Paul Caldarella

Effective interventions are needed to help alternative high school teachers manage challenging student behaviors. One such intervention, class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT), is a classroom management program based on positive behavior interventions and support principles. CW-FIT involves teaching appropriate classroom behavioral expectations (social skills), using high behavior-specific praise-to-reprimand ratios, and an interdependent group contingency to provide differential reinforcement of appropriate classroom behavior and eliminate potential reinforcement of problem behavior. In this pilot study, four alternative high school teachers implemented CW-FIT during a summer school program. A series of single-subject A-B designs were used over a 3-week period. Results supported the effectiveness of the program as teachers appeared able to implement the program with fidelity, increase their behavior-specific praise rates, and decrease their reprimand rates, and students appeared to respond with increased on-task behavior. Teacher and student responses also suggested the program was socially valid. Study implications and limitations are addressed.

English language learners (ELL) and Hispanic students are at an increased risk for academic difficulty. Effective classroom management strategies may help these students, but teachers often report lack of training in such strategies. Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams in Middle School (CW-FIT MS) is a research-based intervention that has helped teachers increase students on-task behavior using group contingencies, rewards, and praise. We investigated the efficacy of CW-FIT MS in classes with high proportions of Hispanic and ELL students using an ABAB single-subject withdrawal design with maintenance probes. One middle school English teacher and two of her classes (language arts and language development) participated. The teacher implemented the intervention with adequate fidelity in both classes. Students were significantly more on task during CW-FIT MS. Teachers and students found the intervention to be socially valid. Some students specifically noted that CW-FIT MS was helpful because it taught respect, which was a response unique to Hispanic students. CW-FIT MS appears to be an appropriate classroom management strategy for classes with ELL and Hispanic students and merits further research into the cultural relevance of the intervention.

Disruptive student behavior is a significant challenge in schools and a predictor of student failure. Effective classroom management is a crucial skill that middle-level teachers must acquire to foster student engagement and learning. This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of 35 middle-level teachers in both general education and special education settings regarding effective classroom management techniques. Eight focus group interviews were conducted with 25 general education teachers and 10 special education teachers at one of five middle schools in Kansas, Missouri, or Utah. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using iterative qualitative content analysis to identify themes and subthemes. Findings revealed that effective classroom management includes teachers use of appropriate positive and negative reinforcement, student buy-in to reward systems, positive immediate feedback to students, teachers consistent follow-through with consequences, and positive teacher-student relationships. We also report similarities and differences between middle-level general education and special education teachers perceptions. Limitations and areas for future research are addressed.

Adolescents are often burdened with academic, home, and peer stressors. With adolescent mental health issues and suicide on the rise, administrators have worked with nonprofit organizations and the community to address stress and internalized behavior problems. School-based wellness centers are tranquil rooms with various sensory activities, calming nature scenes, and sounds for relaxation purposes. School-based wellness centers may have behavioral effects by reducing exposure to aversive events and increasing access to positive and negative reinforcers. There has not yet been a formal study of school-based wellness centers published in the literature. In the present study, we used questionnaires to examine the perceptions of 752 students, 124 parents, and 69 school staff of their high school wellness center. Results indicated that stakeholders had positive perceptions of the wellness center. In particular, results implied that stakeholders believed the wellness center contributed to students academic success, elevation of mood, confidence, and coping skills. Results also suggested that attendance at the wellness center was associated with a decrease in student stress and anxiety, though recommendations for improvements were noted. Implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Middle school is a time of adjustments in youth: physical, intellectual, and social changes often result in stress. Middle school students are vulnerable to academic, behavioral, and mental health problems. Yoga is an Indian discipline practiced for health and relaxation. School-based yoga programs are becoming increasingly common given their potential benefits for students. We conducted a literature review of studies of middle school-based yoga programs, focusing on the reported benefits for students. We identified and retrieved 12 studies from electronic databases including Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar that met inclusion criteria; (a) examined the benefits of yoga as the primary intervention conducted in a middle school setting with students ages 10 to 15 years old, (b) was published by June 2022, (c) was reviewed either by a journal editorial board or by a students dissertation or thesis committee, (d) was available in English, and (e) a full-text copy was available. The results of the studies were synthesized by clustering findings into common domains. Study results suggested that middle school-based yoga interventions showed mental health, executive functioning, physical, social, and academic benefits for students. Yoga also showed benefits for middle school students who were stressed, anxious, or depressed, and those at risk. We provide considerations for those contemplating the implementation of yoga in middle schools.

Middle-level school teachers commonly measure and monitor students academic performance, but such is not the case for students classroom behavior. This is unfortunate, given the rise in students classroom behavior problems in middle school, especially for students who experience emotional or behavioral disorders. The Classroom Performance Survey (CPS) is a brief behavior rating scale that has shown promise for use in elementary school settings, but no studies have investigated the psychometric properties of this measure in middle-level schools. In the present study, 103 middle grades students at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders were rated by their classroom teachers using the CPS. We conducted a psychometric evaluation using a multi-step analytic strategy, including confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. Results showed that the CPS displayed evidence of a reliable two-factor structure (Academic Competence and Interpersonal Competence), predictive validity with academic outcomes (percent of assignments completed and student grades), convergent validity with established behavioral and observational measures, and sensitivity to change over time. Study results suggest positive implications for using the CPS as part of behavior intervention and monitoring efforts in middle-level schools.

