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Decreasing racial disproportionalities within exclusionary discipline at the middle school level

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Decreasing racial disproportionalities within exclusionary discipline at the middle school level

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Decreasing Racial Disproportionalities Within Exclusionary Discipline
At The Middle School Level
by
Stephanie Mello Zikopoulos

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

May, 2021

© Copyright by Stephanie Mello Zikopoulos 2021
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Stephanie Mello Zikopoulos certifies the approval of this Dissertation

Dr. Melissa Spencer
Dr. Kathy Stowe
Dr. Darline Robles, Committee Chair

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2021

iv

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate XYZ Middle School’s (a pseudonym) performance, as
a promising practice, related to the larger problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at which
Black students receive exclusionary discipline. The stakeholders of focus for this study were
middle school teachers, grades six through eight, within ABC School District (a pseudonym).
Applying a modified Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework, the study collected and
analyzed data related to the knowledge, motivation, and organizational structures that allowed
for XYZ Middle School to eliminate their racial disparities within exclusionary discipline. The
study utilized a mixed methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and document analysis
to collect data that identified the influential factors that contributed to XYZ Middle School’s
success. This study collected survey data from teachers across ABC School District, interview
data from four school administrators as well as a representative teacher population at XYZ
Middle School, and document analysis data to identify and validate assumed influences that may
have impact exclusionary discipline outcomes. Based on the findings of the study, research-
based solutions have been suggested to replicate the practices in place in XYZ Middle School.

v

Dedication
To my son Fitzgerald John, it was your loving and curious heart that inspired me. Your patience
through the countless nights where you were spent curled up in my lap as I would be sitting in
class or working on an assignment did not go unnoticed. Thank you for being the catalyst I
needed to go after my goals and dreams. This dissertation is for you, and I love you, Bubba.
To my father, the original Dr. Zikopoulos, your unflappable faith in my ability to succeed is what
helped push me to aim high and make ‘Dr’ a family title. To my mother, your strength is what
taught me how to channel my stubbornness into resiliency, a personal trait I have leveraged
almost daily throughout this process.
Lastly, for those who have believed in and supported me throughout the years, thank you. Your
optimism, trust, and confidence in me are astounding and have always allowed me to face new
challenges by inviting in hope instead of fear. For that, I am forever grateful.

vi

Acknowledgements
Throughout this program, I have learned so much about myself, as well as my role and
work within education. Earning this doctorate was not a simple or easy journey, and halfway
through, we all found ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic. Thankfully I had the support
of my committee and USC partners to guide me.
I want to acknowledge my committee members for their support and guidance, Dr.
Melissa Spencer and Dr. Kathy Stowe; capstone assistant, Dr. Carey Regur; and committee
chair, Dr. Darline Robles. I am thankful for the time, care, and attention they afforded me
throughout this process. All of your questions and notes allowed me to see the forest through the
trees and construct a piece of work I am genuinely proud of. Thank you. Dr. Regur, your
feedback many times saved me from myself. Dr. Robles, I appreciate our conversations, a
wonderful respite during these times that allowed me to focus and forge on.
In addition, I would like to thank the friends I have made at USC, Caitlin, Liam, Curtis,
and Martin. My USC partners, also known as the village, sustained me and grounded me more
than once on this journey through their humor, candor, and sympathetic partners during the late-
night texting and ranting sessions… I could not have completed this dissertation without your
happy distractions, joyful nonsense, and witty banter. I am grateful that this program was able to
bring us together.

vii

Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi
List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. x
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xii
Chapter One: Overview of the Study .............................................................................................. 1
Organizational Context and Mission .................................................................................. 1
Organizational Performance Goal ....................................................................................... 5
Related Literature................................................................................................................ 6
Importance of the Evaluation .............................................................................................. 7
Stakeholders and Stakeholders’ Performance Goals .......................................................... 8
Stakeholder for the Study and Stakeholder Performance Goal ........................................ 10
Purpose of the Project and Question ................................................................................. 11
Methodological Framework .............................................................................................. 11
Definitions......................................................................................................................... 12
Organization of the Study ................................................................................................. 12
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ........................................................................................ 14
Influence on the Problem of Practice ................................................................................ 15
Bias in Schools .................................................................................................................. 15
Hegemonic Cultures in Schools ........................................................................................ 21
Promising Interventions .................................................................................................... 25
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 29

viii

Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences .............................. 30
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 50
Purpose of the Project and Questions ............................................................................... 50
Conceptual and Methodological Framework .................................................................... 50
Assessment of Performance Influences ............................................................................ 52
Participating Stakeholder and Sample Selection .............................................................. 61
Instrumentation ................................................................................................................. 63
Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 63
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 66
Trustworthiness of Data .................................................................................................... 67
Role of Investigator........................................................................................................... 67
Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 68
Chapter Four: Results or Findings ................................................................................................ 69
Participating Stakeholders ................................................................................................ 70
Data Validation ................................................................................................................. 74
Research Question One ..................................................................................................... 75
Research Question Two .................................................................................................... 99
Summary of Validated Influences .................................................................................. 111
Chapter Five: Recommendations and Evaluation ....................................................................... 117
Review of Organizational Context and Rationale .......................................................... 117
Purpose of the Project and Questions ............................................................................. 118
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences ......................................... 119
Implementation and Evaluation Plan .............................................................................. 140

ix

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach ................................................................... 149
Limitations and Delimitations ......................................................................................... 150
Implications for Future Research .................................................................................... 150
Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 152
References ................................................................................................................................... 155
Appendix A: Survey Items.......................................................................................................... 177
Appendix B: Documents and Artifacts Collections Protocol ..................................................... 188
Appendix C: Informed Consent and Information Sheet ............................................................. 191
Appendix D: Interview Items...................................................................................................... 192
Appendix E: Behavior Management Process ............................................................................. 194
Appendix F: Hallway Conference and Re-Entry Guide ............................................................. 196

