1 of 23

CCS Guide To Research & Program Evaluation

​

February 2025

Dr. Amber Hill

​

​

​

Exploring the Teacher Perceptions of the Overrepresentation Disciplinary Actions Against African American Male Elementary School Students

2 of 23

Introduction and Background

  • Teachers report the overrepresentation of disciplinary actions amongst African American male elementary students are high.

​

  • Despite the implementation of PBIS, the number of behavioral referrals among African American male elementary students remains persistently high.

​

  • Minimal research has included the perspectives of Teachers perceptions of the disproportionate disciplinary actions amongst African American male elementary students.

3 of 23

Objectives/Goals of Project

⮚ The research questions that guided this study are as follows:

​

  • Research Question 1 (RQ1) What are teacher perceptions of the disproportionate disciplinary actions amongst African American male elementary students located in a regional school system located in a midwestern state in the U.S.? 

​

  • Research Question 2 (RQ2) What are teachers’ perceptions of training, resources, and supports they need to address the of the disproportionate of disciplinary actions amongst African American male elementary students?

​

4 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

   Participants/Sample Size

​

  • Recruitment
  • Sample size -10- 12 Elementary Teachers
  • Participants-  10 Elementary teachers Criteria

          * Certified to teach in the state of                    

             Ohio. 

          * Have completed some type of  

             PBIS training.

          * Have experience implementing

             PBIS.

          * Worked in the school district

             while the PBIS intervention was         

             implemented.

​

​

5 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Findings

​

A presentation of the evaluation results, organized around the research questions.

​

6 of 23

Conceptual Frameworks

⮚Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Theory

⮚ Skinner’s (1938) Operant Conditioning Theory

​

​

7 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

  Data Collection

​

  • A purposeful sampling technique
  • 30-45 minutes semi-structured interviews
  • Recorded Video-conferencing platform, Zoom
  • Researcher created interview questions aligned with RQ1 and RQ2.
  • Transcription with Zoom.
  • NVivo software

​

​

8 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Findings

​

​

  • Training and Support Needs

​

​

  • Relationship Building

​

​

  • Consistency and Structure in Expectations and Consequences

​

9 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Theme 1: Training and Support Needs

​

⮚ Need for more in-depth PBIS and cultural responsiveness training

​

  • Tiered supports based on individual needs

​

​

10 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Findings

​

A presentation of the evaluation results, organized around the research questions.

​

11 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Theme 2:  Relationship Building

​

​

  • Identity differences, cultural awareness, and biases impact student perceptions, relationships and discipline.

​

12 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Findings

​

A presentation of the evaluation results, organized around the research questions.

​

13 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Theme 3: Consistency and Structure in Expectations and Consequences

​

​

  • School-wide systems for accountability
  • Incentives and positive reinforcement
  • Focus on enhancing school climate

​

14 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Findings

​

15 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Limitations to Study

​

  • Research Bias
  • Limited to Elementary School Teachers.
  • Small sample size

​

​

16 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Recommendations for Future Research

​

  • Review of altering discriminatory policies and practices.

​

  • Inclusion of staff voices and collaboration in trainings, support needs, and policies and practices.

​

  • Identify if schools are including

culturally relevant curriculum into their   

practices.

​

​

17 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

Social Change Implications

​

  • Better teacher preparation for implementing PBIS.

​

  • Professional development trainings for Teachers.

​

  • Systemic changes to institutional barriers.

​

  • Awareness of privilege and cultural bias.

​

  • Build sustainable partnerships students.

​

18 of 23

Conclusion

⮚ Alternatives to Suspension

⮚ Equitable Practices

⮚ Efficient training Opportunities

⮚ Transformative Change

​

​

19 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

References

​

  • Barclay, A., Daly, B. P., Phillips, J., Bowes, L., Anderson, J., Lees, J., ... & Merrell, C. (2021). Predicting academic and behavioral variability for elementary school students: Testing a multi-tiered support approach. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(1), 142–157. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000764
  • Bastable, A., Massar, M., & McIntosh, K. (2021). Multi-tiered systems of support in alternative education settings: A qualitative study of core features and barriers to implementation. Behavioral Disorders, 46(4), 210-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/0198742920930608
  • Bastable, A., Massar, M. M., & Murphy, A. L. (2020). Evaluating Tier 1 implementation fidelity and its relation to students’ social and academic outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 22(2), 95–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300719900604Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dream keepers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishing Co.
  • Baule, S. M. (2020). The impact of positive behavior intervention support (PBIS) on suspensions by race and ethnicity in an urban school district. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, 16(4), 45-56. www.aasa.org/jsp.aspx
  • Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.
  • Emdin, C., (2021). Ratchetdemic: reimagining academic success. Boston: Beacon Press.
  • Gagnon, J. C., Barber, B. R., & Soyturk, I. (2020). Policies and practices supporting positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation in high-poverty Florida middle schools. Exceptionality, 28(3), 176-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2020.1727333