Middle school teachers frequently struggle with positively managing student behavior. However, praise-to-reprimand ratios (PRRs) have received little research attention. PRRs studied in elementary school have been positively associated with improvements in on-task and prosocial behavior, but limited research has been conducted on optimal PRRs in middle schools. We conducted this study in the context of a randomized control trial of Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams Middle School (CW-FIT MS) to isolate the effects of one of the main components of the intervention, PRR. After controlling for the intervention, we examined the effects of PRRs in 28 middle school classrooms on (a) class-wide on-task behavior, (b) on-task behavior of students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), and (c) disruptive behavior of students at risk for EBD. Multivariate regressions revealed a statistically significant linear relationship between middle school PRRs and the variables of interest: As PRRs increased, on-task behavior of the entire class improved, on-task behavior and grades of students at risk for EBD increased, and disruptive behavior of students at risk for EBD decreased. We discuss the implications of our findings and suggest areas for future research.

High school is a time of changes in adolescents physical, psychological, social, and sexual development, often resulting in stress and anxiety. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems. Yoga is an Indian discipline practiced globally for health and relaxation. School-based yoga programs are becoming increasingly common given their potential benefits for high-school students. We conducted a literature review of studies of high school-based yoga programs, focusing on the reported benefits for adolescents. We identified 22 studies retrieved from electronic databases including Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar that met the inclusion criteria; (a) examined the benefits of yoga as the primary intervention conducted in a high school setting with students ages 14 to 19 years old, (b) was published by 2020, (c) was reviewed either by a journal editorial board or by a students dissertation committee, (d) was available in English, and (e) a full-text copy was available. The results of the studies were synthesized by clustering study findings into common domains. High school-based yoga showed promise in terms of physical, social, academic, and mental health benefits for students. Yoga also showed benefits for high students who were stressed, anxious, or depressed, or those at risk of abusing substances or dropping out of school. We provide recommendations from the literature for those contemplating the implementation of yoga in high schools.

Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a classroom management system using a group contingency involving direct teaching of classroom rules/skills, differential reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, and minimized social attention to inappropriate behaviors. We investigated elementary school teachers implementation of CW-FIT with minimal reliance on external researcher support. Nine teachers and their classes participated. Ten students nominated as at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) were individually monitored. Effects were examined using a single case reversal design. During CW-FIT implementation teachers use of praise increased and reprimands decreased, on-task behavior increased in all classrooms, and seven of the at-risk students also showed decreased disruptive behaviors. Teacher and student social validity ratings indicated support of and satisfaction with the program. Implications for classroom practice are discussed.

The precision request (PR) is a semi-scripted request sequence incorporating antecedent and consequence procedures designed to improve compliance. In a previous study, we demonstrated that PR can increase the compliance of students receiving special education services under the category of emotional disturbance (ED). However, the PR includes a punishment procedure (i.e., response cost), which may be unwise for ethical, legal, and practical reasons. In this study, we evaluated secondary data from the previous study to examine the impact of PR on the teachers use of praise, response cost, and reprimands. We found that the teachers use of the PR was associated with an increase in teacher praise and decreases in both response cost and reprimands. We also discuss the possible active elements of the PR intervention for improving student compliance. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Middle school is a cornerstone for success in high school. However, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement of adolescents often decline as they transition from elementary to middle school, resulting in lower school grades and more challenging behaviors, especially for adolescents with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT), a classroom management program based on school-wide positive behavior support, has been found to be effective in elementary general and special education classrooms. The present study, a randomized control trial of CW-FIT for middle schools (CW-FIT MS), evaluated the effects on class-wide on-task behavior, as well as the on-task and disruptive behaviors of students identified as at risk for EBD. Participants included 629 students (70 identified as at risk) enrolled in 28 middle school classrooms across five Title I schools representing diverse geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic areas. The study also addressed research questions regarding effects of the intervention on teacher praise and reprimands, as well as teacher and student social validity. Results suggested that CW-FIT MS was associated with improvements in class-wide and at-risk student on-task behavior, student disruptions, teacher praise, and teacher reprimand rates. Both teachers and students reported the intervention to be socially valid. Study limitations and areas for future research are addressed.

Classroom management is commonly challenging in middle schools. Class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT) is a multitiered intervention designed to decrease problem behaviors at the classroom level. It is comprised of evidence-based practices such as teaching classroom expectations, increasing teacher praise, and using positive reinforcement in an interdependent group contingency. CW-FIT has shown promise in a variety of school settings, but it has not been tested in middle school art classrooms. This initial investigation examined the effects of CW-FIT using a single-subject ABAB design in two middle school art classrooms. Results indicated that class on-task behavior increased by more than 25% and teacher praise-to-reprimand ratios more than doubled during CW-FIT implementation compared with baseline levels. Results also indicated that on-task behavior for students identified as at risk for behavioral disorders improved by more than 18% during the intervention. Teachers and students found the intervention to be socially valid. The resulting implications were promising for using CW-FIT in other middle school art classrooms.

