Classified Staff Perceptions of Behavior and Discipline: Implications for Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports

Classified staff are important stakeholders in schools and commonly interact with students across grade levels, subject matter areas, and physical locations—making their involvement in the implementation of schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) essential. However, their voice, including the intentional and systematic consideration of their perspectives and concerns, is virtually absent in this field of research. Hence, the purpose of this mixed-methods study was to develop a general understanding of classified staff perspectives of behavior and discipline. We used quantitative analysis to compare survey data from teachers and classified staff ( n = 1,833) and then applied qualitative thematic analysis to classified staff responses ( n = 243) to an item derived from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). As compared with teachers, classified staff reported lower levels of knowledge or understanding of SWPBIS, less SWPBIS-related training, poorer quality communication, and more philosophical beliefs that were inconsistent with SWPBIS. Qualitative analysis of classified staffs’ SWPBIS-related concerns yielded the following 10 themes listed in order of prevalence: consistency, communication, effectiveness, amount of discipline, specific procedures and behaviors, climate and stress, student and parent involvement, acknowledgment systems, leadership, and resources. Limitations and implications for research are provided herein.

The Effects of a Peer-Mediated Self-Evaluation Procedure on the Recess Behavior of Students with Behavior Problems

The trend in elementary schools to shift recess supervision from certified staff to classified staff has weakened the quality of recess supervision. One approach to remedy this problem is to rely more on the students themselves. The purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to investigate the effects of a self-evaluation procedure on the recess behavior of students with behavior problems and (b) to determine whether the use of peers in the procedure facilitates the generalization of behavioral gains. Following the baseline, a peer-mediated self-evaluation procedure was introduced in the morning recess period according to the time-lagged procedures required by a multiple baseline across subjects design. Results revealed that the procedure produced clear improvements in the recess behavior of the target students. These improvements were maintained throughout all experimental conditions as the self-evaluation procedure was systematically faded. In addition, the treatment effects generalized to an afternoon recess period.

Interpersonal Conflict Which Includes Mistreatment in a University Workplace

In order to provide detailed documentation of faculty and staff experiences of perceived mistreatment, this article reports the findings of an institutional survey of mistreatment. From a random sample of 1,585 (11%) of one university’s workforce, 810 (51%) responses were received. Of the total responses, 187 (23%) met criteria used to define cases of perceived workplace mistreatment. Equal proportions of women and men reported incidents of mistreatment. Mistreatment was perceived to come from coworkers as well as superiors. For the sample as a whole, job satisfaction was severely affected by experiences of mistreatment. The highest proportion of reported mistreatment was 38% for professional staff (at-will employees), followed in order by 25% for classified staff (covered by civil service protection), and 11% for faculty. These findings indicate that mistreatment occurs at all levels in institutions of higher education. The negative consequences of mistreatment for individuals in the workplace, as well as for the institution as a whole, are substantial.

Educational Reform: Who Benefits

This article uses the Blau and Scott concept of cui bono to describe who has benefitted from the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) enacted in April, 1990. Rank and file participants are defined as the certified and classified staff; owners or managers of the organization become the administration, school district/board, and legislature; the clients become the students and the public-at-large becomes the general citizens of the state. The analysis reviews the curriculum, governance, and finance initiatives in the reform.