20 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

References

​

⮚Garet, M.S., Heppen, J.B., Walters, K., Parkinson, J., Smith, T.M., Song, M., Garrett, R., Yang, R., and Borman, G.D. (2020). Focusing on Mathematical Knowledge: The  Impact of Content-Intensive Teacher Professional Development. NCEE 2020-0002. National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

⮚Heidelberg, C., Wills, C., Thyne-Robinson, R., Moore, J., & Kosse, T. (2022). Bias within Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) School Culture Surveys: A Critical Race Analysis. School Psychology Review, 1-16. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.2018451

⮚Heidelberg, C. J., Moore, J., Kosse, T., Wills, C., Robinson, R. T., & Dowling, T. D. (2022). An anti-deficit examination of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Black male students: A systematic literature review. Behavioral disorders, 47(2), 97-111. https://doi.org/10.1177/01987429211019348

⮚Johnson, A. H., Crawford, A., Moylan, L. A., & Ford, J. E. (2018). Culturally responsive positive behavior interventions and supports. Milbank Memorial Fund. https://www.milbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Culturally-Responsive-PBIS-Report.pdfKittleman, A., McIntosh, K., & Hoselton, R. (2019). Adoption of PBIS within school districts. Journal of School Psychology, 76, 159-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2019.07.013

⮚Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dream keepers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishing Co.

⮚Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34, 159-165  https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849509543675

⮚ Ladson-Billings, G., (2020). "Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy"  External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF), American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 32, No. 3, accessed January 2020.

​

21 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

References

​

⮚Lo, C.O., George, J.A., & Collins, K. (2022). Centering race and culture in schoolwide         positive behavioral interventions and supports. Behavioral Disorders, 47(4), 260-272

⮚Macias, A. (2020). Teacher-led professional development: A proposal for a bottom-up structure approach. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 11(1), 76-91.

⮚McIntosh, K., Mercer, S. H., Neumann, A. C., & Gooze, R. A. (2021). Effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports on student agency, belonging, and academic self-efficacy: A US-based secondary analysis. School Psychology International, 42(2), 171–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034320977660

⮚Mondesir, B., & Griffin, C. B. (2020). Positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS): Advancing health disparities research through ecological approaches. Health Education & Behavior, 47(4), 535–542. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198120904989

⮚Myers, C. A., Sadler, T. D., & Moorman, J. D. (2020). Rethinking classroom management in urban schools: Pushing ecology, not control. Bank Street Occasional Papers Series, 2020(45), 68–83. https://educate.bankstreet.edu/occasional-paper-series/vol2020/iss45/7

⮚Santiago-Rosario, M., Haifley, R., Widener, M., & Catrett, J. (2021). A qualitative study evaluating Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation gaps within a multilevel framework in rural schools. Children & Schools, 43(2), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdab001

⮚Scaletta, K., & Tejero Hughes, P. (2021). Culturally responsive practices in a tier 2 behavior intervention. Preventing School Failure, 65(1), 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2020.1739658

⮚Scherer, C. A. & Ingle, W. K. (2020). PBIS implementation fidelity and student outcomes in an urban school district. Voices of Reform: Educational Research to Inform and Reform, 3(2), 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.32623/3.10007

⮚Skinner, B. F. (1948). Superstition' in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 168-172.

​

22 of 23

19

20

16

13

6

References

​

⮚Scaletta, K., & Tejero Hughes, P. (2021). Culturally responsive practices in a tier 2 behavior intervention. Preventing School Failure, 65(1), 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2020.1739658​

⮚Scherer, C. A. & Ingle, W. K. (2020). PBIS implementation fidelity and student outcomes in an urban school district. Voices of Reform: Educational Research to Inform and Reform, 3(2), 1-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.32623/3.10007​

⮚Skinner, B. F. (1948). Superstition' in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 168-172.​

23 of 23

​

​

​