Literacy coaching, an effective professional development strategy for early childhood teachers, is a respected component in educational reform initiatives. This qualitative case study explored and described interactive processes between literacy coaches and Kindergarten teachers. In particular, this study focused on how established kindergarten teachers in four, diverse, rural impoverished schools in the southeastern United States exhibited initial resistance to literacy coaching. The data suggested that although relationship-focused strategies were important for all teachers, these strategies were essential for low-implementing, initially resistant teachers. Additionally, teachers who were low-implementing, initially resistant required intensive strategies to address cross-cultural challenges and to leverage principal’s support in positive ways. Although building relationships required trust, improving teaching skills required navigating resistance and bridging differences between the coach and teacher.

For teachers who work with students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), noncompliance can be a serious problem by impacting their own and others access to the curriculum. The precision request (PR) has been recommended as effective in addressing noncompliance, but it has limited support as a sole intervention in a classroom exclusively for students with emotional disturbance. This study used an ABAB (withdrawal) single-case design to demonstrate effects of teachers PRs on noncompliance of eight third and fourth grade students with EBD in a self-contained class. PR was shown to increase student compliance (log response ratio effect size=0.17) with no adverse effects on latency to compliance. Both teacher and students rated the social validity as positive. This finding was corroborated by the teachers continued use of PRs after study completion. Implications of the findings for practice and suggestions for future research are included.

Middle school special education teachers often express concern about challenging student behavior. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), a behavior management program based on school-wide positive behavior support, have been effective in elementary general education classrooms. The present study, the first to apply it in a middle school special education setting, used an ABAC design to examine effects on student on-task behavior and teacher praise rates in a self-contained special education classroom for students with severe disabilities and their typically developing peer tutors. Results suggested that CW-FIT Tier 1 is associated with improvements in student on-task behavior and teacher praise rates, especially when peer tutors are included in the intervention and when the timer is silent. Both teachers and students reported the intervention to be socially valid. Study limitations and areas for future research are addressed.

This study explored subjective experiences of Native American high school students as they described factors that facilitated or detracted from their efforts to graduate from high school. Interviews with 12 Native American high school juniors and seniors who had grown up on reservations identified five themes related to their persistence in high school: external influences of faculty support, structured social support, and family support, with more internalized themes of motivation to improve and experiences with racism. The results, discussed using an autoethnographic approach, indicated needs for (a) clear academic expectations between the school district and the tribal liaisons, (b) multicultural training to foster positive relationships between teachers and students from primary through secondary school, and (c) structured college preparatory instruction designed for Native American students. Results also indicated a need for further research into the educational experiences of multiethnic students. Study limitations and implications are addressed.

Adolescence can be a particularly difficult time for youth as they experience the physical, social, and academic changes that accompany developing maturity. One of the most critical challenges for schools is teaching adolescent students positive social and emotional skills, which are crucial for them to succeed academically and emotionally. <i>Strong Kids</i> is a social-emotional learning curriculum designed to reduce students internalizing symptoms. <i>Strong Kids</i> has shown promise in elementary schools; this was the first study to evaluate the newly updated version of the program in a middle school setting. Two general education teachers implemented the curriculum with eight students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Researchers used a mixed methods design to evaluate outcomes. Findings suggest that <i>Strong Kids</i> was effective at improving students social-emotional knowledge and internalizing symptoms; however, there were no significant changes in their externalizing symptoms.

Social validity focuses on a program's goals, procedures, and outcome, which helps determine if an intervention is socially acceptable and valued. This study represents a conceptual replication of the investigation by Lane and colleagues (2009) regarding the psychometric properties of the Primary Intervention Rating Scale (PIRS), a teacher survey designed to measure social validity of positive behavior support. Lane and colleagues' results indicated the PIRS was a one-factor measure with strong reliability and structural validity. To substantiate these findings, we distributed an adapted version of the PIRS to teachers from a school district in the Mountain West region. We collected data from 153 elementary and middle school teachers and computed results with a series of statistical analyses including confirmatory factor analyses as well as Cronbach's alpha and Raykov's rho. We affirmed the findings of the PIRS as a one-factor measure with strong internal consistency and no significant differences in scores based on the school level. Study limitations and implications are addressed.

Adolescents encounter a variety of challenges and risk factors that can result in adversity or unsafe behaviors often associated with mental health problems. However, the attribute of resilience can potentially buffer the effects of such risk factors. Sports participation, a form of activity available to a large number of adolescents through school and community programs, may foster resilience. This study compared the resilience levels of adolescents who participated in sports (n = 214) with the resilience levels of peers not participating in sports (n = 62), as reported by parents. Structural equation modeling was used to answer the research questions. Adolescents who participated in youth sports had significantly higher levels of parent-reported resilience (self-regulation/responsibility, social competence, and empathy) than adolescents who did not participate. High school sports predicted higher self-regulation/responsibility, while sports sponsored by recreation facilities predicted greater empathy and social competence. Finally, results demonstrated a positive relationship between the number of sports played and increased resilience scores. Implications and limitations of this study are included.

In the United States, many teachers feel underprepared to manage student classroom behavior positively. Such management is crucial for students to learn effectively, especially those with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Although increasing teacher praise and decreasing teacher reprimands may be research-based practices, more empirical evidence is required for them to be considered evidence based. The current study of 65 elementary school teachers and 239 students across three states contrasted the effects of these teacher behaviors on engagement and disruptions of students who were and were not at risk of EBD. Using structural equation modeling, we examined how the engagement and disruptions of students at risk were more sensitive to teacher praise and reprimand than the behavior of their typical peers. These results support the literature and invite teachers to consider that who they praise and reprimand is just as important as how.

