My Action Research Proposal

     After meeting with my site supervisor and my principal, it has been determined that my action research project will focus on several areas of our discipline management program called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).  This is the second year we have had PBIS at our campus, and I would like to know how/if it is working for our campus.  We have just over 1,300 students, Pre-Kindergarten thru Fifth Grade at our campus in Houston, Texas. 
     I have 5 "wonderings" I wish to address.  They are as follows:

1. What is the correlation between the implementation of PBIS and the number of office referrals written in the past two school years?
2. What is the largest behavior issue for the following groups?
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Socioeconomic background
• Grade level
• Overall at my campus
3. Where are the most office referrals occurring?
4. What are the effects of PBIS on the “Red” students?
5. What is the staff’s perception on the strengths and weaknesses of the PBIS program

     In order to answer these wonderings I will be comparing the discipline data from the past 2 years.  I will be breaking the data down into the above listed groups to compare and analyze as well.  We have a very diverse population and I would like to see how the behavior issues are breaking down so that our staff can focus on best practices for meeting the needs of that specified group.  With this data information I can determine the most common behavior issue as well as where the most discipline issues are occurring at our campus. 

     In PBIS there are 3 types of students.  Green students make up approximately 80% of your school.  They are the students who have little to no discipline issues and are usually your highest achieving students.  Yellow students make up approximately 15% of your school.  They have some discipline issues, but their good behavior tends to outweigh their bad behaviors.  Red students make up approximately 5% of your school.  These are the students who constantly cause class disruptions. They tend to have more poor behavior choices than good.  They spend quite a bit of time outside the classroom dealing with behavior problems end missing out on instruction time.  The goal of PBIS is the “Grow the Green.”  If I am able to determine patterns with the “Red” students, I may be able to find ways to combat the cycle they have gotten into and move them into yellow and eventually green.

As PBIS is expected to be a shared vision by all employees and students at my school, I would like to survey the staff on 2 separate occasions on some of their perceptions or beliefs in the program.  Do they feel it is working, or not working?  What are some of the good things? Bad things?  Any changes they would like to make?  Do they feel like PBIS is natural for them, or are they having to work hard to keep it going in their classroom?  Do they believe in the PBIS model?  There are several questions that I will frame much better upon using the survey.  But the overall goal is to find out if we are all still on the same page with PBIS.

With this information, I will be able to present to my administration and staff what data I found as well as some possible solutions on where the campus can make some improvements.  I plan to present this information in the fall at the start of the 2013-2014 school year during the first week in-service.  With that information at the time, we can make adjustments (if needed) in how our PBIS model works to push to keeping students more attentive and off task less.

I know that was a lot in digest, but I feel there is a lot I can do with this information. Please let me know what you think my friends.  I really do value your input and insight. Thanks

      -Nick-