x

List of Tables
Table 1 Organizational and Stakeholder Performance Goals 9
Table 2
Summary of Assumed Knowledge Influences on Stakeholders
Ability to Achieve the Performance Goal
36
Table 3
Summary of Assumed Motivation Influences on Stakeholders’
Ability to Achieve the Performance Goal
42
Table 4
Summary of Assumed Organization Influences on Stakeholders’
Ability to Achieve the Performance Goal
48
Table 5 Summary of Knowledge Influences and Method of Assessment 53
Table 6 Summary of Motivation Influences and Method of Assessment 56
Table 7
Summary of Organization Influences and Method of
Assessment
59
Table 8 Summary of Documents Selected and Data Analyzed 66
Table 9
Distribution of Study Participants by Race/Ethnicity and
Gender
71
Table 10
Survey Participants: Years of Experience in Teaching Middle
School and at their Current Location
72
Table 11 Distribution of Survey Participants by Content Area 72
Table 12 Pseudonyms, Race/Ethnicity, and Role within the Organization 73
Table 13
Survey Results for Declarative Factual Knowledge of Positive
Discipline Strategies and Protocols
76
Table 14
% of teachers identifying tiered supports in alignment with
positive discipline practices
78
Table 15
Percentage of Participant Agreement to Access of Resources
that Support Positive Discipline Practices
90
Table 16
Percentage of Participant Agreement in the Presence of
Policies and Procedures that support Positive Discipline
93
Table 17
Percentage of Participants Agreement and Disagreement with
the Presence of Negative Cultural Settings
95

xi

Table 18
Percentage of Participants Agreement and Disagreement with
the Presence of Cultural Models
98
Table 19
Purpose, Membership, and Affective Partners, XYZ Middle
School Committees
107
Table 20 Summary of Assumed Influences Determined 113
Table 21 Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 120
Table 22 Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 128
Table 23 Summary of Organizational Influences and Recommendations 134
Table 24 Intended Results for Professional Development 145
Table 25 Intended Results for School-Wide System 146
Table 26 Evaluation Focus, Indicators, Instrumentation, and Timing 148
Table 27
Factors to Decrease Discipline Disparities Through Positive
Discipline Practices
153

xii

List of Figures
Figure 1 Rate of Disparity in Exclusionary Discipline for Black Students
Across XYZ and Non-XYZ Middle School from the 2017/18 School
Year to the 2019/20 School Year

4
Figure 2 Gap Analysis Process

52
Figure 3 Responses by school on Q20c of value data set

83
Figure 4 Disciplinary incidents during the first two trimesters at XYZ Middle
School during 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 school years.
85
Figure 5 Planned Work Framework for Professional Development 142
Figure 6 Planned Work Framework for School-Wide Systems 143

1

Chapter One: Overview of the Study
The general problem of practice addressed in this case study is the disproportionate rate
at which Black students receive exclusionary disciplinary action, such as suspensions and
expulsions, within K-12 public schools in the U.S. This is a known problem, as the 2018
Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on K-12 Education and Discipline Disparities
reveals that while Black students constituted 15.5% of the student population, they accounted for
approximately 39% of the suspensions during the 2013-2014 school year. Furthermore, the
overrepresentation of Black students within exclusionary discipline limits students’ access to
their classrooms and instruction, increases their odds of incarceration, and perpetuates the
negative stereotypes plaguing students of color in U.S. public schools (Fabelo & Carmichael,
2011; Kunesh & Noltemyer, 2015). The problem of disproportionate discipline rates is
important to address because while the act of excluding students, in this case via discipline,
based on race has legal and constitutional implications, there is a greater cost to society as a
whole. This disproportionality articulates a deeper issue with the perception of race within
schools and produces multiple negative effects, such as poor college and post-secondary
outcomes, limited future earning potential, and an increased rate of incarceration (Aizer &
Doyle 2013; Kunesh & Noltemyer, 2015; Losen, 2015).
Organizational Context and Mission
In order to maintain anonymity within this study, pseudonyms will identify the school
district, ABC School District, and promising practice school, XYZ Middle School. ABC School
District is a Pre-K through 12th-grade school district located in the Northwest and serves
approximately 16,000 students. It consists of four high schools, four middle schools, 15
elementary schools, and one early learning facility. The overall racial breakdown of the student
2

population is, 25% Asian, 14% Black, 25% Hispanic/Latinx, 9% Multi-Race, and 25% White
(State Report Card, 2019). The district-wide mission in summary states, their goal is to remove
barriers and pursue outcomes that enable all students to realize their potential and maximize their
future opportunities, through the core values of service, excellence, and equity (ABC School
District Mission, Priorities, Core Values, 2019).
XYZ Middle School, a pseudonym, is located within the ABC School District, serving
approximately 700 students in grades 6-8. The student population at XYZ Middle School is
26% Asian, 29% Black, 25% Hispanic/Latinx, 9% Multi-Race, and 8% White. The school’s
mission, according to XYZ’s Middle School home page (2020, January) is “We empower each
other to be compassionate citizens and daring thinkers” (welcome section). Specifically, the
school has focused on fostering a culture of equity and excellence by focusing on the consistent
use of inclusive instructional practices to narrow the opportunity gaps across race, special needs,
and socioeconomic status to ensure high-quality learning for all students. It is this focus that
lends XYZ Middle School to be the focus of this promising practice study.
Over a two-year period, 2016-2017 and 2017-18 school year, the leadership team at XYZ
went through a complete turn over. In 2016 -2017 a new principal and assistance principal
joined the XYZ Middle School team. In the following year, 2017-2018, a new second assistant
principal and new school dean joined the school as well. Towards the end of the 2016-2017
school year the new principal became aware of discipline disparities, seeing 60% of the 248
incidences of exclusionary discipline involved Black students. Discipline disparity data is
something ABC School District shares every year with its building principals. In 2016-2017,
XYZ’s principal brought this information back to her building leadership team. The leadership
team then brought this data to the staff to understand why so many students, specifically Black
3