Middle school special education teachers often express concern about challenging student behavior. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), a behavior management program based on school-wide positive behavior support, has been effective in elementary general education classrooms. The present study, the first to apply it in a middle school special education setting, used an ABAC design to examine effects on student on-task behavior and teacher praise rates in a self-contained special education classroom for students with severe disabilities and their typically developing peer tutors. Results suggested that CW-FIT Tier 1 is associated with improvements in student on-task behavior and teacher praise rates, especially when peer tutors are included in the intervention and when the timer is silent. Both teachers and students reported the intervention to be socially valid. Study limitations and areas for future research are addressed.

Student mental health problems often emerge in high school; however, such problems frequently go unaddressed. Using a time series design, we evaluated the effects of the Strong Teens social-emotional learning curriculum implemented by three school counselors and two school social workers with 28 high school students identified with internalizing symptoms. Decreases in students’ self-reported levels of internalizing symptoms were statistically significant following the 12-week intervention, indicating moderate improvement. Participants rated the program as socially valid, though they also recommended ways to improve it. Results coincide with past studies indicating that Strong Teens may help reduce adolescents’ self-reported internalizing symptoms.

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are an increasingly popular strategy for improving schools. While PLCs routinely implement universal academic screening, they seldom screen for emotional and behavioral problems. This is unfortunate, as the early signs of emotional and behavioral disorders can be identified and interventions developed. The purpose of this study was to examine the social validity of the Systematic Screening for Behavioral Disorders (SSBD) implemented in three professional development elementary schools in an intermountain state of the U.S. After using the SSBD in their schools for one year, 75 teachers were surveyed, Results suggested that participants (a) valued the SSBD process, (b) considered screening to be feasible and acceptable, (c) expanded their knowledge and skills regarding student emotional and behavioral issues, but (d) needed more training and support for planning appropriate interventions for at-risk students. Implications and limitations of this study are addressed.

The Brigham Young University-Public School Partnership (BYU-PSP) has been serving K-12 public schools in Utah for 28 years. The Partnership includes five school districts, BYUs David O. McKay School of Education, and the seven arts and sciences colleges at BYU that participate in preparing teachers. This paper describes the structure of the Partnership and explains how the nine essential elements of professional development schools are implemented within this partnership agreement The BYU-PSP is unusual among professional development school partnerships due to its size, scope, and longevity. All schools within the BYU-PSP districts are considered Partnership schools, but some participate more fully in the preparation of teachers, school psychologists, and administrators than others. One of the strengths of the Partnership is that it provides over 40 preservice and inservice professional development programs. Insights and lessons learned are shared, with a particular focus on long-term sustainability of school-university partnerships.

The inclusion of social and emotional learning (SEL) curricula in preschools may help prevent emotional and behavioral problems. This study evaluated the effects of a SEL curriculum, Strong Start Pre-K, on the social and emotional competence of 52 preschool students using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design. Teachers rated students emotional regulation, internalizing behaviors, and the quality of the student-teacher relationship. Results indicated a significant decrease of internalizing behaviors and more improvement in the student-teacher relationship in the treatment conditions. Results also supported the use of the optional booster lessons contained in the curriculum. Treatment integrity and social validity ratings of Strong Start Pre-K were high. Limitations and implications of this study are addressed.

Function-based support (FBS) is an intervention strategy for decreasing problem behaviors and increasing replacement behaviors through the use of functional behavioral assessment and behavior support planning. Although FBS has been demonstrated to facilitate positive outcomes for children in a variety of educational settings, it has yet to be widely adopted by general educators as a pre-referral intervention strategy. This series of single-subject studies reports the ongoing development and validation of a method for training general educators to successfully and independently implement FBS as a pre-referral intervention for at-risk students in their classes. These studies highlight the experiences of one teacher who participated in three training phases and implemented FBS with three at-risk students. Results suggest that training was effective as indicated by knowledge gains regarding FBS principles and procedures, successful mastery and application of FBS practices, positive student outcomes, and favorable teacher and student perceptions of social validity. The implications and limitations of these results as well as future directions for this line of research are also discussed.

Classroom management is a significant challenge for school teachers and administrators, often rated as the primary area of concern for first-year teachers and the most common reason many choose to leave the profession. Recently there has been an increased interest in social and emotional learning and its relationship to improved student behavior, academic outcomes, and emotional health, particularly during the early childhood years. This study examined the social validity of Conscious Discipline, a classroom management program which incorporates social and emotional learning. Seventeen early childhood special educators rated the significance, appropriateness, and effects of the program in a preschool setting. Results indicated that the program had high social validity, with ratings positively correlated with both teaching experience and experience using the program. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.

Cognitive strategy training, including instruction in organizational skills, can help secondary school students learn critical content and attain desired academic outcomes (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2007). Schoolwide intervention components will likely include those found to be most critical during previous efforts including assignment tracking (self-monitoring), positive reinforcement, goal setting, data collection, and one-on-one adult support-all potentially important factors in the attempt to further students' academic achievement through teaching organizational skills.

