Students receiving behavioral supports in the third tier of the schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) framework are often identified as having emotional and behavior disabilities. Although educators implement evidence-based practices with fidelity, these practices are not always effective in supporting students with…

Children with ADHD comprise one of the most common groups requiring supports from school mental health providers, yet current school structures and special education policies are not optimally situated to support and adapt to the inconsistent behaviors that are the hallmark of children with ADHD. The present paper reviews the evidence base for…

Physical educators are constantly seeking ways to improve their teaching effectiveness and to manage the ever-increasing challenges they face, such as large classes, inadequate equipment, lack of support for children with special needs, and more. Teachers in special education and general education were introduced to Response to Intervention (RTI)…

An increased emphasis on collecting and using data in schools has occurred, in part, because of the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). Commonly referred to as response to intervention in the academic domain and school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports in the behavioral domain, these initiatives have a…

Schools are increasingly adopting tiered models of prevention to meet the needs of diverse populations of students. This article outlines the steps involved in designing and implementing a systematic Tier 2 behavior intervention within a tiered service delivery model. An elementary school example is provided to outline the identification,…

In order to thrive, organizations must undergo significant change at various points in their development. Such is the case with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Emotional Disability Services in the beginning process of implementing Response Ability Pathways (RAP) with staff and students. The impetus for change originated from an…

Recent trends toward the inclusion of students with disabilities mean that a majority of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) now spend at least 40% of their day in general education settings. With this change in location, teachers in general education settings are now asked to perform tasks that were not given much emphasis…

"Comprehensive Behavior Management: Schoolwide, Classroom, and Individualized Approaches" supports teachers in preventing management problems and responding to unwanted behavior when it occurs in classrooms. The text offers a comprehensive presentation of three levels of behavior management strategies: individual, classroom, and schoolwide, all…

Due to atypical neurological development, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are affected by a range of issues on a daily basis--physical pain, confusion about requests, difficulty communicating wants and needs, and sensory issues--that might trigger behavior that interferes with teaching and learning. In addition, students on the autism…

Some students exhibit behavioral issues as early as preschool and kindergarten. Conventional wisdom suggests waiting to see whether students outgrow these difficulties. However, there is extensive evidence that early detection and intervention is preferred to the wait-and-see approach because it is more likely to result in better academic and…

Hobson's choice is a "no-choice" choice that gives general and special educators the traditional impetus to do what they want in classrooms. While there is some "goodness" in having this power and audacity to control whatever happens in classrooms, it does not allow for creativity, flexibility, adaptability, modification, especially in behavior…

In the previous article in this series, the authors provided a rationale for integrating academic and behavior response to intervention (RTI) systems. Their rationale included: (1) research showing that challenges in academic and social behavior are linked; (2) a description of the common features that both RTI systems share; and (3) the…

Assessment and identification of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) is complex and involves multiple techniques, levels, and participants. While federal law sets the general parameters for identification in school settings, these criteria are vague and may lead to inconsistencies in selection and interpretation of assessment…

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the characteristics, content, procedures, processes, and outcomes of effective educator preparation programs for teachers of students with behavioral disorders (BD). We emphasize the need for teachers of students with BD to be fluent with the identification and application of evidence-based practices and…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 permits the use of a process, Response to Intervention (RTI), based on a child's response to scientific, research-based intervention in the evaluation of students suspected of having specific learning disabilities. Many school districts throughout the country are working to incorporate…