The Self-Assessment and Program Review (SAPR) was developed to provide an assessment tool that schools could use to track their progress in implementing key practices related to all three levels of schoolwide positive behavior supports (SWPBS). The SAPR is a team-based assessment tool, using both individual and team ratings of 10 evidence-based subscales and related indicators, to monitor the implementation of SWPBS practices and assist teams in developing and monitoring plans for school improvement. This article describes the background, development, features, and details of the initial psychometric properties of the measure. The role and function of the SWPBS leadership team were also analyzed for their influence on the assessment and implementation process. Overall, results suggest that the SAPR is both reliable and valid, and it provides a useful and efficient tool to leadership teams interested in assessing their implementation of key SWPBS practices.
Adelman, H., & Taylor, L. (2001). Organization facilitators: A change agent for systemic school and community changes. Los Angeles: Center for Mental Health in Schools.
2.
Adelman, H., & Taylor, L. (2007). Systemic change for school improvement. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 17, 55-77.
3.
Allen, M., & Yen, W. (2002). Introduction to measurement theory. Prospect Heights, NJ: Waveland Press.
4.
Bradshaw, C., Barrett, S., & McKenna, M. (2008). Implementation Phases Inventory. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from http://pbismaryland.org/forms.htm
5.
Bruce, J. (1993). The self-renewing school. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
6.
Bryk, A., & Raudenbush, S. (1992). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods. Newbury Park, CA : Sage.
Campbell, D., & Fiske, D. (1959). Convergent and discriminant validation by the multitrait-multimethod matrix. Psychological Bulletin, 56, 81-105.
9.
Cheney, D. (1998). Washington's Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Emotional Disabilities: A model demonstration project (Federal Grant No. 324M98014). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
10.
Cheney, D. (2003). BEACONS Outreach: Scaling up positive behavioral supports to a statewide initiative (Federal Grant No. 84.324R). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
11.
Cheney, D., & Walker, B. (2003a). The BEACONS Project individual positive behavior support Self-Assessment and Program Review. Seattle: University of Washington.
12.
Cheney, D., & Walker, B. (2003b). The BEACONS Project positive behavior support Leadership Team Self-Assessment and Program Review. Seattle : University of Washington.
13.
Cicchetti, D. (1994). Guidelines, criteria, and rules of thumb for evaluating normed or standardized assessment instruments in psychology. Psychological Assessment, 6, 284-290.
14.
Cohen, R., Kincaid, D., & Childs, K.E. (2007). Measuring schoolwide positive behavior support implementation: Development and validation of Benchmarks of Quality. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 203-213.
15.
Curtis, M.J., & Stollar, S.A. (2002). Best practices in systems-level change. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 223-234). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
16.
DeVellis, R.F. (2003). Scale development: Theory and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
17.
Dwyer, K.P. (2002). Tools for building safe, effective schools. In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II (pp. 167-212). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists .
18.
Fraenkel, J., & Wallen, N. (1990). How to design and evaluate research in education . New York: McGraw-Hill.
19.
Garvin, D. (1993). Building a learning organization. Harvard Business Review, 7, 47-80.
20.
Greenberg, M., Weissberg, R., O'Brien, M., Zins, J., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., et al. (2003). Enhancing schools-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning . American Psychologist, 58, 466-474.
21.
Griffith, G. (2000). School climate as group evaluation and group consensus: Student and parent perceptions of the elementary school environment. The Elementary School Journal, 101, 35-61.
22.
Hagan-Burke, S., Burke, M., Martin, E., Boon, R., Fore, C., & Kirkendoll, D. (2005). The internal consistency of the Effective Behavioral Support Survey. Education and Treatment of Children, 28, 400-413.
23.
Handler, M., Rey, J., Connell, J., Their, K., Feinberg, A., & Putnam, R. (2007). Practical considerations in creating school-wide positive behavior supports in public schools. Psychology in the Schools, 44, 29-39.
24.
Horner, R.H., Todd, A.W., Lewis-Palmer, T., Irvin, L.K., Sugai, G., & Boland, J.B. (2004). The School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET): A research instrument for assessing school-wide positive behavior support. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6, 3-12.
25.
Irvin, L.K., Tobin, T.J., Sprague, J.R., Sugai, G., & Vincent, C.G. (2004). Validity of office discipline referral measures as indices of school-wide behavioral status and effects of school-wide behavioral interventions. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions , 6, 131-147.
26.
James, L.R. (1982). Aggregation bias in estimates of perceptual agreement . Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 219-229.
27.
Kern, L., & Manz, P. (2004). A look at current validity issues of school-wide behavior support. Behavioral Disorders, 30, 47-59.
28.
