A Study of the Relationship Between Positive Behavior Support and Student Academic Achievement

School Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) is a behavioral approach associated with decreased exclusionary, reactive and punitive discipline practices, increased student satisfaction and improved perceptions of school safety. This study sought to examine how student achievement can be improved through positive behavioral reinforcement, goals, and modeling. The quasi experimental design examined the relationship between SWPBS and academic achievement of students in reading. The participants for the study were students in an urban alternative school as well as students selected randomly from traditional schools that had not experienced SWPBS in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS). The study examined the relationship between the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores of students in reading prior to SWPBS with scores of students earned after SWPBS implementation. The findings indicate that there is no statistical relationship found between SWPS implementation and academic achievement in reading.