Effects of Tiered SWPBIS Fidelity on Exclusionary Discipline Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

Abstract

School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a tiered framework that supports the academic, social, and behavioral needs of students. In this study, we use a series of two-level linear multilevel analyses to examine the impact of SWPBIS fidelity on 10 exclusionary discipline outcomes for students with disabilities. Specifically, we compare the impact of schools that implemented multiple SWPBIS tiers with fidelity to schools that only implemented Tier 1 with fidelity from a sample of 558 schools in 113 districts in California. Findings indicate a statistically significant decrease in multiple out-of-school suspension categories as well as referrals to law enforcement for students with disabilities in schools that implemented all tiers with fidelity. We provide recommendations for using findings to inform school efforts to reduce exclusionary discipline for students with disabilities.