The Evolution of Discipline Practices: School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports

SUMMARY In response to public requests to improve the purpose and structure of discipline systems, schools have increased their emphases on “school-wide” positive behavior support. The thesis of this paper is that the current problem behavior of students in elementary and middle schools requires a preventive, whole-school approach. The foundation for such an approach lies in the emerging technology of positive behavior support. The features of positive behavior support are defined, and their application to whole-school intervention articulated. Finally, the steps that have been used to implement school-wide positive behavior support in over 500 schools across the nation are described.