Emotional Disturbance (ED) is one category under which a student can be evaluated and determined eligible to receive special education and related services. Students who experience ED are at greater risk for a host of negative long-term outcomes that include poor social, behavioral, and academic achievement in school, which in turn may impact graduation and postsecondary outcomes. In this article, we provide historical context and current data to highlight contemporary issues surrounding the needs and education of students with ED. Specifically, we present child-count data and descriptions of students that are currently served in the ED category. We provide information about the frequency and types of disciplinary events students with ED experience and discuss associated secondary and postsecondary outcomes. We summarize positive achievements and continued challenges within the field. Finally, derived from the ongoing unmet needs of students with and at risk for ED, we recommend (a) revision of the current Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act terminology and eligibility criteria to a more comprehensive education-based definition; (b) regular universal screening for signs of social, emotional, and/or behavioral problems; (c) use of multitiered systems of support that offer preventive interventions to address the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of all students, particularly when they first emerge; and (d) integrated delivery models that allow greater access to related services to enhance the benefits of special education for students with ED.

Despite a growing body of evidence demonstrating the value of Tier 1 and Tier 3 interventions, significantly less is known about Tier 2 level treatments when they are added within the context of a tiered continuum of support. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the existing research base for Tier 2 small group intervention studies conducted within a tiered prevention framework. Results indicated that few studies documented fidelity of Tier 7 implementation prior to the addition of Tier 2 interventions. Methods for identifying students to receive Tier 2 supports varied across investigations, but included teacher nomination, use of student data, and/or screening score results. More than half of the reviewed studies demonstrated use of the Behavior Intervention Program: Check-in/Check-out (BEP/CICO), although social skill instructional groups and academic instructional groups were also employed as Tier 2 interventions. Overall, positive results for reducing problem behavior were reported. In addition, school-based personnel implemented the Tier 2 intervention in nearly half of the investigations. Among studies that reported measures of social validity teacher and student perceptions of the treatments were largely positive. Implications for future research are evaluated using criteria from the Society for Prevention Research (Flay et al., 2005).

Effective classroom instructional and behavior management is essential to ensure student academic and social success. Foundational strategies such as clear expectations and routines, specific feedback, and high rates of opportunities to respond have strong empirical support, yet are often missing from educator repertoires. In this article, the authors provide a brief rationale for the inclusion of evidence-based practices accompanied with recommended resources to identify current and future practices. In addition, they also provide an overview of effective in-service educator professional development, to ensure evidence-based practices are implemented with fidelity, and recommended systemic strategies that schools and school districts can adopt to support teacher learning. Implications for teacher preparation programs also are discussed.

The use of schoolwide multitiered systems of support to address challenging social and emotional behavior has been established in >20,000 schools across the United States and 19 other countries worldwide. The systems approach of schoolwide positive behavior support is guided by implementation science and embeds evidence-based behavioral interventions across a continuum based on documented student need. The extant research base to date, including randomized controlled trials, is robust with respect to universal or Tier I interventions and supports. Less is known about the impact on students who are at high risk for manifesting a disability, as well as those currently served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this article is to provide a rationale for, and overview of, schoolwide positive behavior support as a comprehensive framework to support children and youth with emotional/behavioral disorders and review the research to date across a continuum of supports. Research, professional development and implementation, and policy implications are discussed.

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