implementation and changes in behavior patterns; however, they gather limited information from students. Collecting and examining student attitudes and perceptions about their school and safety is an important aspect of the evaluation process. The current study examined information from student surveys concerning the behavioral expectations at school as well as places in the school they felt safe and unsafe. Information gathered from these surveys was used to create an intervention that targeted a specific area identified as being the least safe and most unsafe, the bathroom, in the school to improve students' sense of safety. Based on the results of student survey information, an intervention was designed and implemented for six weeks. Compared to pre-intervention surveys, the treatment group reported feeling safer in the bathroom after the implementation of the intervention as compared to the control group, which reported no change.

In the United States educators often feel underprepared to manage student behavior in the classroom, which management is crucial for students with or at risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) to learn effectively. Research on School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) programs has reflected how effective simple principles, such as increasing teacher praise and decreasing teacher reprimands, can be. The current study is a secondary analysis of data originally gathered from 65 teachers and 239 students across three states. Results of these analyses bring principles of effective SWPBS programs and educator needs together by identifying how teacher behaviors correlated with at-risk student behaviors in different ways than the behaviors of students who were not at risk. Using multiple linear regression, we illustrated how students at risk for EBD were more sensitive to teacher praise and reprimands than students who were not at risk, which adds support to SWPBS theory and invites teachers to consider that who they praise and reprimand is just as important as how.

In the United States educators often feel underprepared to manage student behavior in the classroom, which management is crucial for students with or at risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) to learn effectively. Research on School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) programs has reflected how effective simple principles, such as increasing teacher praise and decreasing teacher reprimands, can be. The current study is a secondary analysis of data originally gathered from 65 teachers and 239 students across three states. Results of these analyses bring principles of effective SWPBS programs and educator needs together by identifying how teacher behaviors correlated with at-risk student behaviors in different ways than the behaviors of students who were not at risk. Using multiple linear regression, we illustrated how students at risk for EBD were more sensitive to teacher praise and reprimands than students who were not at risk, which adds support to SWPBS theory and invites teachers to consider that who they praise and reprimand is just as important as how.

A multi-tiered system of supports offers a comprehensive model for the prevention of academic and behavior problems in schools. To date, research has emphasized the impact of universal and intensive interventions. However, the need for research on secondary or targeted group interventions (Tier 2) for those students who do not respond to the universal level of support is growing. This study evaluated CICO, a Tier 2 intervention, in improving student behavior when it is used with three elementary students from a high-need population and in conjunction with student accountability tracking, designed to promote parental involvement. Functional assessments indicated that all three students had attention-maintained problem behavior during instruction sessions. The study employed a concurrent multiple baseline design across students to assess the effects of CICO and CICO with accountability tracking on academic engagement and problem behavior. Results indicated that the team members were able to implement CICO with fidelity and their implementation of the intervention was effective in increasing academic engagement and reducing problem behavior. The CICO with accountability tracking implementation with one student contributed to further improvement of his target behaviors. These effects were shown to be maintained moderately well for two students who underwent fading. Results are discussed in terms of the study limitations and implications for practice and future research.

An educational framework known as School Wide Positive Behavior Support being implemented in school systems across the country provides the schools with three tiers of support to address both academic and behavior challenges. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of peer tutors when applied to a Tier 2 intervention known as Check-In Check-Out (CICO). Peer tutors performed the morning check-in with the tutees by setting the expectations for the day and giving the tutees their Daily Progress Report (DPR) form. Throughout the day, the tutees took the DPR form to each class where they received a score from the teacher. At the end of the class period, the peer tutors provided the tutees with feedback on the scores received on the DPR form. Once the school day finished, the peer tutees checked-out with the tutors and received a reward if they met their percentage goal. The results of this study showed that CICO implemented by peers improved classroom behavior for all three participants.

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SWPBIS) is an evidence- based application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to address and prevent problem behaviors from occurring, promote pro-social behaviors, and create a positive learning environment for all students. There are many secondary interventions that have been utilized within the framework of SWPBIS that have high success rates. However, the research conducted on the use of Check-In/Check-Out (CICO), a secondary intervention, has focused its attention more on its effectiveness in public elementary schools. There is a lack of research evaluating the effectiveness of CICO in alternative school settings. This study provides an extension to the literature by examining the effects of the CICO program with school-aged children residing in a mental health treatment facility. Using a concurrent multiple baseline across participants design, students were exposed to a CICO intervention strategy in which problem behaviors were targeted for reduction and academic engagement was targeted for acquisition. All three students showed substantial decreases in problem behavior and increases in academic engagement when the CICO intervention was in place.

Problem behaviors in the school setting have become more frequent as well as challenging for teachers and faculty to decrease while attempting to help their students attain their academic goals. Within the last decade, school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) has become more widespread as an evidence-based practice within the school system. SWPBS uses a multi-tiered support structure in order to affect behavior change across an entire school population. Several common secondary interventions have been utilized with high success rates. However, the research conducted thus far using the Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) program, a secondary intervention, has shown a lesser degree of success in behavior change with those students whose problem behavior is maintained by negative reinforcement or escape from aversive tasks. The current study examined the effects of the CICO program, adapted to address negative reinforcement contingencies. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, students in this study were exposed to a modified CICO intervention strategy in which problem behaviors, specifically related to the escape function as determined by a routine analysis, were targeted for reduction while academic engagement were targeted for acquisition. Results provided reductions in problem behaviors and an overall increase in academic engagement across participants with teacher implementers indicating the modified CICO program as feasible and acceptable. Implications for future research are discussed.

There is ever-increasing pressure on school officials to provide a safe school environment that is conducive to learning. There is also a growing concern from teachers and administrators that many students are unrecognized for their continual appropriate behavior(s), in part, because of the attention consumed by both challenging students and students with exceptional talents and abilities. In response, a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) approach is growing in popularity to address both of these issues. SWPBS is implemented across an entire school population and involves all individuals whether they are challenging, exceptional, or typical. The initial research shows encouraging results and supports the effectiveness of a School-Wide Positive Behavior Support program. This study focused on the development, implementation, and results of a SWPBS program at a rural high school. Data collected included office daily referrals, suspensions, expulsions, attendance, and the number of reinforcers (Mo-Bucks) distributed by staff. Outcome data indicated that compared to the year prior to the SWPBS program's implementation, there was a reduction in office daily referrals, a reduction in expulsions, and an increase in attendance. The results of this 3-year study supported the effectiveness of SWPBS as an intervention for reducing disruptive behaviors at the high school level for typical students as well as for students with special needs.