students, were being removed from class. After gaining staff input, the school embarked on
teacher training and a refocus of discipline practices to understand students’ perspectives and
minimize the removal of students of color from class.
The teacher training process focused on self-reflection and self-regulation. The
leadership team began by walking the staff through the data, highlighting the leadership team’s
personal reflections on the racial disparities present within the discipline data. In the subsequent
staff meetings, the leadership team continued to bring data to the staff, disaggregated by race, to
foster conversations about why disparities exist. In the final months of the 2016-2017 school
year, the state released a school climate survey that showed that students overwhelmingly felt as
if teachers at XYZ Middle School did not respect them. The state survey data shifted the
leadership team’s focus to be about student-teacher relationships and racial disparities. The XYZ
Middle School staff attended a summer training on positive discipline, learning the science
behind the practice, and strategies to engage in personally. With the start of the next school year,
XYZ Middle School’s leadership team focused heavily on modeling building personal
connections with students by fostering self-reflection and self-regulation among students and
staff. By implementing hallway conferences to address classroom concerns, ongoing training on
self-reflection and self-regulation practices for teachers to implement personally and use to
support their students, and dedicated time at every staff meeting to review and discuss school
data disaggregated by race XYZ Middle School was able to meet its focus goal. This process has
continued since its onset in the 2016-17 school year to promote teacher self-reflection, foster
open conversations about race within the school, and build positive student-teacher relationships.
To refocus the discipline process, the leadership team introduced a discipline model
emphasizing positive discipline practices led through data-driven training focused on teacher
4

self-reflection of their behavior and biases within the classroom, positive discipline practices,
and restorative teaching and counseling skills. The training and practice shifts were supported
through monthly meetings with a cross disciplinary data team. In this review, the data team
presents trends identified in the data, a preliminary root cause analysis, and suggested steps for
the middle school. As a result of the refocus efforts on student discipline, in the 2019-2020
school year XYZ Middle School reported only 61 incidences of exclusionary discipline, with no
racial disparities present. It is this decrease in racial disparities within exclusionary discipline
that establishes XYZ Middle School as a promising practice study. Figure 1 shows the consistent
decrease in the rate of disparity within exclusionary discipline at XYZ Middle School for Black
students compared to the average rates of disparity for the other Non-XYZ Middle Schools
within ABC School District.

Figure 1.
Rate of Disparity in Exclusionary Discipline for Black Students Across XYZ and Non-XYZ
Middle School from the 2017/18 School Year to the 2019/20 School Year

5

Organizational Performance Goal
During the 2017-2018 school year, XYZ Middle School established a Data Team to
review school discipline data, specifically office referrals and suspensions to identify trends and
anomalies, and research and suggest potential solutions or actions. The Data Team was a group
of twelve, composed of school leadership, staff representation of each grade level and content
area, and an outside consultant to facilitate the team’s objective analysis of the data. After
reviewing discipline data from the first quarter of school, the team determined there was a
disparity across racial groups. Reviewing suspensions from September through December of
2017 the team discovered the following racial breakdown of exclusionary discipline rates, which
consist of suspensions and expulsions. The racial breakdown shows the list by percentage of all
suspensions and expulsions within the school: 60% Black, 12% Multi-Race, 11%
Hispanic/Latinx, 11% Asian, and 3% White. This breakdown is disproportionate because while
students who are Black make up only 27% of the school’s total population, they account for 60%
of all exclusionary discipline, which is a disparity of about 33%. The discipline
disproportionality present for students who are Black at XYZ School is also higher than the
national average which shows that while students who are Black constitute 15.5% of the national
student average, they make up 39% of exclusionary discipline which is a disparity of about
23.5% (GAO, 2018). This discovery by XYZ School’s data team led to greater research by the
team to understand the cause of the disparities within their school, and the establishment of a
goal to minimize racial disparity within discipline to ensure educators were not targeting students
of color or providing inequitable access or treatment. To track process the team reviews the
discipline data monthly disaggregated by race and tracking all discipline aspects such as reason,
type, and outcome.
6

Related Literature
Examining reasons why racial disproportionality exists within school discipline, is akin to
examining what biases exists across schools today. Biases in schools are not an explicit action,
rather a passive action modeled for students through the structures and systems of systemic
racism in place within schools (Feagin & Barnett, 2004; Sullivan, 2006). An example can be
articulated by understanding that according to the National Center for Educational Statistics
(2017) in 2015 49% of the national preK-12th grade student population was White, however,
80% of school teachers were White. When reviewing instructional practice and materials,
schools within the US currently provide a singular worldview, limiting access to contradictory
perspectives, thus reinforcing the teaching of White dominance and racism by failing to validate
the cultures and experiences of students of color, while simultaneously holding up those of
White western students (Pine & Hillard, 1990). Ross and Bondy (2013) further expand the
concept of bias by discussing the teaching of racism through school structures and school
discourse. In this construct, structure relates to the social structures established because of
policies and practices such as ability grouping and zero-tolerance discipline, while discourse is
the discussions and conversations within schools, or how we go about ‘doing’ school. Ross and
Bondy (2013) articulate how structures which segregate students, such as ability grouping, serve
to remind students of their place or worth, be it positive or negative, and impact students’
outcome at school. Research supports ability grouping concerns by showing that students placed
in lower ability groups demonstrate higher levels of negative self-esteem as compared to those in
mixed ability groups (Dessel, 2010; Ireson & Hallam, 1999). To go further, discipline
disproportionalities reinforce and norm the stereotype that Black students are bad. This message
7

will manifest itself within students and society’s perception, and as a result, the social construct
of school reinforces racism (Dancy, 2014).
Additionally, as Chapman (2013) inferred the struggle facing students of color, such as
the overrepresentation of black students in exclusionary discipline practices, is the outcome of a
colorblind narrative present within schools. Young and Liable (2000) attribute this to
institutional racism, schools reinforce teaching strategies and curricular materials that do not
align with the cultures, beliefs, and or values of their students; instead of focusing on the white
western narrative across all content areas. By failing to recognize race, the system has
immobilized the conversation about race and the development of a multiracial narrative (Tarca,
2005). Further evidence highlights that when schools neglect to acknowledge race, through
conscious avoidance systems like colorblindness, and maintain systems that continue to have
students needing to navigate or code-switch to White dominant culture norms to gain access,
they reinforce institutionalized racism. With the majority of teachers being White, they tend to
lead based on their well-intentioned myopic views. Until preservice training programs enhance
their multicultural awareness programs and focus on developing cultural competency, White
teachers will continue to ask students of color to navigate a world in which they are not familiar,
creating the environment necessary to foster racial disparity (Dancy, 2014; Dovidio et al, 2016).
This action of educational practices that silence a race or counter-White narrative, and maintain
while privilege, ultimately feed the negative stereotypes that sustain the problem of discipline
disproportionality by race.
Importance of the Evaluation
It is important to examine XYZ Middle School’s performance in relation to their
performance goal of creating equitably proportionate discipline practices as a promising practice
8

