The problem of children's misbehavior in school is an urgent concern. Although misbehavior is not unique to the school, the whole of society suffers from violence. It is important to recall that those committing crimes today were yesterday's students. There are two modes for discipline in the schools. The "established" mode aims for teacher…

The Children's Defense Fund Studied school suspension data from HEW's Office of Civil Rights and held independent interviews with administrators, students, and community members in districts around the country. They concluded that suspending children from school happens arbitrarily and very frequently, for non-serious reasons, without fair review…

This paper is part of a collection of 54 papers from the 48th annual conference of the Education Law Association held in November 2002. It addresses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Specifically, the paper examines unilateral placements for drug-abusing and delinquent students. Following the introduction, the next section of…

This monograph explores the social context of the school and how this context influences, for better or worse, the academic and social behavior of students. It reviews how most student behavior serves a meaningful purpose for the student and how similar behaviors may serve distinctly different functions for various students. It also explores how…

This brief report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined statewide behavioral initiatives (SBI) that involve general education, special education, or both. Forty-three state education agencies (SEAs) responded to a survey that investigated the development of SBI, focus of the SBI, and how well the SBI addresses the needs of students with…

Principals and teachers have long thought that student tardiness was a serious problem. In one study from the 1990s, 8-12% of students were absent each day, and more than 40% of teachers found tardiness to be a significant problem. In fact, it is considered so serious that a school's response can go to extremes. The question, of course, is not…

Three workshop articles concerning parental perspectives on discipline are presented. "Lessons from My Mother-In-Law: A Story about Discipline" discusses the generational diversity of discipline. "Parent/Staff Partnerships" addresses the importance of shared responsibility. "Perspectives on Discipline" consists of a…

This article provides a case study (an eighth-grader with autism) within a case study (an urban middle school) in terms of the implementation of positive behavioral support (PBS). Information is provided on the characteristics of three key components of schoolwide PBS, universal support, group support, and individual support. (Contains…

Explores responses of 620 middle school and high school students to the Student Rating Scale. Results show that students who had been suspended were more likely to be involved with the legal system. Also explores rule compliance and school interest for internally suspended, externally suspended, and never suspended students. Discusses implications…

Educational quality is being harmed by the deterioration of order in public schools, but public concern and appropriate leadership can improve the situation. Because learning depends on good discipline, all contributors to and beneficiaries of education--students, teachers, and taxpayers--suffer when discipline is lacking: students and teachers as…

This informally written handbook for elementary school teachers describes typical classroom behavioral problems and proposes ways of dealing with them. The "problem" student is identified as one who requires the teacher's personal energy or reactions, drawing attention away from the remainder of the class and creating added burdens for the…

The goal of this paper is to combine selected research literature concerned with early and advanced sensorimotor development in black children, and the institutional management of their natural precocity. The first section briefly reviews selected literature about sensorimotor development in black children. The second section discusses the current…

The articles in this booklet reflect a broad spectrum in their approach to discipline and the teaching process. Even though discipline is now called classroom control, these articles indicate that some educators question the desirability of precise prescription in the classroom. Running through the articles is a common thread: discipline is less…

This document is the report of a policy forum on interim alternative educational settings for students with disabilities involved in disciplinary actions. The report summarizes outcomes of discussions on the following topics: (1) purpose and goals of the interim alternative educational setting; (2) components of interim alternative educational…

Elementary schools can play an important role in early identification of and intervention for children with problem behavior by creating the infrastructure to provide preventive, proactive supports for all students. This monograph provides an overview of key features of effective school-wide systems of positive behavior support (PBS) at the…