Now more than ever, many children and youth are exposed to potentially traumatic events, whether it be from community or school violence, natural disasters, or the sudden loss of a loved one.
Bullying occurs when children experience unwanted and aggressive behavior from more powerful peers repeatedly over time.
We highlight strategies educators can use to reduce implicit bias when responding to challenging behaviors, which is one of the five key components to reduce disproportionality in school discipline when implementing a PBIS approach.
The well-established connection between positive school climate and student success means that educators need to know how the climate at their school is faring. This information is particularly important now, after the prolonged disruptions in schooling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting and using feedback from students themselves about their school experiences is key to understanding school climate. But how do school and district leaders know which measures to use?
In this second post in this series, we will discuss how to elevate the voices of students and families – one aspect of implementing a positive behavior framework that is preventive, multi-tiered, and culturally responsive.
Students who are Black, Latinx, and Native American are more likely than White students to be suspended or expelled – even when comparing consequences for the same infractions.
Acts of violence at school place pressure on educators and school leaders to better ensure the safety of their students. A comprehensive approach addresses school climate, student mental health programs, strategies to prevent violence, and physical security mechanisms. Our research has identified several promising practices to help keep students emotionally and physically safe at school.
Students learn best when a school establishes clear and consistent school-wide expectations for behavior. Establishing school-wide rules and routines can help prevent challenging behavior or negative incidents from occurring in the first place. Foundations is one example of a program that addresses school climate and safety by promoting positive discipline policies.
Research has shown that a positive school climate is greatly beneficial for both students and educators. A positive school climate includes three main components: Engagement, Safety, and Environment. School climate measures can help educators, parents, and the community understand perceptions, set appropriate goals, identify priorities, and make decisions.