for a variety of reasons. The research conducted by Fabelo and Carmichael (2011) conveys the
connection between school discipline and future incarceration rates, along with the impact of
exclusionary discipline on high school dropout rates and students' future earning potential.
Research shows that when students receive restrictive or exclusionary discipline
measures, they are three times more likely to end up within the juvenile justice system (Fabelo &
Carmichael, 2011). Hernandez (2016) and Wallace (2017) both articulate the weakness of
exclusionary discipline practices and subsequent negative impacts due to their connection to
increased juvenile arrests. Engagement in the juvenile justice system increases students’
likelihood of incarceration as an adult anywhere from 22-41% depending on the variables (Aizer
& Doyle 2013). Also consider the economic effects of exclusionary discipline as Losen (2015)
articulated in the book, Closing the School Discipline Gap, where the research highlights a
connection between discipline rates and dropout rates. Losen (2015) goes on to calculate the
fiscal cost at an estimated $750 million over the lifetime of each cohort of students when
considering the negative effects of retention and high school dropout rates as a result of
exclusionary discipline. When exclusionary discipline rates can be linked to high school
dropout rates as well as adult incarcerations rates, and Black students are disproportionately
disciplined on a national average of 23% more than their White peers (GAO, 2018), and within
the ABC School District at a rate of 35%, then the argument can be made that we are utilizing
the public school discipline system to maintain, if not perpetuate, Jim Crow-era segregation
within schools and society.
Stakeholders and Stakeholders’ Performance Goals

9

Table 1
Organizational and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
The mission of ABC School District is Service/Excellence/Equity.
We serve our students, families, and communities. We strive for excellence in all we do. We
remove barriers and pursue outcomes that enable all students to realize their potential and
maximize their future opportunities.
Organizational Performance Goal
Within five years schools in the ABC School District will reduce their racial disproportionality
within exclusionary discipline to levels that are no longer statistically significant.
Students
Students are expected to
actively engage in their
classroom and the use of self-
regulation strategies to
maintain a positive learning
environment for all. To do
this, by the end of five years
80% of students will receive
training facilitated by their
teachers at the start of every
trimester focused on self-
regulation strategies and how
to best self-advocate, based on
grade-level appropriateness.
Teachers
Teachers are expected to
engage in the facilitation and
modeling of self-reflection
and self-regulation strategies
to maintain a positive
learning environment and
build supportive student
relationships. To do this
80% or all teachers will
complete and implement
self-regulation and positive
discipline training within
five years.
Administrators
Administrators are expected to
support teacher practice, model
healthy self-regulation, and self-
reflection strategies, and
approach all discipline matters
form a place of inquiry and an
opportunity to build and repair
relationships within the
building. To do this all building
administrators 100% of
secondary principals and
assistant principals will
complete self-regulation,
positive discipline, and cultural
competency training focused on
self-reflection and
implementing crucial
conversations about race within
three years. 100% of elementary
administrators will complete the
training within the five-year
timeframe.
10

Stakeholder for the Study and Stakeholder Performance Goal
The joint effort of all stakeholders is required to meet the overall organizational goal. However,
it is important to evaluate teachers specifically in alignment with their stakeholder goals because
of their relationships and interactions with students. The stakeholder group for this study are
teachers, their goal was designed in coordination with members of the ABC School District and
XYZ Middle School’s leadership team, as a means to look at how to expand the school's goal
district-wide. After the school district's successful shift of instructional practices district-wide
away from a direct instruction model to a sheltered instructional practice called SIOP, a similar
rate of training and implementation for this discipline shift. To track progress on the teachers’
performance goal, the district will review the following: (a) training logs, (b) offense referrals,
(c) discipline data, and (d) student feedback.
It is crucial for teachers to be engaged and actively working to achieve ABC School
District’s performance goal because they are the stakeholder group within the school building
that has the largest exposure to, and therefore influence over the student population. Research
suggests that teacher and student interactions are an ongoing exchange of behavior patterns and
dealings that students carry with them into other settings (Sutherland & Oswald, 2005).
Furthermore, Allen and Blackston (2003) noted that positive teacher interactions and problem-
solving with students led to positive outcomes on targeted behavior. The research articulated by
Lustick (2017) and Sutherland and Oswald (2005) highlights the importance of the teacher’s role
in building relationships and interacting with students to shift outcomes for students. Ahnert et.
al (2012) articulates how the student-teacher relationship is linked to stress patterns and stress
management. Based on this research, without teacher commitment to learn and implement self-
11

regulation and positive discipline strategies, ABC School District will not be able to implement
and achieve their organizational goal of diminishing racial disproportionalities within
exclusionary discipline (Allen & Blackston, 2003; Sutherland & Oswald, 2005).
Purpose of the Project and Question
The project aims to evaluate XYZ Middle School’s performance related to a larger
problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at which Black students receive exclusionary
discipline. The analysis will focus on the areas of knowledge and skill, motivation, and
organizational issues. While a complete performance evaluation would focus on all stakeholders,
for practical purposes, the stakeholder to be focused on in this analysis is teachers.
As such, the questions that will guide the promising practice study are the following:
1. What is the current status of the teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources with regard to decreasing the disproportionality among students of color
(specifically Black) receiving exclusionary disciplinary practices within middle school?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and stakeholder
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations for organizational practice, school-wide practice, and teacher
practice in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources may be
appropriate for solving the problem of practice at another organization?
Methodological Framework
A modified Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis will be the conceptual framework
underscoring this promising practice study, as it allows for a systemic analytical evaluation of
XYZ Middle School's current performance in relation to their performance goal to best
understand how they achieve their goal. The methodological framework is a mixed-method case
12

study, data collection and analysis will be conducted to evaluate the XYZ Middle School's
performance during the 2019/2020 school year in relation to their performance goal of reducing
racial disproportionality within exclusionary discipline implemented in the 2017/2018 school
year, in the areas of knowledge, motivation and organizational resources. The teachers’ current
performance will be validated by using surveys, data analysis, literature review, and content
analysis. Research-based solutions will be recommended and evaluated comprehensively.
Definitions
Disproportionality: The underrepresentation or overrepresentation of a racial or ethnic group,
compared to its percentage in the total population.
Exclusionary Discipline: Disciplinary actions, such as suspensions or expulsions which exclude
students from the classroom or school setting.
Hidden Curriculum: refers to the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and
perspectives that students learn in school, such as norms, beliefs, and values shared in the
classroom and social environment of school.
School Discourse: The discussion or conversations within schools, how teachers and staff
communicate with students, and how students are encouraged to communicate with each other.
School Structures: The established educational and social frameworks within a school as a result
of school and/or district policies and practices, such as grouping students in classes based on
their perceived academic ability, discipline practices that are punitive, or follow a zero-tolerance
methodology.
Organization of the Study
Five chapters are used to organize this study. This chapter provided the reader with the
key concepts and terminology commonly found in a discussion about racial disproportionalities
13

