Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
Exclusionary practices such as suspensions and expulsions continue to be the main component of school discipline (Raffaele-Mendez & Knoff, 2003; Skiba, Peterson, & Williams, 1997; Sullivan, Klingbell, & Van Norman, 2013). Suspensions are not effective in changing behavior (Quin & Hemphill, 2014). There is a gap in the literature in a principals leadership and the outcomes of preventative behavioral interventions (Chi-Ming, Greenberg, & Walls, 2003). A gap also exists in the literature regarding the impact a principal may have on school-based problem-solving teams and the degree to which problem-solving teams could impact behavioral outcomes (Rafoth & Foriska, 2006). The purpose of the quantitative study was to determine if the level of principal engagement and the level of principal knowledge with school-based problem-solving teams in designing and implementing function-based intervention plans can predict out-of-school suspensions. The predictor variables were the principals level of knowledge, the principals level of engagement, and fidelity of treatment implementation integrity. The criterion variable was out-of-school suspensions. This quantitative study used simultaneous multiple regression statistical analysis to ascertain if the level of principal knowledge, level of principal engagement, and fidelity of intervention treatment integrity with school-based problem-solving teams in the design and implementation of function-based interventions can predict out-of-school suspensions. Two null hypotheses were tested. The first null tested ascertained the principals knowledge of school-based problem-solving teams, level of engagement with the fidelity of treatment implementation integrity with function-based interventions, and level of engagement with school-based problem-solving teams in designing and implementing function-based interventions does not explain a statistically significant amount of variance in the buildings out-of-school suspensions for an elementary building. All assumptions were met and the null was retained. The elementary principals level of knowledge, level of engagement, and fidelity of implementation treatment integrity did not explain a statistically significant amount of variance in the buildings out-of-school suspensions. The second null ascertained the principals knowledge of school-based problem-solving teams, level of engagement with the fidelity of treatment implementation integrity with function-based interventions, and level of engagement with school-based problem-solving teams in designing and implementing function-based interventions does not explain a statistically significant amount of variance in the buildings out-of-school suspensions for a secondary building. All assumptions were met and the null was rejected. The fidelity of implementation treatment integrity was statistically significant in predicting out-of-school suspensions at the secondary level. The secondary principals level of knowledge and level of engagement did not explain a statistically significant amount of variance in the buildings out-of-school suspensions.
Recommended Citation
Rhoda, Matthew Dean, "Principals Level Of Knowledge And Level Of Engagement With School-Based Problem-Solving Teams With The Design And Implementation Of Function-Based Behavior Interventions In Reducing Out-Of-School Suspensions" (2019). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1692.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1692