There is little research regarding interventions for children with internalizing behaviors in schools, both within classrooms and in nonclassroom environments. In response to this need, a nonclassroom treatment package, consisting of (a) social skills instruction, (b) mediated self‐management, and (c) a reinforcement system, was implemented to modify the socially withdrawn behavior of 3 elementary students. The effects of this treatment package were evaluated on the school playground—during recess—by recording both the number of communicative acts and the total time spent engaged in appropriate peer play for each target student. All target students showed marked improvement in their playground, social interaction. Future research should be conducted with similar populations, using variations of the described methods in other school settings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 779–794, 2007.

This study conducted in four secondary schools across three years, provides an example of how stakeholder perceptions about school quality might be obtained and analyzed to aid in setting administrative objectives. The participating schools served predominantly Caucasian students in suburban and rural areas. Approximately 30% of students at these schools received free or reduced lunch. Parents, students and school staff were asked to complete the Indicators of School Quality survey, which includes items regarding parent support, teacher excellence, student commitment, school leadership, instructional quality, resource management, and school safety. An average of 1098 parents, 159 teachers, and 3108 students completed surveys each year across the three years. School staff tended to rate their schools more positively on average than parents. Female students, younger students, and students claiming ethnic majority status all tended to rate their schools higher than other students. These results suggest that administrators could benefit from understanding how stakeholders differ in their perceptions of school quality, particularly as they engage in school improvement efforts.

The Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD), a multistage screening system designed to identify elementary school?age children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, was evaluated for use with middle and junior high school students. During SSBD Stage 1, teachers identified 123 students in grades 6 through 9 with characteristics of internalizing and externalizing disorders. Teachers then completed SSBD Stage 2 behavior rating scales, the Teacher Report Form, and
the Social Skill Rating System on 119 of these students identified as at-risk during Stage 1. Office discipline referrals and cumulative grade point averages for at-risk students were compared to those of students not designated by teachers. SSBD Stage 2 scores were compared with scores from the Teacher Report Form and Social Skill Rating System. Internal consistency and interrater reliability of the SSBD were also examined. Results provide evidence for the reliability and validity of
SSBD ratings of early adolescent students.

The socially withdrawn student seldom enjoys positive relationships with others—a situation which if left untreated may become extremely serious. tively affect a student’s academic performance, physical health, future psychological adjustment, and employment opportunities (Flook, Repetti, & Ullman, 2005; Merrell, 1994, 2003; Merrell & Walker, 2004). Because internalizing behaviors are directed inward, away from the external social environment, they are typically more disturbing to the student than to the classroom. As a result, many teachers view students with internalizing behaviors as merely shy, overlooking the negative consequences of this behavior on the individual (Reynolds, 1992). In addition, students with internalizing behaviors may not be identified for further assessment or treatment because their behavior is not easily detectable through reactive data such as office discipline referrals.

This study examined teachers’ perceptions of classroom behaviour problems in five provinces of the People’s Republic of China. Researchers surveyed 527 Chinese teachers from 27 elementary schools. Consistent with previous studies in China, teachers perceived non‐attention to be the most frequent and troublesome behaviour problem. Teachers’ perceptions of which behaviour problems were most difficult to tolerate and most negative in their effects on student development were also investigated. Approximately 45% of the teachers reported spending too much time on behaviour problems. Significant differences were found in the prevalence of teachers’ perceptions of student misbehaviour and of the time spent on classroom management; there were also differences in these perceptions according to students’ gender, type of school, classroom subject taught, and teachers’ level of experience. The implications of these findings for researchers and practitioners are addressed.

The purpose of the study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to demonstrate the efficacy of the Classwide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program. The study was designed to replicate an initial RCT conducted by the CW-FIT developers in 1 site, with 2 additional research groups not involved in its development. The study was conducted across 3 states, in 21 culturally
diverse schools, and with 83 teachers (classrooms) assigned to CW-FIT and 74 teachers (classrooms) assigned to the comparison group. The CW-FIT intervention included teaching prosocial skills and use of differential attention (teacher praise and points) for appropriate behaviors using a group contingency, class teams, goal setting,
points, and rewards. Class-wide student on-task behavior
improved, teacher praise and attention to appropriate behaviors increased, and reprimands decreased in the CWFIT classes with significantly fewer changes over time for
the comparison group.

The promotion of social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools may help prevent emotional and behavioral problems of students. This study evaluated the effects of a SEL curriculum, <i>Strong Start</i>, on the social-emotional competence of 26 second grade students, using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design. Results revealed statistically significant and meaningful improvements in teacher ratings of students’ internalizing and peer-related pro-social behaviors, particularly for students at greater risk. Conversely, control group students experienced significant worsening of internalizing behaviors and decreased levels of peer-related pro-social behaviors. No changes were reported in externalizing behaviors for either group. Treatment integrity and social validity ratings of <i>Strong Start</i> were high. Limitations and implications of this study are addressed.