within exclusionary discipline. The organization’s mission, goals, and stakeholders as well as the
initial concepts of the evaluation framework was introduced. Chapter Two provides a review of
the current literature surrounding the scope of the study. Topics of hidden curriculum, learning of
racism, conscious avoidance, and promising interventions will be addressed. Chapter Three
details the assumed causes for this study and methodology for how participants are chosen, data
collection, and analysis. In Chapter Four, the data and results are assessed and analyzed. Chapter
Five provides recommendations for practices, based on data and literature as well as
recommendations for an implementation and evaluation plan.

14

Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
The problem of practice being reviewed is the causes for the disproportionately higher
rate of exclusionary disciplinary action, such as suspensions and expulsions, experienced by
Black students within K-12 public schools in the U.S. This is a known problem as the 2018
Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on K-12 Education and Discipline Disparities
reveals a nation-wide disparity, citing Black students make up 39% of all suspensions, while
only comprising 15.5% of the total student population. This evidence highlights the racial
disproportionality present in discipline practices across the country. Discipline
disproportionality is an important problem to solve because the presence and outcomes of racism
do not live solely within schools; however, schools remain at the fulcrum of society’s collective
beliefs and as such hold the potential to lead by example in shifting student outcomes.
In this chapter three themes are reviewed within the literature. The first theme is looking
at how the U.S. public school system is fostering the learning of racism through the implicit and
explicit biases in schools. The second theme is examining the processes by which students of
color are marginalized within schools through hegemonic cultures present in schools such as
conscious avoidance systems. Finally, this section will end by reviewing promising
interventions to mitigate these compounding struggles facing students of color. Next, this
chapter will turn to the review of the role of teachers, utilizing the conceptual framework of
Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis. The review of the role of teachers will first seek to develop
an understanding of the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences’ lens used in this
study. This portion of the chapter will then focus on teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences, and close the chapter by presenting the conceptual framework.
15

Influence on the Problem of Practice
Many studies have explored the discipline disproportionality that exists for Black
students within k-12 public schools (GAO, 2018; Skiba, et al., 2002; Staats, 2014; Tarca, 2005).
The racial disparities present in current exclusionary discipline data highlight the discriminatory
practices and policies within schools that have allowed the school systems to circumvent the
promise of equal educational opportunities for all students made by the ruling of the Brown vs.
Board of Education decision in 1954 (Townsend-Walker, 2014).
This review covers literature topics that emerged from the literature analysis process.
These topic areas are: implicit and explicit bias in schools, hegemonic cultures in schools, and
promising interventions. The review of the literature presented focuses primarily on the
literature’s application to the problem of a disproportionately high rate of disciplinary action
aimed at black students in the context of US public schools.
Bias in Schools
Biases can take many forms and exist in schools as well as in all of us. Negative bias
towards people of color is a habit that racism produces (Sullivan, 2006). Prejudicial habits and
discriminatory practices, such as stereotyping and segregation by Whites, has engineered over
the years institutions that limit the voice and privileges of people of color, which is the reality of
systemic racism (Feagin & Barnett, 2004). Biases in schools are not an explicit action within
schools, but rather a passive action modeled for students through the structures and systems of
systemic racism in place within schools (Feagin & Barnett, 2004; Sullivan, 2006). Within this
section, the structures supporting the development of biases in schools will be reviewed. This
review includes how racism is taught within schools as an outcome of systemic racism, the role
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ability grouping plays in perpetuating racist biases, and how zero-tolerance policies cultivate
discipline disproportionalities for students of color.
Teaching of Systemic Racism
Systemic racism is modeled and reinforced within schools through the decades-long
application and passive acceptance of discriminatory practices and policies which restrict and
diminish opportunities, resulting in the marginalization of students of color (Feagin & Barnett,
2004; Hinojosa & Moras, 2009). When systems, structures and policies, established without an
equity lens are seen as the norm they lead to practices that reinforce racism; within schools,
structures impacted by race are instructional practices, disciplinary practices, and student social
constructs (Dessel, 2010; Fenning & Rose, 2007; Hinojosa & Moras, 2009; Ross & Bondy,
2013).
Schools are made up of silent structures, known as the hidden curriculum, these
structures are embedded within the socialization, instruction, and culturalization inside schools
(Cotton, Winter, & Bailey, 2013; Kentli, 2009; Noguera, 2008; Ross & Bondy, 2013). An
outcome of these silent structures is the general assumptions they create about students; these
assumptions are based on belief rather than fact and reinforce student stereotypes across a
school, specifically marginalizing students of color (Noguera, 2008; Ross & Bondy, 2013). The
hidden curriculum is both about the professionalism – being obedient, orderly, punctual, and tidy
– of the student as well as their reproduction of social and cultural norms within the school
setting (Cotton, Winter, & Bailey, 2013). The current public K-12 US school environment was
established based on the experiences of White middle-class people, creating a misalignment
between the unspoken cultural norms of school and the lived experiences of students of color
(Dancy, 2014; Fenning & Rose, 2007; Spencer, Noll, Stoltzfus, & Harpalani, 2001). The
17

