Students' early problem behaviors in school can be disruptive and even hinder their learning and long-term success. To prevent and address these problem behaviors, schools across the country report adopting multi-tiered systems of support for behavior (MTSS-B). This one-page document highlights findings from "Study of Training in Multi-Tiered…

Training is an integral part of school safety, security, emergency management and preparedness; everyone involved in the plan needs to know his or her roles and responsibilities before, during, and after an emergency. As one's emergency operations plan (EOP) planning team develops the training and exercise schedule, keep in mind that the Readiness…

The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative training model for preservice doctoral-level school psychologists; a model focused on the development of organizational consultation skills and grounded in collaborative university-school partnerships. We describe how faculty have shaped the graduate training experiences for preservice…

This report summarizes activities undertaken by OSPI's Reducing Restraint & Eliminating Isolation (RREI) project during fiscal year 2025, as mandated through 2023's biennial operating budget and 2024's supplemental operating budget. Demonstration projects incorporate "Pilot site" districts that strategically engage in the process of…

The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Hemmeter, Fox, & Snyder, 2013), or the Pyramid Model, is a conceptual framework focused on systemic and sustained implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP) related to promoting social emotional competence and preventing challenging behaviors in…

Early childhood programs are growing increasingly concerned about the number of preschoolers exhibiting challenging behavior. This case study describes how educators at the Visiting Nurses Association Child Care and Family Resource Center program addressed this concern by implementing the systems, data, and practices of Program-Wide Positive…

Abuse, neglect, or both often result in removing children from their homes and placing them in foster care. As a result of these experiences, many children learn unhealthy behaviors. These "behavioral challenges" often lead to a cycle of multiple placement disruptions and progressively more restrictive placements. The philosophy,…

Children exposed to violence are at higher risk of behavior problems and academic failure, as well as chronic delinquency and adult criminal behavior. This bulletin provides information about resources that are available to help improve the system's response to child victims and witnesses of violence. Information is provided about 14 private…

A behavior contract is a tool that many teachers and school staff use to successfully control or modify the behavior of students. In such a contract, behavior that the teacher wants the student to achieve as well as the actions that the student promises to perform to achieve the desired behavior are stated in writing. There are many types of…

During the past ten years, many school districts have established alternative schools or programs for students who are seriously disruptive and academically unsuccessful. This bulletin describes five different types of alternative programs that have been effective in dealing with disruptive youth. They include the Tri-C Community Centered…

In its successful program to prevent and control violence, vandalism and misbehavior by students on school buses, the Salem (Oregon) school administration utilizes a four-step reporting and followup process. Should an incident occur, the first step is mailing of a misconduct notice to parents. This notice is followed by a warning letter. If…

In 1977, a Behavior Modification Clinic was established at William A. Wirt High School in Gary (Indiana) as an alternative to suspending disruptive youth. The clinic operates with two programs--a remedial academic instruction program in five basic subjects, and a counseling component in which all students are involved. The results of the clinic…

Prereferral intervention is designed to reduce referrals for special education placement, by modifying teacher instruction or management of difficult-to-teach (DTT) pupils prior to formal referral. A 3-year project is described in which Mainstream Assistance Teams offer consultation services to teachers in elementary and middle schools. The…

Educators have frequently expressed concern about young children who are exposed to known environmental risk factors associated with the development of chronic behavior problems (e.g., poverty, domestic violence, child maltreatment). Nevertheless, a societal commitment to address these environmental risk factors by identifying young children who…

These two newsletters focus on two issues concerning full inclusion for young children with disabilities: the debate over developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in inclusive preschool classrooms, and optimal classroom environments for inclusive early childhood settings. The first newsletter includes: a review of three articles addressing DAP;…