Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports -

“The R.K.A. Way”

Problem/Issue Identification

           Students across our country attend school every day with one expectation; teachers and principals will do their very best in providing the highest quality education to children possible.  Anything short of doing our best for our nation’s students and our country’s future would be morally and ethically unjust.

            Teachers are faced with challenges even before they begin to educate students.  Not only are teachers responsible for teaching the core academic subjects such as reading, math, science, and social studies, but teachers are also presented with nonacademic challenges that influence their instruction.  An increasing amount of young students are entering school without the social, emotional, behavioral, and academic skills needed to be successful (Hemmeter, Fox, Jack, & Broyles, 2007).  Student problem behavior often interferes with the education of students, leads to teacher burnout, and occupies administrative time. 

            One aspect of teaching is educators’ abilities to effectively manage their students’ behaviors.  Many teacher education programs expose pre-service teachers to numerous strategies for managing students’ behaviors because the most challenging aspect of teaching continues to be classroom management and discipline.   According to Elias (1998), “The area of behavior interventions in classrooms receives more attention than many other aspects of schooling” (p 4).  This is not surprising as teachers are expected to deal with discipline problems that were once a cause for suspension from school since more and more students are being included in public school settings, in part due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 

            Based on the New York State Report Card (2011-2012), Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (RKA), MS/HS 141, is located in Bronx, New York.  It is composed of students from grades 6 – 12; there are 706 students in the middle school and 629 students in the high school.  The ethnic breakdown of the student population is 13% Black or African American, 53% a Hispanic, 9% Asian or Native Hawaiian, and 25% White.  The student body includes 7% English Language Learners (ELL's) and 12% special education students. The average attendance rate for the school is 92%.   During the 2012-2013 school year, there were a total of 122 suspensions and 219 written referrals within the middle school.    

            Strong classroom management skills aid in teachers’ abilities to successfully teach students with various needs; however, teachers struggle with managing their students’ behaviors.  Wang and Violette (2011) point out that classroom management is one of the most common problems facing teachers because disruptive students take up valuable learning time. Teachers at RKA are dealing with students with disruptive, defiant, and disrespectful behaviors.  This often makes it difficult for teachers to teach and students to learn. 

            The disruptive behavior does not just include classrooms.  Students need to also improve their behavior in unstructured settings.  Such settings include lunchrooms, hallways, playgrounds, and school buses. 

            Disruptive behavior in both the classroom and unstructured settings needs immediate attention because the consequences of problem behaviors are well known.  In the past, RKA has addressed problem behavior by suspending students, adopting zero tolerance policies, taking away privileges, and placing students in alternative educational facilities.  These strategies are always temporary and often increase problem behavior.

            Middle school is a time of change and confusion for many students; they are in a particularly difficult state of development and often need to be guided in the right direction. To provide the best possible education, students need to be taught in an environment which they feel safe, know what to expect, and are free from distractions.  Schools need to reduce off-task behavior to utilize instructional time most effectively. 

The Plan

            One attempt at increasing student learning that is gaining in popularity across our country is the implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS).  PBIS strives to prevent disruptive and other unacceptable behavior and promote a positive school culture           An increasing amount of research supports the use of proactive and preventative approaches when addressing problematic behavior in schools (Lassen et al., 2006).  According to Lassen (2006), school-wide positive behavior support programs emphasize proactive and preventative approaches.  At the federal level, efforts have been made to improve the climate of schools by focusing on a proactive disciplinary approach, setting clear student expectations, and supporting proper behavior.  Other intervention reviews also found monitoring behavior and positive reinforcement to be effective in improving behavior (Boeree, 2006). 

            Through ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and new interventions, school officials are hopeful that placing such an emphasis on student behavior has an overall positive effect on student achievement.  Knowing that good behavior is strengthened by positive reinforcement, schools need to take a proactive approach to dealing with challenging behavior.  RKA 141 will implement a PBIS program called “The R.K.A. Way” (Respect, Kindness, Accountability).  The purpose of this plan is to recognize and reward positive behavior, prevent misbehavior, and develop positive ways to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment so that student achievement will continue to improve. Administration, staff, parents, students and the community need to work together to reach the most promising outcome for all involved. 

** See attached for complete project.