environment of school further marginalizes students of color and reinforces systemic racism
through the physical curriculum which students study (Leonardo & Gubb, 2013). When
reviewing physical school curriculum, in an effort to support diverse perspectives one can see a
lack of attention to any contradiction or challenge of the dominant White race norm (Lynn &
Parker, 2006). Instead, multicultural education is regaled to moments in time, such as black
history month, diminishing the history and minimizing the representation of race across all
curricular learning (Jay, 2003; Leonardo & Grubb, 2013). When school curriculum is based on a
White, monocultural worldview, it benefits White students and fails to validate the culture,
cognitive style, and lived experiences of students of color (Pine & Hillard III, 1990).
Experiencing systemic racism through the hidden curriculum, which marginalizes and
stereotypes students of color, reinforces the dominant White culture values and norms present
today within K-12 schools.
Systemic racism is manifested through the policies that continually create opportunities
for students of color to be seen as inferior (Feagin & Barnett, 2004). Within schools the presence
of surveillance, metal detectors, and security officers teaches students that crime is a norm and
that they cannot be trusted (Farmer, 2010). The increased presence of law enforcement within
schools, causes a decrease in the reflection of mitigating circumstances by teachers and
administration when reviewing student infractions (Hirschfield, 2008). Shifting discipline
policies have promoted a technical manual approach to discipline versus taking a comprehensive
view students and incidents, leading to minor or subjective incidences becoming suspensions and
expulsions, increase the disproportionality and further remove students of color from class, thus
supporting racist policies which are an outcome of systemic racism (Brown, Skiba, & Eckes,
2009; Hirschfield, 2008; Monroe, 2005). Discipline disproportionalities reinforce and norm
18

