Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
J. Michael Griffin
Committee Member
Donald Lueder
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
african american students, African Americans, classroom discipline, community involvement, discipline plan, discipline problems, Grades 6-8, middle school students, out-of-school suspensions, parent involvement, positive behavior interventions, school discipline, self-esteem, South Carolina, student advisory boards, student involvement, suspension reduction, teacher surveys, teacher training, YES model, Youths Experiencing Success (YES)
Abstract
This research study involved the implementation of Youths Experiencing Success (YES), a positive, accelerated discipline model for reducing out-of-school suspensions that was created by the researcher. The target population for this study included all students in Grades 6 through 8 in a middle school in South Carolina where 99% of the students were African American. The study was conceived as a result of documented evidence of widespread out-of-school suspensions. Archival data from the 2001-2002 school year provided evidence for this study. In addition, qualitative data were collected from teacher surveys. Possible causes of the excessive number of out-of-school suspensions included the following: (a) lack of teacher training, (b) lack of student involvement in decision making, (c) lack of parental involvement, and (d) low self-esteem among the students.
Specific components of the YES model included (a) the Bugging Out program, (b) the Classical Café, (c) a 5-step discipline plan, (d) the Parents Assisting Successful Students program, (e) positive home notes, (f) a Student Advisory Board, and (g) teacher training. The YES model created a positive environment that involved faculty, staff, administrators, students, parents, and community members in reducing the number of out-of-school suspensions. This model was created and implemented by the researcher because no other program had been successfully implemented to reduce out-of-school suspensions at this school. Pre- and postimplementation suspension data, teacher observations, and responses to teacher surveys showed that out-of-school suspensions were reduced by 20.3% after implementation of the YES model. The researcher believes that, if properly implemented, the YES model could help other middle schools across the country that are experiencing excessive out-of-school suspensions.