Identifier

etd-08302011-123352

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

There is a great need in education to find innovative ways to increase the amount of instructional time spent in classrooms. One way this can be accomplished is by improving the school climate through the use of Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS). Teachers can improve upon their own behaviors towards students, so that student problem behaviors do not escalate to the point of suspensions and expulsions. The PBIS philosophy embraces the idea that while humanistic values should not replace empiricism, these values should inform empiricism. Science tells us how we can change things, but values tell us what is worth changing (Carr, 1996; Carr & Durand, 1985). PBIS represents a melding of values and technologies which are judged not only with respect to efficacy (a technological criterion), but also with respect to their ability to enhance personal dignity and opportunities for choice (a values criterion). Thus, the approach eschews the use of strategies that members of the community judge to be dehumanizing or degrading (Horner et al., 1996). The present study examines faculty and staff perceptions of the Leadership Team and the PBIS process as it functions in their school. Faculty and staff utilized for this study were employed in primary and secondary schools in Louisiana that had implemented PBIS at least six months prior to survey completion. The PBIS Staff Satisfaction Survey and the Team Process Survey are the two surveys utilized for the purpose of this study. Participants were surveyed about their satisfaction of school-wide positive behavior support on their school campus and the team process survey was given to all school-wide leadership team members to determine how their team is functioning as a school-wide positive behavior support team.

Date

2011

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Machtmes, Krisanna

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.3239

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