negative stereotyping, which manifests itself within students and society’s perception, and as a
result, the social construct of school teaches and reinforces racism (Dancy, 2014). As a result,
racial disparities within discipline reinforce the teaching of racism through their silent
affirmation of a negative belief norm. Furthermore, the silent teaching of racism plays out
through instructional practices that socially label students, such as ability grouping.
Ability Grouping Perpetuates Racist Biases
Ability grouping is the common practice of grouping students based on their perceived
knowledge and skill level (Belfi et al., 2012). While ability grouping may be commonplace
within many schools, school structures that segregate students serve as a guarantee to remind
students of their place, be it positive or negative, within academic, social, and racial circles (Ross
& Bondy, 2013). The practice of ability grouping impacts students’ academic and non-academic
outcomes in school, as students in lower ability groups demonstrate a higher level of negative
academic self-esteem than when placed in mixed ability groups (Ireson & Hallam, 1999). In the
same study, students in lower-ability groups also reported to be more critical of their own
academic abilities developing a self-fulfilling prophecy of continued low achievement and self-
worth, leading to negative views towards future learning (Ireson & Hallam, 1999). The practice
of ability grouping is also detrimental and exasperates inequalities because students of color are
more often placed in lower ability groups in early education, and students placed in lower ability
groups in early education learn less over time and have fewer opportunities to master skills than
their non-grouped peers (Lleras & Rangel, 2009). Ability grouping has shown to increase
inequity in achievement, and no evidence of any gains to support their continued implementation
(Hanushek & Wößmann, 2005).
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The outcome of ability grouping is that by segregating students academically, schools
establish a system where students do not interact outside of their group (Bondy & Ross, 2013).
Furthermore, when students are grouped or tracked, they lack the opportunity or ability to have
authentic interpersonal contact with students of similar status and different cultures or
backgrounds, which is an essential element to dismantle racism (Dessel, 2010). Peer disconnect
is compounded when teachers often label and stereotype students based on their group placement
(Belfi et al., 2012). Ability grouping creates a greater-than, less-than dynamic which becomes
the social construct of the school environment (Hadden et al., 2016). The social environments
within schools enable racism and expand the union between racism and discipline outcomes for
students of color, based on their perceived limitations, perceptions manifested through ability
grouping (Hadden et. al., 2016, Feagin & Barnett, 2004). Teachers’ stereotypical views and
negative perceptions about students of color translate into lower competency ratings for students
of color based on the teachers’ bias (Clark & Zygmunt, 2014). Furthermore, understanding
Black students are underrepresented within the highest levels of ability groups, highly capable
and gifted programs, by over 47%, ability grouping can be seen as de facto segregation (Ford,
2014). The imposed segregation that occurs within ability grouping is part of the systemic
racism engineered within school institutions to deny students of color the privilege and
opportunity to be seen as equal to their White counterparts (Feagin & Barnett, 2004). How
students are grouped, tracked, or seen is a social construct that impacts how they perceive
themselves and how they receive discipline (Ireson & Hallam, 2009). Another social construct
fueled by the biases present in schools was the implementation of zero-tolerance policies,
designed to be unbiased; instead, they have cemented the racial biases present in schools today.
Zero Tolerance Policies
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Zero-tolerance discipline policies are another exemplar of biases within US public
schools, as they reinforce racial inequities within discipline practices (Morena & Scaletta, 2018).
While a zero-tolerance policy is a stringent enforcement of school regulations that essentially
prohibit unwanted behavior may not seem racist on the surface, it is the unpacking of the
application and outcomes of these policies that awaken the reality that they ultimately serve as a
tool to militarize, re-segregate, and reinforce the school to prison pipeline within US public
schools (Giroux, 2003). Wald and Losen (2003) draw attention to the fact that since the zero-
tolerance approach to discipline adopted within US public schools in the 1990s, the number of
suspensions of students from schools has nearly doubled in less than thirty years. This increase
in suspensions and exclusionary discipline yields from teachers’ and administrators’ inability to
differentiate between subjective and objective, or minor and severe, violations (Martinez, 2009).
It is the inability to make the distinctions between minor and severe when applying a zero-
tolerance policy that grows the exclusionary discipline practice for students of color, due to
implicit or explicit bias which results in increased racial disproportionalities (Monroe, 2005).
Hirschfield (2008) expands on this concept by recognizing that zero-tolerance policies shifted the
practice of discipline from actuarial, or a holistic view of the event and student, to a procedural
guideline, which allowed for little reflection of mitigating circumstances. It is this absence of the
human condition when applying a zero-tolerance discipline policy that fuels the
disproportionality in disciplinary actions. The racial disparities, where Black students are
receiving 39% of the suspensions, while only constituting 15.5% of the student population
(GAO, 2018), perpetuate the stereotype of White being good and Black being bad is normed, and
the teaching of racism through the hegemonic social construct of school is maintained.
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Hegemonic Cultures in Schools
Hegemonic cultures in schools are systems and structures cultivated over centuries to
preserve White western norms as the dominant culture. Within this section specific systems and
structures that support hegemonic cultures in schools and their impact on discipline disparities
will be reviewed. It will examine the impact of conscious avoidance systems, the role implicit
bias plays, and how a colorblind narrative marginalizes students of color and perpetuates
hegemonic cultures in schools.
Conscious Avoidance
Conscious avoidance is deliberate inaction in the presence of evidence that may
contradict personal beliefs. Avoidance systems allow teachers and administrators to evade
acknowledging the role race and racism plays within schools as well as the breadth and depth of
its impacts (Wilkerson & Wilson, 2017).
In an analysis of discipline disparities, Skiba et. al (2002) ruled out socio-economic status
and gender bias in their research, identifying that origination of racial disparities is the
disproportionate rate of referrals for Black students. Researchers have gone on to confirm that
the discipline referrals received by Black students are for behavior that is not more severe or
disruptive than their White counterparts, and that this is the outcome of an overreliance on
punitive discipline at the classroom level (Skiba et al., 2002; Staats, 2014). Disproportionate
punitive discipline in the classroom is the results of decades of unchallenged implicit biases,
internalizing a colorblind narrative, and the lack of antiracist or critical race theory training
within schools (George, 2015). Young and Liable (2000) attribute the stagnant movement away
from conscious avoidance systems to institutional racism, schools reinforce teaching strategies
and curricular materials that do not align with the cultures, beliefs, and or values of their
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students; instead, focusing on the White western narrative across all content areas. By failing to
recognize race, the system has immobilized the conversation about race and the development of
a multiracial narrative (Tarca, 2005). With the majority of teachers being White, this creates a
tendency to lead based on myopic views, and until preservice training programs enhance their
multicultural awareness programs, teachers will continue to ask students of color to navigate a
world to which they are not familiar, creating the environment necessary to foster a racial
discipline disparity (Dancy, 2014).
Inequitable school environments exist within schools as a result of the continued
implementation and support of punitive discipline policies and the conscious avoidance of race
or race-based problems. These unchecked implicit biases foster an environment that supports
and maintains racial disparities within exclusionary discipline.
Implicit Bias
Implicit bias is the unconscious actions based on stereotypes and experiences that shape a
person's decisions and understandings of the world around them. In this paper, an implicit bias is
referring to the unconscious negative bias against students of color.
Implicit bias is the ‘legacy’ present in school policies and practices related to discipline
because the development of discipline policies and practices is most often derived from the
standpoint of the White dominant group norms, ensuring that implicit biases are present within
the work (Katz-Amey, 2019). Carter et al. (2017) highlight that it is difficult to rule out implicit
bias within disciplinary decisions, seeing that the disproportionalities within discipline exist
across socio-economic status, severity of the infraction, and school demographics.
The lack of training and development within teacher programs around the skills and
knowledge on how to manage classroom and student behavior impact disciplinary outcomes
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(Dancy, 2014; Ispa-Landa, 2018; Jay, 2003). Specifically, Carter et al. (2017) suggest a link to
training around recognizing bias within oneself and positive outcomes within disciplinary
interactions. When there is a lack of personal and content knowledge, implicit racial bias may
play a more significant role when teachers or administrators are unclear about how to respond
(Ispa-Landa, 2018). In a study led by Skiba et al. (2002) their data shows only an 11%
discrepancy in the referral of Black students for disciplinary action, it notes that the discrepancy
increases to 14% when reviewing those suspended, and 24% when looking at students who were
expelled. Studies have also demonstrated that Black students were being disciplined for
subjective violations, whereas White students received discipline for objective violations, and
Black students received harsher discipline than White students for the same offenses (Anyon et.
al, 2014; Skiba et. al, 2002). The racial discrepancies within discipline clarifies the need for
teachers and administrators to know how to reflect on and evaluate their implicit racial bias when
addressing discipline matters (Ispa-Landa 2018; Monroe 2005; Skiba et. al 2011). If teachers and
administrators continue to neglect and fail to acknowledge their personal implicit biases,
discipline disproportionalities will continue to thrive. A critical element that allows the
