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Although rates of crime and serious or violent behaviors are decreasing in schools, more common behaviors such as disrespect, simple noncompliance, tardiness, and truancy have remained a major concern for teachers (Furlong, Morrison, & Dear, 1994; Zabel & Zabel, 2002). Administrators, too, see these behaviors as requiring constant attention (Heaviside, Rowland, Williams, & Farris, 1998). As early as kindergarten, some students exhibit challenging behaviors that require increased teacher attention (Sawka, McCurdy, & Mannella, 2002; Sprague & Walker, 2000) and set the occasion for more chronic and pervasive problems in school and life (Fox, Dunlap, & Powell, 2002; Loeber & Farrington, 2000; Snyder, 2001; Walker, Colvin, & Ramsey, 1995). To be effective, intervention with these students must occur as early as possible in a pattern of failure-using practices that represent an individual student's best chance for success (Scott & Eber, 2003).
A POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SYSTEM
Early identification and intervention have been implemented effectively at the schoolwide level through systems of positive behavior support (PBS). PBS is a proactive, systemic, and data-based application of science with a value-based focus on behavior change and quality of life (see Carr et al., 2002; Sugai et al., 2000). Defined by multilevel systems of prevention and support, each level of PBS is more focused and intensive than the previous level. At the schoolwide level, primary prevention focuses on monitoring and preventing problem behaviors across all students in the school. At the next level, secondary prevention utilizes strategies aimed at preventing larger failure among students for whom primary prevention efforts have been insufficient to facilitate success. Finally, tertiary prevention is directed at preventing crisis and failure across larger life domains and is implemented with the students for whom both primary and secondary prevention strategies have been unsuccessful.
As prevention is implemented at each level of PBS, the number of students requiring further, more intense intervention decreases while the range of adults involved increases to better meet the unique individual needs of students with chronic failures. This process is cost-effective in that prevention minimizes the expensive and time-consuming interventions required for students with the most intense needs. That is, as fewer students experience initial failures, more resources are available for students who really need them. Similarly, as more students are successful, more...