Kincaid, D., Childs, K., & George, H. (2005). School-wide Benchmarks of Quality. Unpublished instrument, University of South Florida.
29.
Knoff, H. (2000). Organizational development and strategic planning for the millennium: A blueprint toward effective school discipline, safety, and crisis prevention. Psychology in the Schools, 37, 17-32.
30.
Knoff, H. (2002). Best practices in facilitating schools reform, organizational change, and strategic planning. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 235-253). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists .
31.
Kratochwill, T., & Shernoff, E. (2004). Evidence-based practice: Promoting evidence-based interventions in school psychology. School Psychology Review , 33, 34-48.
32.
Learning First Alliance. (2001). Every child learning: Safe and supportive schools. Washington, DC: ASCD.
33.
Lindell, M., & Brandt, C. (2000). Climate quality and climate consensus as mediators of the relationship between organizational antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 331-348.
34.
May, S., Ard, W., Todd, A., Horner, R., Glasgow, A., Sugai, G., & Sprague, J. (2000). School-Wide Information System. Eugene: University of Oregon.
35.
McCurdy, B., Mannella, M., & Eldridge, N. (2003). Positive behavior supports in urban schools: Can we prevent the escalation of antisocial behavior? Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5, 158-170.
36.
Mellor, D. (2004). Furthering the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: Reliability with younger child respondents. Psychological Assessment, 16, 396-401.
37.
Messick, S. (1989). Validity. In R. Linn (Ed.), Educational measurement (3rd ed., pp. 13-104). New York: Macmillan .
38.
Messick, S. (1993). Foundations of validity: Meaning and consequences in psychological assessment. Princeton, NJ: Education Testing Service.
39.
Nunnally, J. (1978). Psychometric theory. New York : McGraw-Hill.
40.
OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. (2002). PBS Implementation and Planning Self-Assessment . Eugene: University of Oregon .
41.
OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. (2004). School-wide positive behavior support: Implementers' blueprint and self-assessment. Washington, DC: Author.
42.
Powell, L. (2000). Realizing the value of self-assessment: The influence of the business excellence model on teacher professionalism. European Journal of Teacher Education, 23, 37-49.
43.
Raudenbush, S., Bryk, T., & Congdon, R. (2000). HLM 6: Hierarchical Linear and Nonlinear Modeling [Computer software]. Lincolnwood, IL: Scientific Software International. Available from www.ssicentral.com
44.
Safran, S. (2006). Using the Effective Behavior Supports Survey to guide development of schoolwide positive behavior support. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 3-9.
45.
Schlechty Center for Leadership on School Reform. (2006). Working on the work: A framework for school-wide reform-Engaging students and staff to improve achievement. Retrieved February 6, 2006, from www.schelchtycenter.org
46.
Schoolwide Information System. (2006). Summary of SWIS data 2004-2005. Retrieved February 12, 2006, from www.swis.org/resources
47.
Senge, P. (2000). Schools that learn: A fifth discipline fieldbook for educators, parents, and everyone who cares about education. New York: Doubleday.
48.
Sirotnik, K. (1980). Psychometric implications of the unit of analysis problem with examples from the measurement of organizational climate. Journal of Educational Measurement, 17, 245-281.
49.
Stevens, J. (1996). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum .
50.
Sugai, G. (2007). Promoting behavioral competence in schools: A commentary on exemplary practices. Psychology in the Schools , 44, 113-118.
51.
Sugai, G., Horner, R., & Gresham, F. (2002). Behaviorally effective school environments. In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Ed.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II (pp. 315-350). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists .
52.
Sugai, G., Horner, R., & Lewis-Palmer, T. (2002). Team Implementation Checklist . Eugene: University of Oregon, Center for Educational and Community Supports.
53.
Sugai, G., Horner, R., & Todd, A. (2003). Effective Behavior Supports Self-Assessment Survey . Eugene: University of Oregon, Center for Educational and Community Supports.
54.
Sugai, G., Lewis-Palmer, T., Todd, A., & Horner, R. (2001). Schoolwide Evaluation Tool. Eugene: University of Oregon.
55.
Todd, A., Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Sprague, J. (1999). Effective behavior support: Strengthening school-wide systems through a team based approach. Effective School Practices , 17, 23-37.
56.
Van Horn, M.L. (2003). Assessing the unit of measurement for school climate through the psychometric and outcome analyses of the School Climate Survey . Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63, 1002-1019.
57.
Walker, B., Cheney, D., Stage, S., & Blum, C. (2005). School-wide screening and positive behavior support: Identifying and supporting students at-risk for school failure. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7, 194-204.
58.
Walker, J., & Schutte, K. (2004). Practice and process in wraparound teamwork. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 12, 182-192.
