Student behavior is one of the top concerns for classroom teachers (Freiberg & Reyes, 2008). Student discipline has been a historic problem for teachers and schools alike. Students who misbehave tend to obstruct learning outcomes for students and negatively impact the efficacy and well-being of teachers (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy,…

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), the process of developing and utilizing interpersonal skills for everyday life, has become a primary vehicle for structuring students' social and emotional health in the United States and across the world. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of understanding SEL practices, is increasingly at the…

In Florida teacher retention a critical with more than 4,000 unfilled teaching positions and 1,200 teachers teaching with a temporary certificate. Issue such as negative impacts on student dropout rates, turnover rates, and an increase in recruitment costs. The problem in this study is the teacher shortage in central Florida rural schools.…

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a systems approach to supporting the social and emotional needs of all children utilized by more than 21,000 schools across the nation. Data from numerous studies and state projects' evaluation reports point to the impact of SWPBIS on student outcomes (office discipline referrals…

Test-based accountability has become the new norm in public education over the last decade. In many states and school districts nationwide, student performance on standardized tests plays an important role in high-stakes decisions, such as grade retention. This study examines the effects of grade retention on student misbehavior in Florida, which…

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Leader in Me schools teachers' perceptions of culture, climate, and discipline referrals during the 2010-11 school year. Primary data were obtained from 172 teacher-reported surveys, from nine schools in three districts in Florida and Mississippi. A MANOVA analysis was used to…

Unsupported fears of youth violence in schools has led to an expansion of school-based policing and zero tolerance discipline. The historical reality is that America's public schools are very safe, even when located in high crime neighborhoods. Yet, school discipline is becoming increasingly punitive, moving from the schoolhouse to the courthouse.…

A substantial amount of controversy surrounds the issue of class size in public schools. Parents and teachers are on one side, touting the benefits of smaller class sizes (e.g., increased academic achievement, greater student-teacher interaction, utilization of more innovative teaching strategies, and a decrease in discipline problems). On the…

Each year, between 10 and 20 percent of schoolchildren in the United States are exposed to domestic violence. According to psychologists, such exposure can lead to aggressive behavior, decreased social competence, and diminished academic performance. A majority of parents and school officials believe that children who are troubled, whatever the…

Student rights advocates have learned again that sweeping victories do not always emerge from the Supreme Court, even with the most compelling evidence. They must redouble their efforts--lobbying, educating the public, counseling students--to ensure that no student has to endure a school like Drew High School. (Author/WI)

This document contains findings of a study that examined the relationship between the use of disciplinary actions in Florida schools--in particular, out-of-school suspension, expulsion, and corporal punishment--and juvenile crime and delinquency. The primary data source was a random sample of 43,397 students in grades 6-12 enrolled in Florida…

A practicum project designed to alleviate behavior and discipline problems at a Florida elementary school through the use of a conflict resolution curriculum that emphasized group interaction is described. The third- and fourth-grade students were asked to work cooperatively on projects that guided them through a series of strategies that taught…

This study was conducted to identify and validate the work-related problems of public school teachers in Florida's Prekindergarten Early Intervention Program which targets economically at-risk 3- and 4-year olds. The study was designed to answer three questions: (1) What problems are perceived to be most bothersome and occur most frequently? (2)…

The prevention and resolution of student behavior problems were the goals of the Positive Alternatives to Student Suspensions (PASS) Program involving schools in Pinellas County, Florida. Workshops for staff and administrators aimed toward creating a humanized caring school. Classroom activities attempted to create situations in which students and…

The focus of this study on school desegregation is on 43 cities in the following areas: Bibb and Chatham Counties (Ga.); Orange, Duval, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties (Fla.); Cado, Quachita, East Baton Rouge, and Orleans Parishes (La.); and, Richland County District Number 1, Florence County District Number 1, and Orangeburg County District…