Exploring the Effectiveness of School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports in the Elementary School Setting

School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS) is a heavily promoted area that focuses on promoting pro-social behavior and preventing misbehavior. Many schools are moving towards SWPBS as the universal level of support for behavior. With Response to Intervention (RtI) being at the forefront of educational reform, this type of universal support is strongly recommended for academic needs, as well as behavioral needs. Data were collected from 25 schools in the West Region of Kentucky that collaborate with the Kentucky Center of Instructional Discipline (KYCID). A series of t-tests were completed in order to examine the relationship between Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs), Benchmark of Qualities (BoQ) scores, and the number of years a school had implemented SWPBS. Location of the ODRs as well as behaviors that led to ODRs were also examined. The findings of this study indicate that the longer a school has implemented SWPBS, the fewer ODRs it has during a school year. Also, BoQ’s were positively impacted the longer SWPBS was in place at a school. Regarding problem behavior, it was found that ODRs came primarily from a classroom environment as opposed to common areas (bathroom, hallway, cafeteria, and playground). A descriptive analysis was completed on the types of ODRs most commonly found in classroom settings, and it was discovered that the top three reasons for ODRs were defiance, fighting, and disruptive behavior. These findings can be used to guide schools on school-wide expectations and classroom management practices, as well as to affirm the continued implementation of SWPBS from year to year.

Name thesis:degree_name

Specialist in Education

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• McGinnis, Ashely Bryce

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Lakeisha Meyer (Director), Dr. Carl Myers,Dr. Janet Applin

• behavior modification
• problem children
• school psychology
• School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS)
• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Social Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/146

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-1146