The relationship between PBIS implementation fidelity and reductions in student office discipline referrals (ODR) has been relatively well-established in the literature; however, results related to other student outcomes such as suspensions, attendance, and academic performance are not well explored especially at the high school level. The purpose…

The increased use of exclusionary discipline over the past four decades has included educators sending students to involuntary disciplinary schools. Reasons for sending students often include infractions that are subjectively defined by educators and nonviolent in nature, suggesting that educators' beliefs about students and their behaviors play…

Decades of research have shown that exclusionary discipline practices are not only ineffective for changing student behavior, they lead to worse social, behavioral, and academic outcomes for students. This article explores the findings from a pilot study of the "Inclusive Skill-Building Learning Approach" (ISLA), an instructional…

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to prevent and remediate challenging student behaviors, while concurrently improving academic outcomes. While the implementation of PBIS is a schoolwide process which involves multiple intensive trainings for all instructional and support staff,…

Positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based framework for preventing and treating challenging behavior in schools and improving overall school climate. The efficacy of this positive, proactive framework has been well established across varying school settings, yet little is known about schoolwide PBIS implementation…

The XY-Zone program is a leadership and peer support program that guides adolescent males as they journey into manhood. This mixed methods study examined the influence of the XY-Zone program on developmental assets and academic markers of males in grades nine through 12 who were identified as youth at risk of dropping out of school. Results…

The purpose of this study was to explore the motivational characteristics and learning behaviors affecting at-risk college students. To explore how motivation and learning behaviors are related to academic achievement, the relationships between (a) self-efficacy; (b) learning and study strategy indicators; and (c) academic outcomes were assessed.…

Using official school data, this study examined a sample of 447 at-risk students enrolled over a 10-year period in a youth-based mentoring program. The primary objective of the program was to ensure high school graduation. Participants were identified by indices of academic and school behaviors that rendered them less likely to graduate from high…

Mentoring is frequently discussed as a viable approach for improving the educational and social outcomes of students at risk for learning or behavioral problems. However, little data-based evidence beyond case study has been presented regarding the effectiveness of mentoring for students at risk. Here, 16 students with emotional/behavioral…

Because violence in public schools is seen by many as a growing problem, several studies have been conducted to look at the impact of nonfatal teacher victimization. However, a large number of these studies have focused exclusively on students as victims and failed to investigate the impact that school-related crime has on school personnel. The…

Explored where bullying occurred, what kind of bullying happened, how often bullying occurred, and whom students confided in when bullying occurred at school. Surveys of rural 9th and 10th graders indicated that bullying was a very real part of their daily lives. Nearly 75 percent reported some type of bullying at school, and many observed…

Students from small towns completed surveys on school safety, bullying, drug use, and other school climate issues. About 56 percent reported neither bullying nor victimization. Bully/victim status varied with age and gender and significantly related to risk factors like smoking and drinking. Bullies were more likely to use drugs and tobacco,…

Examined differences in students', parents', teachers', and administrators' perceptions of harassment in the schools and of teacher and administrator support. Results highlighted statistically significant differences among groups regarding frequency and intensity of harassment and levels of support. Gender differences were only evident among…

Investigated factors affecting high school students' attendance. Data from student, staff, and administrator interviews and review of attendance data revealed serious problems in how students perceived they were treated by staff and peers as well as problems related to school climate and curriculum and instruction, which destroyed student…

Assessed the effects of a proactive instructional approach to school-wide discipline in common areas of an urban elementary school of 555 students on the social interactions of students and referrals for disciplinary action. Results show a clear improvement in social behavior that was maintained throughout the experiment. (SLD)