Date
12-2018
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Robin Dabney
Keywords
At-Risk, Black Male Students, Discipline, PBIS, Alternative School, Academic Performance
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Adomako Letterlough, Sandra, "Impact of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports on At-Risk, Black Male Students' Academic Performance" (2018). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 1945.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/1945
Abstract
Black male students have experienced disproportionate disciplinary actions at higher rates compared to male students of other races, which has an at-risk effect on academic achievement because of lost instructional time, poor student-teacher relationships, and decreased motivation to learn. Implementing Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) could help to reduce the time spent out of class due to a disciplinary issue, thus increasing the opportunity to learn. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine the impact of PBIS on academic achievement and frequency of office disciplinary referrals (ODR) in a PBIS and non-PBIS alternative middle school. The sample consisted of 54 eighth grade Black male students, 24 who attended a PBIS and 30 who attended a non-PBIS middle school during the 2013-2014 school year. The researcher collected and analyzed data from both groups, which involved the examination of archival data to determine the mean test scores on the 2014 Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) Grade 8, Reading and Mathematics. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in mean test scores and frequencies of ODR between a PBIS and non-PBIS alternative middle school. Results of this study determined that there is no statistically significant difference in the academic achievement and frequency of ODRs in eighth grade Black male students who attended a PBIS or non-PBIS alternative middle school.