Objectives - Concerns about the mental health and well-being of K-12 schoolteachers (individuals teaching children aged 5–18 in traditional classroom settings in the USA) have never been more urgent, with stress levels, burnout, and rates of attrition reaching historically high levels. Mindfulness training may be a professional development option for teachers to better meet the demands of their career with skills such as mental flexibility, emotion regulation, resilience, empathy, compassion, and interpersonal skills. This study examined the efficacy of the Mindfulness for Humans (MfH) course, an online, self-directed mindfulness curriculum grounded in evidence-based practices that is easily accessible, scalable, relatively brief, and requires little or no work for the school system to implement.<br><br>Method - We utilized a randomized waitlist-controlled trial to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of the MfH course on the well-being and mindfulness skills of 230 K-12 teachers of regular classrooms using responses to self-report measures and a satisfaction questionnaire (Group 1, n = 115; Group 2, n = 115).<br><br>Results - Online mindfulness training through the MfH course significantly increased teacher well-being and mindfulness skills compared to a waitlist group (d = 0.28 to 0.58) regardless of initial familiarity with mindfulness practices. Participants reported that the curriculum was engaging and useful.<br><br>Conclusions - Online mindfulness training through the MfH course appears to support the well-being of K-12 schoolteachers. Future research may examine additional outcomes such as teacher stress, resilience, or psychological distress.

Pickleball was first introduced in the 1960s and is growing quickly in popularity. A variety of benefits for adult pickleball players are reported in the literature. However, there has only been one study of pickleball for junior players published in the literature. In the present exploratory pilot study, we used a questionnaire to examine the perceptions of 51 junior pickle-ball players between the ages of 8 and 18 in the US. Results indicated that junior players had positive perceptions of the sport. Pickleball playing appeared to have a variety of mental health benefits, including decreased stress, as well as improvements in coping, focus, making friends, and mood. Results also suggested that for every 1.00 standard deviation increase in the number of times pickleball was played each month, their was a predicted increase in benefits of 0.35 standard deviations,a small-to-moderate effect size.

Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a classroom management intervention in which teachers incorporate positive behavior support (PBS) principles by teaching specific classroom expectations and providing feedback on student behavior as part of an interdependent group contingency. Interventions like CW-FIT may be helpful for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), as such students often struggle to succeed in school. In the present replication study, researchers examined the effects of CW-FIT in a self-contained elementary EBD classroom. One teacher and her five students with EBD participated. Researchers used an A-B-A-B withdrawal design with maintenance probes to examine changes in students’ on-task behavior, as well as teacher praise and reprimand rates. Results revealed the teacher was able to implement CW-FIT with fidelity with corresponding increases in student on-task behavior and teacher praise, though there was little effect on teacher reprimands. The teacher and the students found CW-FIT to be socially valid. Results suggest CW-FIT can be an effective classroom management intervention in self-contained elementary EBD classrooms.

Parent involvement in their children’s education has been shown to positively impact student outcomes, including academic achievement, attitude toward school, and skill development. However, limited research explores how to help Hispanic parents become more involved in their children’s schooling. More than 13.8 million Hispanic students are in public elementary and secondary schools. Due to the increase in Hispanic students within the U.S., a need to better understand and support their parents’ involvement in schools is needed. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Parents + Schools = Successful Children (PSSC) program in the participation of 19 Hispanic parents at an urban elementary school. This study used a mixed-methods design with concurrent triangulation to evaluate the effectiveness and social validity of the program. Results indicated that PSSC improved overall involvement by helping parents improve reading at home, increase their understanding of the school system, and be more involved in their child’s school. Additionally, the program was viewed as socially valid and helpful according to parents and program teachers. The significance of these results is discussed, as well as study limitations and suggestions for school practices that may encourage Hispanic parent involvement.

Teachers have the responsibility of managing student classroom behavior. The positive effects of evidence-based classroom management methods, like Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT), have been demonstrated in a variety of settings; however, research on the efficacy of CW-FIT in special education classrooms is scarce. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of CW-FIT in two middle school special education math classrooms. Teachers implemented CW-FIT by instructing students in classroom behavior expectations and using a group contingency involving the use of teams, a timer, praise, points, and group rewards. One teacher alternated between using an audible and inaudible timer, while the other used an audible timer. There was an increase in student on-task behavior and teacher praise when CW-FIT was implemented, with no significant difference in outcomes between conditions with an audible versus inaudible timer. Teachers and students indicated that they found the intervention to be socially valid.

This study evaluated the effects of a one-day ropes course on students' classroom involvement and affiliation. Middle and junior high school students who participated in the ropes course were from classes designed for students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Using the Classroom Environment Scale (CES) Short Form, students evaluated their relationships with peers in their classrooms before and after the ropes course. Small changes in scores were detected using the CES: two classes of students at risk for internalizing behavior problems had a significant increase (p < .05) in feelings of involvement, and the middle school classes (in aggregate) had a statistically significant decrease (p < .05) in their affiliation scores. Responses to an open-ended survey were mostly positive. Further study with larger groups of students and, perhaps, more intense and focused intervention at the ropes course seems warranted.

The precision request (PR) is a semi-scripted request sequence incorporating antecedent and consequence procedures designed to improve compliance. In a previous study, we demonstrated that PR can increase the compliance of students receiving special education services under the category of emotional disturbance (ED). However, the PR includes a punishment procedure (i.e., response cost), which may be unwise for ethical, legal, and practical reasons. In this study, we evaluated secondary data from the previous study to examine the impact of PR on the teacher’s use of praise, response cost, and reprimands. We found that the teacher’s use of the PR was associated with an increase in teacher praise and decreases in both response cost and reprimands. We also discuss the possible active elements of the PR intervention for improving student compliance. Implications and limitations are discussed.

