This paper reports the development of a Classroom Behavior Inventory and a series of studies which have developed and refined methods for collecting teacher ratings of children's social, emotional and task-oriented behavior from preschool through high school. Findings suggest that the Classroom Behavior Inventory is a relatively economical, reliable, and valid method for collecting data on classroom behavior. The Inventory should be of use in research on adjustment and achievement. The development of a conceptual model for classroom behavior allows integration of many studies in the field of clinical psychology and personality research and provides a guide for sampling the domain of child adaptation to the classroom. (GO)