This article provides an overview of how reinforcement serves as the foundation for a function-based approach to support students with challenging behavior. Understanding reinforcement is essential when providing function-based support for students with challenging behavior. Reinforcement "strengthens" behavior, increasing the…

The use of schoolwide multitiered systems of support to address challenging social and emotional behavior has been established in >20,000 schools across the United States and 19 other countries worldwide. The systems approach of schoolwide positive behavior support is guided by implementation science and embeds evidence-based behavioral…

Restraint and seclusion are crisis or emergency responses, which should only be used in extreme situations (e.g., a student engaging in repeated forceful physical aggression toward self or others) when risk of serious and imminent physical harm or injury is high and when an emergency response may reduce that risk. Restraint and seclusion are not…

Attendance, behavior, and academic outcomes are important indicators of school effectiveness and long-term student outcomes. "Multi-tiered systems of support" (MTSS), such as "School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports" (SWPBIS), have emerged as potentially effective frameworks for addressing student needs and…

The use of crisis procedures, such as seclusion and physical restraint, in U.S. schools has garnered a great deal of national attention, resulting in reports from professional organizations, proposed legislation, and recent recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education (U.S. DOE; 2012). In this paper, we review the recommendations from the…

The purpose of this study was to explore the direct and indirect effects of SWPBIS on high school dropout rates. We used structural equation modeling methods to analyze the web of relationships among important high school level outcomes and SWPBIS in a large sample of high schools from 37 states. Results suggest that SWPBIS has statistically…

Establishing effective academic instruction, effective classroom management, and building relationships can all be accomplished with the application of observable and measurable practices. How an individual applies these practices will vary, yet common components of effective teaching are omnipresent. Across academic instruction, behavior…

The paucity of research investigating the effectiveness of universal behavioral strategies for supporting students in alternative educational settings is of great concern. However, a growing literature base supporting schoolwide positive behavioral support interventions (SWPBS) has been encouraging. This program evaluation provides additional…

Students with disabilities who display serious (e.g., dangerous) problem behaviors are frequently educated in alternative school settings. Although there is considerable research on intervention approaches (e.g., function-based support) to support individual students with challenging behaviors, there is a lack of research on schoolwide…

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…

Many present day classroom teachers face greater challenges than perhaps during any time in the past. Teachers are expected to: (a) provide evidence-based instruction to ensure that students make adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB); (b) serve an increasingly diverse group of students including students with…

Many school personnel are becoming increasingly frustrated with the impact of student behavior on their schools. More than ever, the public perception is that student behavior is out of control. Although isolated instances of violence (e.g., school shootings) contribute to this perception, people are most concerned with the lack of discipline and…

Autism is a developmental disability that manifests as impairment in three primary areas: social interaction, communication and imaginative activities, and reactions to environmental stimuli. The appearance of autism spectrum disorder ranges from children who are very low functioning, nonverbal, stimulus seeking, aggressive, antisocial, and…