For teachers who work with students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD), noncompliance can be a serious problem by impacting their own and others’ access to the curriculum. The precision request (PR) has been recommended as effective in addressing noncompliance, but it has limited support as a sole intervention in a classroom exclusively for students with emotional disturbance. This study used an ABAB (withdrawal) single-case design to demonstrate the effects of teachers’ PRs on the noncompliance of eight third and fourth-grade students with EBD in a self-contained class. PR was shown to increase student compliance (log response ratio effect size = 0.17) with no adverse effects on latency to compliance. Both teacher and students rated the social validity as positive. This finding was corroborated by the teacher’s continued use of PRs after study completion. Implications of the findings for practice and suggestions for future research are included.

Adolescence can be a particularly difficult time for youth as they experience the physical, social, and academic changes that accompany maturation. One of the most critical challenges for schools is teaching adolescent students positive social and emotional skills, which are crucial for them to succeed academically and emotionally. <i>Strong Kids</i> is a social-emotional learning curriculum designed to reduce students’ internalizing symptoms. <i>Strong Kids</i> has shown promise in elementary schools; this was the first study to evaluate the newly updated version of the program in a middle level school setting. Two general education teachers implemented the curriculum with eight students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Researchers used a mixed methods design to evaluate outcomes. Findings suggest that <i>Strong Kids</i> was effective at improving students’ social-emotional knowledge and internalizing symptoms; however, there were no significant changes in their externalizing symptoms.

The purpose of this study was to compare transformational and instructional leadership theories, examine the unique impact that school leaders have on student achievement, and determine which specific leadership practices are associated with increased student achievement. The sample for this study consisted of 590 teachers in 37 elementary schools in the Intermountain West of the United States. Teachers rated their principals’ leadership style according to the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Transformational Leadership) and the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (Instructional leadership). Student achievement was measured by a criterion referenced test. Hypotheses were tested using regression analysis. Results indicated that instructional leadership explained more of the variance in student achievement than did transformational leadership. Principals’ leadership style tended to have a meaningful impact on student achievement beyond the impact of school context and principal demographics. Specific leadership functions associated with student achievement were also identified and reported. Conclusion, implications and limitations are also discussed.

Social skills training is effective in building social skills; however, many programs fail to generalize these skills across settings and time. This study investigated the effects of social skills instruction (SSI) for first and second grade students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. The intervention combined direct instruction, role-plays, and childrens literature, with peers supporting both the acquisition and generalization of three social skills through positive peer reporting (PPR) in other school settings. Results demonstrated that the SSI package was effective at increasing the acquisition and generalization of social skills across multiple settings. Researchers should continue to examine the use of SSI methods with other populations and in various contexts in order to increase students social competence.

Instruction and training in social and emotional learning (SEL) is an important component in addressing the emotional and behavioral needs of students. This study is the first to examine whether Strong Kids, an SEL program, delivered school-wide in all classrooms, could result in decreased internalizing behaviors and increased prosocial behaviors for both at-risk and general education students. This study also evaluated whether teachers could implement Strong Kids as designed and whether they viewed it as socially valid. A non-equivalent control group design was used. The treatment school consisted of 348 student participants and 17 teacher participants in grades K6. The control school consisted of 266 student participants and 11 teacher participants in grades K6. Pretest and posttest teacher ratings revealed significant decreases in students internalizing behaviors at the treatment school, while these behaviors increased at the control school. Students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders improved significantly more than those not at risk on ratings of internalizing symptoms and prosocial behaviors, even when the intervention was delivered school-wide in all classrooms. Teachers were able to implement Strong Kids with a high level of fidelity and they held moderately favorable views of the program.

Comprehensive evidence-based interventions are needed to help early childhood educators manage challenging student behaviors. One such intervention, class-wide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT), is a multi-tiered behavioral intervention program based on positive behavior support principles, including four main elements: (a) teaching socially appropriate communication skills, (b) using differential reinforcement with an interdependent group contingency, (c) extinguishing or eliminating potential reinforcement for problem behavior, and (d) implementing individual interventions using self-management, help cards, and/or functional assessment. This study implemented CW-FIT with five kindergarten through second grade teachers. Results demonstrated efficacy of the program as early childhood teachers increased their praise rates and decreased their reprimand rates, and students responded with increased on-task behavior and fewer classroom disruptions. Study implications and limitations are addressed.

Dropping out of high school has negative results and implications for individuals and society. The likelihood of dropping out is attributed to both social and academic risk factors. Poor high school attendance, low course completion, and low grade-point-average (GPA) have been identified as three leading indicators that students are at risk for dropout. Early identification of at-risk high school students is critical during the first semester of ninth grade. This study utilized a single case study design with embedded quantitative statistical analyses to understand the characteristics of 416 students transitioning from three middle schools to a large suburban high school. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationship of 12 middle school indicators to ninth grade attendance, course completion, and GPA. Findings indicated that middle school GPA, grades, attendance, and ACT math scores were all strong predictors of ninth grade performance. Using these middle school risk indicators, ninth grade students at risk of school failure may be identified early and provided interventions during their first year of high school.

