A Preliminary Analysis Assessing SWPBIS Implementation Fidelity in Relation to Disciplinary Outcomes of Black Students in Urban Schools

Exclusionary school discipline practices and policies have contributed to the racial disparities in discipline for certain demographic of students, particularly Black students. As a result, many schools have adopted the school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) framework to identify and address disproportionality, despite the inconsistent findings regarding the effectiveness of SWPBIS implementation in reducing discipline disproportionality. This study further examined the extent of the relationship between SWPBIS implementation fidelity and office discipline referrals received by Black students in urban elementary and middle schools. Findings are discussed and specific recommendations for enhancing cultural responsiveness within a SWPBIS framework are provided.