One successful approach for proactively reducing problem behavior is the use of a multitiered system of supports (MTSS). MTSS is usually comprised of three tiers, with an increasing intensity of support at each tier to meet student needs. Tier 1 includes preventive strategies staff implement with all students. Typically, Tier 2 behavioral…

Identification and validation of effective Tier 2 interventions that address a wide range of student-level factors is critical to the sustainability of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). Within the context of Check-in Check-out (CICO), function of behavior affects outcomes for many students, especially for those who engage in…

Research has consistently demonstrated that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are at risk for academic underachievement. Despite the persistent and strong association between academic problems and EBD, there remains a dearth of information on the process for developing intensive academic interventions for students with EBD.…

Although global associations between language and behavioral development are well established, relations among components and subgroups within these disorders remain unclear. The primary aim of this study was to explore whether language components differed by behavioral subtypes: internalizing only, externalizing only, or both. To control for…

Multi-tiered systems of support are frequently used in school settings because of their efficiency and effectiveness (McIntosh & Goodman, 2016). The rationale for multi-tiered systems of support is to provide early and systematic intervention to all students with increasing intensity of intervention provided as needed (Sugai & Horner,…

With the advent of Precision Teaching more than 50 years ago, researchers and practitioners began to examine how to use K-12 students' academic data to guide instructional decisions. Although the field has advanced with the use of curriculum-based measurement and data-driven decision rules for reading and math, the same is not true in the area of…

Many teachers struggle with the classroom management skills necessary to support students with disabilities. Teacher evaluation is a potential method for supporting teachers' use of classroom management strategies. The authors evaluate the extent to which classroom management was included in state teacher evaluation rubrics and the types of…

Many teachers resort to using reprimands in attempts to stop disruptive student behavior, particularly by students with emotional or behavioral problems, although this may not be effective. This study examined short-term longitudinal data on teacher reprimands of 149 teachers in 19 different elementary schools across three states, as well as…

Although many educators are familiar with a suggested 3:1 or 4:1 praise-to-reprimand ratio (PRR), relatively little research has been conducted on this subject. Three years of data collected across three states in the United States, from 19 elementary schools and 151 classrooms, during a multi-site efficacy trial were used to analyse the effect of…

A growing body of evidence points to the common co-occurrence of language and behavioral difficulties in children. Primary studies often focus on this relation in children with identified deficits. However, it is unknown whether this relation holds across other children at risk or representative samples of children or over time. The purpose of…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between language behavior in students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. School-age students in K-4 grades (N = 300, 76% male) were sampled across three school districts. Students were grouped based on oral language ability and measured on teacher-rated subscales of…

Teachers' reported knowledge about and implementation of research-based classroom and behavior management strategies were examined. A total of 160 elementary teachers from two districts in different regions of the same state completed the researcher-developed "Survey of Classroom and Behavior Management." On average, teachers reported to…

In elementary school classrooms, students commonly recruit teacher attention at inappropriately high rates or at inappropriate times. Multiple schedule interventions have been used to teach stimulus control by signaling to students when reinforcement is and is not available contingent on an appropriate response. The purpose of the current study…

Although functional analysis (FA) remains the standard for identifying the function of problem behavior for students with developmental disabilities, traditional FA procedures are typically costly in terms of time, resources, and perceived risks. Preliminary research suggests that trial-based FA may be a less costly alternative. The purpose of…

Previous studies of response classes in individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) and problem behavior have shown that mild problem behavior, precursor behavior, and mands or requests can occur as functionally equivalent to severe problem behavior in some individuals. Furthermore, participants in some studies chose to use functionally…