Classroom management in dual immersion classrooms includes unique challenges. The teacher must instruct and correct in the L2 language, in which students are beginning learners, and effective classroom management strategies appropriate to the L2 context. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a positive classroom management program that teaches social skills and uses group contingencies to improve behavior. The present study examined the ability of French immersion teachers to implement CW-FIT in the L2, including the effects of CW-FIT on teacher praise and reprimand rates and as well as on students classroom behavior. Social validity was also assessed. A single-subject multiple baseline design with embedded reversals was used to evaluate impact in second-, third-, and fourth-grade dual immersion classrooms. Results indicated that dual immersion teachers were able to implement CW-FIT in L2 with fidelity. The intervention significantly increased teacher praise and improved classroom on-task behavior. Changes in teacher reprimand rates were inconsistent. Students and teachers reported CW-FIT to be socially valid.

Numerous well-validated academic progress monitoring tools are used in schools, but there are fewer behavioral progress monitoring measures available. Some brief behavior rating scales have been shown to be effective in monitoring students progress, but most focus only on students social skills and do not address critical academic-related behaviors. We conducted a quasi-replication of a study by Brady, Evans, Berlin, Bunford, and Kern examining the Classroom Performance Survey (CPS) by using a multi-step analytic strategy, including confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. Over a period of 3 years, 160 elementary schoolteachers in 19 schools across three states completed a modified CPS on 356 elementary students identified as at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. The modified CPS was found to be comprised of two factors (Academic Competence and Interpersonal Competence) and showed evidence of reliability and validity. These results suggest that the CPS shows promise as a brief behavior rating scale for progress monitoring in elementary schools.

Adolescents in residential treatment centers (RTCs) often have a severe mental illness as well as significant deficits in their social competencies. Strong Teens is a social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum designed to decrease internalizing disorders by promoting emotional resilience and social competence. The curriculum has shown promising effects in educational settings. This study is the second to implement Strong Teens in residential treatment with high-risk adolescents. Using a quasi-experimental wait-list control design, therapists implemented Strong Teens with 36 adolescent girls in an RTC during group therapy. The researchers assessed changes in social and emotional knowledge, internalizing symptoms, and resilience using a split-plot repeated measures ANOVA, paired samples t-tests, and effect sizes. Although results indicated that Strong Teens did not affect the girls social and emotional knowledge, the intervention did show evidence of reducing their internalizing symptoms and increasing their resilience. In a social validity survey, most group therapists agreed with the goals and procedures of the curriculum but were less certain regarding the outcomes. We recommend that future studies of this population investigate which SEL topics are most suitable, identify the most favorable lesson times for RTC implementation, and explore student perspectives and experiences with Strong Teens.

This study investigated the effects of varying opportunities to respond when using a behavior management program with three elementary school students with developmental disabilities in a small group special education setting. These students exhibited both academic and behavioral difficulties. With the implementation of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) with low opportunities to respond (OTR), students increased their active engagement and correct responses, as well as decreased their disruptive behaviors. When CW-FIT with high OTR was implemented, students showed an even greater improvement than CW-FIT with low OTR. Higher rates of OTR resulted in higher levels of active engagement and correct responses and decreases in disruptive behavior for all three students. These results indicate that CW-FIT in combination with high OTR can help elementary school teachers manage students behavior and increase students correct responding when implemented in a small group special education setting.

Implementing social media in college classrooms can substantially<br>enhance learning: facilitating teacher-student and student-peer communication; providing access to the professor- and student-posted information along with the resources of the internet, and promoting collaborative and responsive learning in many forms. But the excessive, unwise, or inconsiderate use of social media in the classroom can detract from the learning of the user and her classmates. A population of 447 undergraduate students enrolled in a college of fine arts and communications, completed an online survey created to explore their levels of social media use and their perceptions of how social media were contributing to and distracting from their education. Responses revealed that these students accessed their social media accounts an average of 32 times a day, yet a majority of them did not consider social media important to their formal education, and many found it to be distracting.

The promotion of social and emotional learning
(SEL) in schools may help prevent emotional and behavioral problems of students. This study evaluated the effects of a SEL curriculum, Strong Start, on the social-emotional competence of 26 second grade students, using a quasi- experimental, non-equivalent control group design. Results revealed statistically signi?cant and meaningful improvements in teacher ratings of students? internalizing and peer related pro-social behaviors, particularly for students at greater risk. Conversely, control group students experienced signi?cant worsening of internalizing behaviors and decreased levels of peer-related pro-social behaviors. No changes were reported in externalizing behaviors for either group. Treatment integrity and social validity ratings of Strong Start were high. Limitations and implications of this study are addressed.

Organizational Skills Instruction (OSI), a secondary level intervention within a school-wide model of positive behavior support, was implemented in a junior high life skills class with ninth grade students identified as being at risk behaviorally and academically. Key intervention components included (1) a self-monitoring form, (2) instruction in the use of the form, (3) reinforcement for using the form, (4) teacher verification of receipt of assignments by signing the form, (5) daily checks with an adult, (6) goal setting and (7) behavior contracting. Data collected over a 25-week period suggested that (a) the life skills students were capable of accurately self-monitoring their academic performance, and (b) applying organizational skills helped students improve their grades in academic classes. Data for one student are included.