Racial inequality in exclusionary discipline is a salient educational equity issue. The implications of educators' discretion in administering discipline and the complexity of repeated office discipline referrals (ODRs) and suspensions are reflected in school discipline policy debates nationwide. This brief uses New York City to learn more about…

Adolescents and young adults are most at risk for developing problematic smartphone and social media use that negatively impacts their mental health and well-being. Students' perceptions of their school environment are likely a key area of potential risk and protective factors for adolescents' problematic smartphone and social media use, but more…

Restorative Practices is a social science that studies how to create, strengthen, and repair relationships. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the impact restorative practices have on the rate of out-of-school suspensions and office discipline referrals, as well as the perceptions educators, have regarding the…

It's well-known that motivation is essential for learning and how well students do in school. Research also suggests that a student's motivation is likely connected to their behavior in the classroom. This study was particularly interested in understanding how different types of student motivation (e.g., wanting to learn vs. wanting to look good)…

Youths' affinity for snack foods is well-documented; in various contexts, they sell chips, candy, and other goods. Adults may frame such sales as either entrepreneurial or deviant, which can contribute to positive youth development (on one hand) or cycles of disengagement and criminalization (on the other). Drawing on ethnographic and interview…

The problem investigated is that high discipline referrals in schools serving at-risk high school students often lead to student attrition and lack of academic success. A qualitative methodology with a narrative research design was employed/utilized to investigate the impact of high discipline referring in schools in Alabama, including the…

This case study is about understanding disruptive students who are motivated by a psychological need to invoke change in a learning space. Marczewski's User Types Test, a typology for classifying both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational tendencies, and based on Self-Determination Theory, was administered to 14 participants, aged 9 through 15, to…

Race-based bullying (RBB) victimization is a significant concern among youth and can translate into a range of adjustment problems. As such, additional research is needed on possible protective factors that may buffer these effects among RBB victims. One potential factor is school equity, as it may buffer race-based bullying victims from…

The beneficial relationship of school climate with various positive student outcomes has been demonstrated in several studies, though the relationship has not been thoroughly explored with regards to a student's likelihood of being suspended from school. The relationship of school climate and out-of-school suspensions was investigated using a…

Opioid misuse is considered a national epidemic (The White House Office of National Drug Control, 2011), however not much is known about school-based behaviors or experiences correlated to opioid misuse. This phenomenological study explored the correlation between externalizing/acting out behaviors in a school setting and opioid misuse and…

Despite research highlighting the importance of academic performance in reducing youth's bullying involvement, little attention has focused on its role in moderating the association between peer victimization and youth maladjustment, further there have been even fewer studies examining potential racial-ethnic differences in these associations.…

Race-based bullying (RBB) victimization is a significant concern among youth and can translate into a range of adjustment problems. As such, additional research is needed on possible protective factors that may buffer these effects among RBB victims. One potential factor is school equity, as it may buffer race-based bullying victims from…

Adolescents are often burdened with academic, home, and peer stressors. With adolescent mental health issues and suicide on the rise, administrators have worked with nonprofit organizations and the community to address stress and internalized behavior problems. School-based wellness centers are tranquil rooms with various sensory activities,…

Using a 3-Round Delphi Technique, the current study aimed to ascertain consensus regarding parents' thoughts about the school, home, and community protective factors (i.e., preventive behavior interventions, behavior resources) needed to prevent adolescents from referral to behavior school and subsequent involvement in the juvenile system. A…

As students transition into adolescence they are often permitted greater independence in nonclassroom settings within schools and thus the opportunities for problem behaviors increase. However, nonclassroom settings can also provide an opportunity for students and school staff to engage in informal yet positive interactions. This paper aimed to…