Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in High Schools: A Case Study From New Hampshire

ABSTRACT

The quality of a school’s social environment is critically related to student outcomes, including academic performance, attendance, student behavior, and high school completion rates. New Hampshire engaged in a dropout prevention initiative between 2006 and 2012 that focused on implementation of the multitiered Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework combined with an intensive, student-driven school-to-adult life transition intervention for the highest-need youth. This article presents a case study of how one high school in New Hampshire implemented PBIS at all three tiers of support: schoolwide, targeted, and intensive. The case study includes a description of practices implemented by the school, school- and student-level outcomes pre- and postimplementation, the coaching and training support provided to school staff, and successes and challenges experienced by the school. The discussion ends with recommendations for practice and research of PBIS implementation in high schools.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

JoAnne M. Malloy

JoAnne M. Malloy, PhD, MSW, joined the staff at Institute on Disability (NH's University Center for Excellence in Disability) in 1991 and has directed several state and federally-funded youth transition, employment, and dropout prevention projects with a focus on youth with emotional and behavioral disorders, implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and School Mental Health.

Hank Bohanon

Hank Bohanon, PhD, is an associate professor in School of Education at Loyola University of Chicago where he founded the Center for School Evaluation, Intervention, and Training (CSEIT). His current work focuses on supports for high school settings and state level evaluation of practice for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Response to Intervention, Social and Emotional Learning, and School Mental Health.

Kathryn Francoeur

Kathryn Francoeur, Med, provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to schools and mental health centers in the development and expansion of implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. And RENEW (Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education, and Work), an intensive support intervention to help at risk youth engage in high school completion and post-secondary options.

Note: The authors report that, to the best of their knowledge, neither they nor their affiliated institutions have financial or personal relationships or affiliations that could influence or bias the opinions, decisions, or work presented in this article.