Current research shows that school’s behavior intervention plans are lacking in key components, indicating a need for a standardized model of assessment that sustains teacher adherence, acceptance, and feasibility. Prevent-Teach-Reinforce (PTR) is a model that combines the principles of applied behavior analysis and positive behavior support to provide a standardized approach to conducting a functional assessment and creating a behavior plan. Studies have indicated that PTR is effective in improving student behavior and academic engagement. The current study evaluated the use of PTR for three high school students classified as emotional behavioral disorder (EBD). Results indicated that teacher-implemented functional assessment and intervention planning through the use of PTR was effective at creating substantial reductions in problem behaviors and improvements in replacement behaviors for all three students. In addition, teachers were able to implement the interventions with high levels of fidelity, and social validity scores obtained from both the teachers and students indicated that the acceptability of the PTR procedures and results was relatively high.

Thesis advisor: Lauri Johnson / Student discipline practices evolved significantly in recent decades, yet pervasive use of out of school suspension persists. Such exclusionary discipline practice negatively influences students’ opportunity to learn and restricts inclusion within the school environment. Wide belief and extensive research speaks to the benefit of alternative practices, yet a gap in research remains specific to what leadership practices influence such opportunities. The purpose of this individual study nested in a larger case study focused on leadership for inclusive practices, was an examination of leadership perceptions of how student discipline decisions can support a student’s opportunity to learn. This study, conducted in a diverse urban school district in Massachusetts, Northside Public Schools, included interview data from fourteen district and school leaders as well as examination of publicly available and locally provided documents as data for analysis. Findings indicate that fostering relationships between school, student, family, and community members is integral to inclusive practices as a whole, specifically when related to discipline situations and pivotal to effective implementation of alternatives to suspensions, such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and Restorative Practices. Recommendations include intentional tiered systems development and implementation of instructional interventions as alternative to exclusionary discipline through a culturally responsive perspective. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

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The purpose of the present study was to record Cedar Middle School's (CMS) response to intervention implementation journey. It is a qualitative case study that examines one school's efforts to bring school improvements under the response to inventory (RtI) umbrella in order to achieve a more systematic approach to providing high-quality educational services to every student enrolled at CMS. Participants included the 10 members of the school's Student Success Team along with the principal and assistant principal. The recorded journey included: (a) a description of the RtI consensus and infrastructure-building processes, (b) an exploration of the SST perceptions of school-wide intervention efforts both past and present, (c) a review of the school's accomplishments and the barriers to implementation encountered, and (d) the implications for further school improvement efforts and research. Participants submitted to interviews, observations, and focus group meetings. Although the purpose of the study was not to measure program effectiveness, preliminary data are included that report the school's efforts toward systems change was helpful for students and is having a positive effect on student performance in reading comprehension. Participants were also able to share anecdotal evidence of increased student motivation and other behavioral changes that were natural consequences of their efforts. This evidence is reported in the narrative found in Chapters IV and V. Conclusions were based on participant input, recorded measures, and analyses conducted as part of the present study. Cautions were also discussed, including the limitations and delimitations. Finally, implications of the present study were provided for RtI and the field of schoolwide systematic interventions and support.

Universal school-wide social-emotional screeners identify at-risk students with social-emotional behavior problems (Romer et al., 2020). Identifying such students alone cannot prevent these social, emotional, and behavioral concerns from becoming problematic. However, data gathered from social-emotional screening can guide the development of strategies, supports, interventions, and progress monitoring students at risk across all tiers (Yates et al., 2008), leading to the prevention of social-emotional and behavioral problems from turning maladaptive (Humphrey & Wigelsworth, 2016; Walker et al., 2004). A school district in the Mountain West area of the United States developed a screening survey that addresses school climate, culture, and connectedness to administer to their student body. Their survey aims to identify students' needs in the following character social-emotional learning (SEL) skills that contribute to student well-being: self-awareness, compassion, resilience, and respect. Their screening survey can potentially identify the general student body's social-emotional behavioral needs. The data gathered may be used to create tiered supports that address students' needs. In this study, we conducted two focus groups that provided a forum for school psychologists in this Mountain West school district who work in an elementary school to discuss what tiered supports may be appropriate to implement in response to needs identified by the survey. The discussion also included professional development topics the participants perceived necessary for school teams responding to the survey data. The findings from this study contribute to the existing literature by recognizing that school psychologists may understand implementation science and can help lay the needed groundwork before implementing social-emotional screeners so that the process can be more efficient and effective. The findings emphasize the understanding that from the perspective of school psychologists, social-emotional learning should be applied universally and collaboratively at school and at home. School teams need to allocate time to teach social-emotional learning at school. The findings also suggest that school psychologists can determine appropriate interventions if screening data suggest a weakness in social-emotional and behavioral areas and that data collected from the screener can be used to guide topics for professional development.