Keywords

PBIS, Discipline, Model School, Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship, if any, between Florida Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Project Model School status (e.g., Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) and student discipline outcomes in Florida public middle schools. Additionally, this study analyzed how Model School status influenced in-school suspensions and out-of-school suspensions (i.e., disciplinary exclusions) for racial/ethnic subgroups and the extent to which these subgroups were overrepresented or underrepresented in disciplinary exclusion data. The results of the study showed that PBIS Model School status did not significantly influence the number of disciplinary exclusions compared to non-PBIS Model Schools for the 2021-2022 school year. However, Black students experienced fewer disciplinary exclusions in PBIS model schools compared to non-PBIS model schools. When comparing disciplinary exclusions between Model School designations of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, Black students experienced fewer disciplinary exclusions in PBIS Platinum schools compared to Bronze schools. Moreover, it was observed that the relative risk for Black students to receive any disciplinary exclusion was significantly less in schools that were awarded higher Model School designations beyond Bronze status. Conversely, results showed that White and Hispanic students experienced more disciplinary exclusions in PBIS model schools. Furthermore, the relative risk for White and Hispanic students was proportionate relative to their representation in the school population in PBIS model schools with higher Model School designations. Results from this study may be used by school and school district leaders to inform their implementation of PBIS, especially at schools that have discipline disparity concerns.

Completion Date

2024

Semester

Summer

Committee Chair

Ceballos, Marjorie

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

DP0028614

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028614

Language

English

Rights

In copyright

Release Date

August 2027

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Accessibility Status

Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs

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Restricted to the UCF community until August 2027; it will then be open access.

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