This exploratory study expands the literature on teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand, in terms of how teachers deliver praise and reprimand. Sixty-six middle and high school teachers' delivery of praise and reprimand to individual, small groups, and large groups during a 20-min observation were examined. Teachers delivered significantly…

Schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) are an increasingly popular framework for school improvement practices, but many high schools are still lagging behind their elementary counterparts. High school leadership teams can struggle with merging the SWPBIS framework with current operations, and there are limited examples of…

Scaling of evidence-based practices in education has received extensive discussion but little empirical evaluation. We present here a descriptive summary of the experience from seven states with a history of implementing and scaling School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) over the past decade. Each state has been…

The practices of school-wide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) are dependent on teachers to implement them in their classrooms; thus, gaining the "buy-in" and support of teachers is a critical step in reaching full, building-wide implementation. One step toward achieving this support may be to gain a better understanding of the…

This article describes a program called "Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports" (PBIS), a nationwide effort to develop school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. The John Powers Center is the Illinois…

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act made major changes to the education of children with disabilities who exhibit challenging behavior. The law emphasized the use of positive behavior supports (PBS) and functional behavioral assessments (FBA) as a strategy to address challenging behavior. Since…

We report a randomized, wait-list controlled trial assessing the effects of school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS). An effectiveness analysis was conducted with elementary schools in Hawaii and Illinois where training and technical assistance in SWPBS was provided by regular state personnel over a 3-year period. Results document that the…

This report describes the methodology and initial results of an evaluation of the universal (school-wide) Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) initiative in Illinois, including (1) strategies for establishing research-based practices and data-based evaluation systems in implementation schools; (2) methodology and initial findings of…

Behavior management involves both the encouragement of social behavior and the reduction of inappropriate behavior. Initially, teaching efforts should be directed at identifying socially acceptable alternatives. If these efforts are unsuccessful, additional procedures that are specifically directed at the inappropriate behavior may be warranted.…