Alternative education (AE) programs and schools usually serve distinct populations of students with educational disabilities and mental health or other needs. AE program staff often employ a range of curricula, interventions, and strategies that form an eclectic approach to addressing student needs. This may result in practices that are misaligned, contraindicated, or improperly implemented and lead to poor outcomes. In addition, this eclectic approach may not be implemented in an organized, tiered manner that ensures all students’ access to a continuum of supports and services. In this article, a decision-making process for staff in AE settings to adopt and embed positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) practices is presented. This process is rooted in the PBIS framework of systems, data, and practices, and in a public health model of team-based decision making. The authors submit that this approach could be used across a variety of AE program models.
AlbertoP. A.TroutmanA. C. (2013). Applied behavior analysis for teachers (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
2.
AronY. (2006). An overview of alternative education. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.
3.
BradshawC.MitchellM.LeafP. (2010). Examining the effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, 131–132.
4.
CampbellA.AndersonC. M. (2008). Enhancing effects of check in/check out with function-based support. Behavioral Disorders, 33, 233–245.
5.
CarrE. G.DunlapG.HornerR. H.KoegelR. L.TurnbullA. P.SailorW.FoxL. (2002). Positive behavior support: Evolution of an applied science. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 4–16.
6.
CarverP. R.LewisL.TiceP. (2010). Alternative schools and programs for public school students at risk of educational failure: 2007–08 (NCES 2010–026). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
7.
CroneD. A.HornerR. H.HawkenL. S. (2004). Responding to problem behavior in schools: The behavior education program. New York, NY: Guilford.
8.
de FazioC.FainA. C.DuchaineE. L. (2011). Using treatment integrity in the classroom to bridge research and practice. Beyond Behavior, 20, 45–49.
9.
DuchnowskiA. J.KutashK.SheffieldS.VaughnB. (2006). Increasing the use of evidence-based strategies by special education teachers: A collaborative approach. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 838–847.
10.
DuncanB. B.FornessS. R.HartsoughC. (1995). Students identified as seriously emotionally disturbed in school-based day treatment: Cognitive, psychiatric, and special education characteristics. Behavioral Disorders, 20, 238–252.
11.
EnnisR. E.JolivetteK. (2011). Secondary-tier interventions at the classroom level: Existing literature and future directions. Manuscript submitted for publication.
12.
EnnisR. E.JolivetteK.SwoszowskiN. C.JohnsonM. (2012). Secondary prevention efforts at a residential facility for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Function-based check-in, check-out. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, 29, 79–102.
13.
ErvinR. A.SchaughencyE.GoodmanS. D.McGlincheyM. T.MatthewsA. (2006). Merging research and practice agendas to address reading and behavior schoolwide. School Psychology Review, 35, 198–223.
14.
FlowerA.McDanielS. C.JolivetteK. (2011). A literature review of research quality and effective practices in alternative education settings. Education and Treatment of Children, 34, 489–510.
15.
HawkenL. S.AdolphsonS. L.MacLeodK. S.SchumannJ. (2009). Secondary-tier interventions and supports. In SailorW.DunlapG.SugaiG.HornerR. (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 395–420). New York, NY: Springer.
16.
HawkenL. S.HornerR. H. (2003). Evaluation of a targeted intervention within a school-wide system of behavior supports. Journal of Behavioral Education, 12, 225–240.
17.
HornerR. H.SugaiG.SmolkowskiK.ToddA.NakasatoJ.EsperanzaJ. (2009). A randomized control trial of school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, 113–144.
18.
HornerR. H.SugaiG.ToddA. W.Lewis-PalmerT. (2005). School-wide positive behavior support. In BambaraL.KernL. (Eds.), Individualized supports for students with problem behaviors: Designing positive behavior plans (pp. 359–390). New York, NY: Guilford.
19.
HornerR. H.ToddA. W.Lewis-PalmerT.IrvinL. K.SugaiG.BolandJ. J. (2004). The School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET): A research instrument for assessing school-wide positive behavior support. Journal of Positive Behavior Intervention, 6, 3–12.
20.
JolivetteK.HouchinsD. E.JosephsN.WallerK.HallT.NomveteP. (2008). Providing educational services in secure settings. In BullockL. M.GableR. A. (Eds.), Ensuring a brighter future for troubled children/youth: Challenges and solutions (pp. 193–263). Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children, Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders.
21.
JolivetteK.NelsonC. M. (2010). Adapting positive behavioral interventions and supports for secure juvenile justice settings: Improving facility-wide behavior. Behavioral Disorders, 36, 28–42.
22.
JolivetteK.PattersonD. P.SwoszowskiN. C.McDanielS. C.KennedyC.EnnisR. P. (2012). SWPBIS in a residential school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: First years of implementation and maintenance follow-up focus groups. Manuscript submitted for publication.
23.
JolivetteK.SwoszowskiN. C.JosephsN.McDanielS. C.EnnisR. P. (in press). District-wide PBIS team questions related to using the PBIS framework to transition students with challenging behaviors from an alternative school to a neighborhood school. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals.
24.
