Volume 1 - Issue 1 - DBU Journal for K-12 Educational Leadership - Page 49

Journal for K-12 Educational Leadership 47 broadly, based on zero tolerance policies that generally re- quire out-of school-suspension or expulsion for a variety of behaviors (Kang-Brown, Trone, Fratello, & Daftary-Ka - pur, 2013). Initially instated for possession of a weapon or illegal drugs, zero tolerance policies have been expanded to include aggressive behaviors, such as assaults and fights in schools (Kang-Brown et al., 2013). Multiple studies, both nationally and in Texas, have provided evidence that zero tolerance policies disproportionately affect students of color and students with special needs (Kang-Brown et al., 2013). Additionally, no research exists to support the benefit of zero tolerance policies (Kang-Brown et al., 2013). The State of Texas originally responded to exclusion- ary student practices through the passage of Senate Bill 1196. Enacted by the 77th Texas Legislature, Senate Bill 1196 amended the Texas Education Code prohibiting school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from placing a student in seclusion and requiring the commissioner to adopt rules for the use of restraint and time-out (Texas Edu- cation Agency, 2010). Following passage of Senate Bill 1196, state-level Texas Behavior Support Initiative (TBSI) training was established and mandated. The initial TBSI training was provided to Texas educa - tors during the 2002-03 school year (Region 17 Education Service Center, n.d.). The training was designed to provide foundational knowledge for the use of positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) for all students, includ- ing those with disabilities. Although the TBSI training met legislative requirements related to procedures for the use of restraint and time-out, it also provided a framework for sharing a wide range of foundation-level behavior strategies and prevention-based school-wide, classroom, and individ - ual interventions. Although the original focus of TBSI was to support the behavior needs of students with disabilities, it quickly be - came evident in examining the newly expanding PBIS model that in order to address the needs of children in special ed- ucation, prevention interventions had to be implemented for all students (Region 4 Education Service Center, 2014). Therefore, the original TBSI training evolved, based on cur- rent research on school-wide systems and adopted PBIS as its philosophical foundation and supports all three tiers of the model, including school-wide and classroom. Numerous studies are present on changing the disrup- tive behavior of students using positive reinforcement; how - ever, most experts in the field agree that school-wide PBIS is in its infancy (Robinson, 2012). The efficacy of school-wide use of TBSI on the rates of exclusionary discipline practices across racial groups, economic groups, and disability cate- gories related to aggressive student behaviors in the prima- ry grades has not been thoroughly explored in the literature. The purpose of the current study is to add to the research literature on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and its effects on reducing aggressive behaviors in elemen - tary aged students. Methodology Discipline data was examined at nine purposely selected elementary campuses in multiple stages of Texas Behavior Support Initiative (TBSI) implementation to create a better understanding of TBSI implementation and assist in isolat- ing the variables that contribute to a reduction in aggres- sive student behaviors. Quantitative methods were used to collect disciplinary data for students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade in fall 2014 (August 25, 2014 through January 23, 2015) at: 1) three elementary campuses with no TBSI implementation (control group), 2) three elementary campuses currently implementing TBSI in common areas of the campuses; and 3) three elementary campuses currently implementing TBSI school-wide. Research Design The current study was an action-based research project to study the predictive relationship between TBSI implementa - tion and aggressive student behavior. A causal-comparative research design incorporating quantitative methods was used to answer the research question. A causal-compara - tive design is a research design that seeks to find relation - ships between independent and dependent variables after an action or event has already occurred (Salkin, 2010). The researcher’s goal was to determine whether implementation of TBSI was associated with the number of discipline refer - rals related to aggressive student behaviors by comparing two or more groups of individuals.