Date of Award

2020

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Dr. Ronald Childress, Committee Chairperson

Second Advisor

Dr. Barbara Nicholson

Third Advisor

Dr. Christopher Good

Abstract

This study investigated the differences in student behavior, participation, and achievement after the implementation of a PBIS at one juvenile justice facility in West Virginia. Teacher and correctional officer perceptions of PBIS were also examined. Data were collected from student refusal reports, report cards, incident reports, and teacher and correctional officer interviews. Student achievement in math and English language arts, following the implementation of PBIS, improved as the percentage of D and F grades decreased while the numbers of A and B grades increased between 2016-17 and 2018-19. One-sample t-Test results for first semester and second semester math and ELA GPAs across the years show that mean scores increased every year from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Student refusals also decreased from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Student behavior incidents also decreased between 2016-17 and 2018. Teachers believe PBIS had positive impacts on student behavior, participation, and achievement, and encourage other juvenile facilities to incorporate PBIS in their programming. Correctional officers’ perceptions of PBIS implementation varied. Sixty percent of officers reported indifference to the program before implementation and forty percent stated they did not understand much about the program after two years of implementation. When asked about the impact of PBIS on student achievement, seven of the ten officers indicated that they believed students had been more successful after the implementation of PBIS. Study findings suggest PBIS could be a positive addition to similar juvenile facilities across the country.

Subject(s)

Behavior modification -- West Virginia.

Juvenile delinquents -- Education -- West Virginia.

Youth with disabilities -- West Virginia.

Problem youth -- Education -- West Virginia.

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