JolivetteK.SwoszowskiN. C.McDanielS. C.DuchaineE. L. (2012). Using positive behavioral interventions and supports to assist in the transition of youth from juvenile justice facilities back to their neighborhood school: An illustrative example. Manuscript submitted for publication.
25.
KerrM. M.NelsonC. M. (2010). Strategies for addressing behavior problems in the classroom (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
26.
LuiselliJ. K.PutnamR. F.HandlerM. W.FeinbergA. B. (2005). Whole-school positive behaviour support: Effects on student discipline problems and academic performance. Educational Psychology, 25, 183–198.
27.
McIntoshK.CampbellA. L.CarterD. R.DickeyC. R. (2009). Differential effects of a tier two behavior intervention based on function of problem behavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Intervention, 11, 82–93.
28.
MickanS.RodgerS. (2000). Characteristics of effective teams: A literature review. Australian Health Review, 23, 201–208.
29.
MyersD. M.FarrellA. F. (2008). Reclaiming lost opportunities: Applying public health models in juvenile justice. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 1159-1177.
30.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2001). Public alternative schools and programs for students at risk of education failure: 2000-01. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
31.
National Council on Disability. (2003, May). Addressing the needs of youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system: The current status of evidence-based research. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2003/May12003
32.
NelsonC. M.SpragueJ. R.JolivetteK.SmithC. R.TobinT. J. (2009). Positive behavior support in alternative education, community-based mental health, and juvenile justice settings. In SailorW.DunlapG.SugaiG.HornerR. (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 465–496). New York, NY: Springer.
33.
NelsonC. M.SugaiG.SmithC. (2005). Positive behavior support offered in juvenile corrections. Counterpoint, 1, 6–7.
34.
QuinnM. M.PoirierJ. M. (2006). Study of effective alternative education programs: Final grant report. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
35.
ScottT. M.LiaupsinC. J.NelsonC. M.JolivetteK.ChristleC. A.RineyM. (2002). Addressing the needs of at-risk and adjudicated youth through positive behavior support: Effective prevention practices. Education and Treatment of Children, 25, 532–551.
36.
SimonsenB.BrittonL.YoungD. (2010). School-wide positive behavior support in an alternative school setting: A case study. Journal of Positive Behavior Intervention, 12, 180–191.
37.
SpragueJ. R.CookC. R.WrightD. B.SadlerC. (2008). RTI and behavior: A guide to integrating behavioral and academic supports. Horsham, PA: LRP Publications.
38.
SpragueJ. R.JolivetteK. (2010). Implementing positive behavior supports in juvenile correctional settings. Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, R324A100286.
39.
SpragueJ. R.JolivetteK. (2011). Positive behavior interventions and supports for high risk youth in juvenile justice settings. Paper presented at the Teacher Educators for Children with Behavior Disorders Conference, Tempe, AZ.
40.
SpragueJ. R.WalkerH. M.GollyA.WhiteK.MyersD. R.ShannonT. (2002).Translating research into effective practice: The effects of a universal staff and student intervention on key indicators of school safety and discipline. Education and Treatment of Children, 24, 495–511.
41.
SugaiG.HornerR. H.AlgozzineR.BarrettS.LewisT.AndersonC.SimonsenB. (2010). School-wide positive behavior support: Implementers’ blueprint and self- assessment. Eugene: University of Oregon. Retrieved from www.pbis.org
42.
SugaiG.Lewis-PalmerT.ToddA. W.HornerR. (2001). School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET). Educational and Community Supports. Eugene: University of Oregon.
43.
SwoszowskiN. C.JolivetteK.FredrickL. D.HeflinL. J.GagneP. (in press). Check in/Check out: Effects on students with emotional and behavioral disorders with attention- or escape-maintained behavior in a residential facility. Exceptionality.
44.
TobinT. J.SpragueJ. R. (2000). Alternative education strategies: Reducing violence in school and community. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8, 177–186.
45.
TobinT. J.SpragueJ. R. (2003). Alternative educational programs: Accommodating tertiary level, at-risk students. In ShinnM.StonerG.WalkerH. (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (2nd ed., pp. 961–992). Silver Spring, MD: National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
46.
UnruhD.BullisM.TodisB.WaintrupM.AtkinsT. (2007). Programs and practices for special education students in alternative education settings. Research to Practice Brief: Improving Secondary Education and Transition Services Through Research, 6, 1–6. Available from www.nces.org
47.
WalkerH. M.HornerR. H.SugaiG.BullisM.SpragueJ.BrickerD.KaufmanM. J. (1996). Integrated approaches to preventing antisocial behavior patterns among school-age children and youth. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4, 194–209. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F106342669600400401
48.
WangE. W.NelsonC. M. (2011, November). I have everyone’s worst 5% of kids: The distribution of behavior incidents in Texas Youth Commission secure facilities. Paper presented at the Teacher Educators for Children with Behavior Disorders Conference, Tempe, AZ.
49.
ZinsJ. E.PonteC. R. (1990). Best practices in school-based consultation. In ThomasA.GrimesJ. (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology—II (pp. 673–694). Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists.
