The Relationship Between Implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) and Disciplinary Exclusion of Students From Various Ethnic Backgrounds With and Without Disabilities

TLDR

The study analyzed disciplinary exclusion data from 77 schools that implemented SWPBS. The authors investigated how SWPBS implementation at school, classroom, nonclassroom, and student levels relates to exclusion patterns and whether students of different ethnicities and disabilities are equitably represented. Classroom‑level SWPBS was linked to fewer exclusions in elementary schools, while nonclassroom SWPBS reduced exclusions in high schools; overall exclusions fell, but White students benefited most and African American students remained overrepresented, especially in long‑term exclusions, though small sample sizes limit generalizability.

Abstract

This study examined disciplinary exclusion data from 77 schools implementing school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS). The authors examined (a) patterns of exclusion in schools implementing SWPBS; (b) associations between decreased exclusions and SWPBS implementation at the whole school level, the classroom level, the nonclassroom level, and the individual student level; (c) the extent to which students from varying ethnicities were equitably represented in overall exclusions as well as long-term exclusions; and (d) the extent to which students with a disability from varying ethnicities were equitably represented in long-term exclusions. Whereas SWPBS implementation in the classroom appeared to be associated with decreased exclusions in elementary schools, SWPBS implementation in nonclassroom settings appeared to be associated with decreased exclusions in high schools. Although overall exclusions decreased, White students appeared to benefit most from this decrease, whereas African American students remained overrepresented in exclusions, in particular long-term exclusions. Small sample sizes limited generalizability of outcomes.