hegemonic culture of implicit biases to prosper is the ongoing preservation of the colorblind
narrative within schools.
Colorblind Narrative
A colorblind narrative is the belief that if people do not see race, then race does not
matter and, as a result, people cannot act in a racially biased manner (Apfelbaum, Norton, &
Sommers, 2012). The criticism of colorblindness is that it allows Whites to silence any
conversation about race by claiming that any struggles one encounters are their own and not the
result of any larger entity, indicating that race does not make a difference in lived experiences
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(Bonivilla-Silva, 2015; Tarca, 2005) and it negates the fact that science has shown that as early
as six months of age people perceived race (Apfelbaum, Norton, & Sommers, 2012). Modica
(2015) describes the impact of a colorblind narrative within schools:
Silence about race denies students the skills they need to talk about race openly and
honestly and the opportunity to think about how racism affects them and their
relationships with others. Teachers who believe it is best to be colorblind lose the
opportunity to address racial inequity in their classrooms and in their overall school
programs. Therefore, attempts to be colorblind do not end racism; in fact, ignoring race
increases the likelihood that racism will occur in schools and in other facets of society.
(p.397)
The explicit and implicit racial biases are allowed to flourish under the guise of a
colorblind narrative, through the conscious avoidance of the race conversation and the disregard
of students' racial identities (Chapman, 2013). By not addressing race, schools support the status
quo and reinforce the belief that the students who are most likely to receive exclusionary
discipline are students of color, based on the evidence of current practice (Noguera, 2008).
Furthermore, color blindness removes people from the personal responsibility of the impact of
racism, it allows for collective ignorance to prosper, and it strips people of color from their lived
experience (Ullucci & Battery, 2011).
In the absence of a robust conversation and action around race and antiracist teaching,
negative stereotypes are elevated to accepted assumptions when reviewing behavior and
discipline. These assumptions remain unchallenged in the colorblind narrative, thanks to the
support of a hegemonic curriculum and instructional practices that norm racist actions and
groupings. The failure to combat and question these assumptions is what maintains their
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acceptance within society as a whole, which creates the vicious cycle that leads to the
disproportionate discipline rates for students of color.
Promising Interventions
A means of combating the assumptions fueled by hegemonic cultures in schools is by
implementing interventions that disrupt the social process of discipline within a school.
Improving school discipline requires both a systemic and individualistic approach, addressing the
process as well as the response of all parties involved (Irby, 2014). The promising interventions
this section will discuss are positive discipline practices, self-regulation, and student-teacher
relationships.
Positive Discipline Practices
Positive discipline practices focus on teaching appropriate behavioral responses when
misbehavior occurs instead of using discipline as a punishment (Amstutz and Mullet 2005). The
premise of positive discipline is the need to teach social-emotional skills, just as academic skills
are taught (Lustick, 2016). Lustick (2016) articulates the necessity for both teachers and students
to contribute to clarifying what actually occurred during a disciplinary moment before any
disciplinary action takes place. It is this social-emotional teaching approach and collaborative
learning of events on the part of both the student and teacher that allow for positive discipline
practices to succeed (Lustick, 2016; Preez & Roux, 2010).
To foster productive engagement within positive discipline practices, it is important to
ensure that teachers and administrators acknowledge potential racial bias in their appraisal of
student behavior (Anyon et. al, 2014). Preez and Roux (2010) discuss the importance of
recognizing the diverse settings students come from when engaging in positive discipline
practices because positive discipline is the process by which students develop self-disciplined
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behavior, and therefore requires teachers to focus on what each student is capable of and take
into account a student’s lived experience (Preez & Rouz, 2010). Research shows that classroom
interventions that foster relationships between teachers and students of color reduce discipline
disparities (Anyon et. al, 2014; Lustick, 2016; Preez & Roux, 2010; Whisman & Hammer,
2014).
Policies and programs supporting positive discipline practices, where discipline is a
learning opportunity rather than an opportunity to punish, must be normed to mitigate discipline
disparities (Anyon et. al, 2014; Fenning & Rose, 2007; Noguera, 2008; Ross & Bondy, 2013).
Establishing policies and programs that prioritize the need for teachers and administrators to step
out of their comfort zones and engage in dialogue with students from an inclusive stance
supports positive discipline (Preez & Roux, 2010). Whisman and Hammer (2014) demonstrate
in their research that positive discipline approaches reduce discipline referrals by one-third and
position students to be active participants in their social-emotional development. The
establishment of open dialogues between students of color and teachers about behavior as a
result of positive discipline practices lays the foundation for the successful introduction of self-
regulation strategies as a promising intervention to continue decreasing racial disproportionalities
within exclusionary discipline.
Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is the process of internally monitoring and adjusting one’s behavior in
alignment with their current situation (Diaz, Neal, & Amaya-Williams, 1990). Watts et al.
(2018) uncovered promising evidence connecting interventions which support emotional
regulation, such as the teaching and modeling of self-regulation, to increases in academic
achievement and decreases in behavioral problems. The shifts Watts et at. (2018) discuss in
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achievement align with earlier research by Fried (2011) showing that student and teacher
emotions not only impact learning in the classroom, but also impact the emotional climate of the
school. This emotional impact is regulated, as both students and teachers reported having less
internalizing and less externalizing behavior issues in classes with teachers who have received
training and coaching in self-regulation, positive discipline, and stress management (Raver,
2012).
Successfully teaching and implementing self-regulation strategies within classrooms
allow teachers to support their students in gaining greater control over their behavioral outcomes
and achievement of personal goals (Fried, 2011). Boekaerts and Corno (2005) articulate how
focused intervention with volitional strategy support allows for the effective teaching of self-
regulation strategies. Volitional strategies assist students in resisting temptations or impulses to
abandon goals (Elstad, 2012). Students who utilize self-regulation strategies often can mitigate
persistent or deep-rooted stressors when they arise and re-establish personal tranquility,
reinforcing that proper interventions can influence how students adjust to school (Boekaerts &
Corno, 2005). As a classroom-based intervention, self-regulation allows students and teachers to
interrupt a negative discipline cycle by regulating the emotional and behavioral responses,
thereby minimizing perceived misbehavior and expanding students’ personal goal attainment
within the classroom. The awareness of a teachers’ and students’ personal mental state is what
allows self-regulation to thrive as a means of disrupting the processes that perpetuate the
discipline disparities present for students of color, and is built on the groundwork of strong
student-teacher relationships. (Fried, 2011; Irby, 2014; Jones, Jones, and Vermette, 2013)
Student-Teacher Relationships
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The way students and teachers interact with each other is how student-teacher
relationships are defined. Student-teacher relationships are an essential component of classroom
management and developing classroom community (Jones, Jones, and Vermette, 2013). Stronge,
Ward, and Grant (2011) addressed this concept of the student-teacher relationship as essential to
the classroom community in their research; they identified a significant connection between
highly effective teachers and their rate of positive relationships with their students, which
fostered respect and fairness. The connection between effective teachers and positive student
relationships is reinforced as Hattie (2012) demonstrates that a successful student-teacher
relationship has a positive effect on student learning. Jennings and Greenberg (2009) take this a
step further articulating in their research that the key to improving schools, increasing student
achievement and decreasing discipline, is the development of social trust created through the
student-teacher relationship within the classroom.
Successful teachers engage in genuine supportive relationships with students, establishing
an influence, and utilizing that influence on discipline through compassion, guidance, as well as
strong instructional and behavioral frameworks within the classroom (Irby, 2014). Furthermore,
Ahnert et al. (2012) demonstrated how crucial student-teacher relationships could be by
connecting students’ subconscious physical stress reactions, students’ cortisol levels, and
classroom relationships with their teachers. The research highlighted the impact the student-
teacher relationship has, through the means of emotional support offered and modeled for the
student by the teacher within the classroom environment (Ahnert et al. 2012). Spence (2002)
further articulates the importance of the student-teacher relationship by highlighting that students
report greater mutual respect for teachers who take the time to get to know them and understand
why they make certain choices. It is this ability to foster healthy, communicative relationships
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founded in mutual trust between teachers and students of color that supports the integration of
promising interventions, such as positive discipline practices and self-regulation, to decrease
discipline disproportionalities present in exclusionary discipline (Anyon et al., 2014; Lustick,
2016; Preez & Roux, 2010; Whisman & Hammer, 2014)
Conceptual Framework
The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework aligns information to identify
opportunities and obstacles facing organizations in their attainment of established goals. The gap
analysis framework accomplishes this task through a systematic analysis of three areas, (1)
knowledge, (2) motivation, and (3) organizational barriers. The systematic process of the Clark
and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework seeks to identify root-causes of performance gaps by
completing the following steps: clearly defining measurable goals, then determining the gaps
present, hypothesizing possible causes for the gaps, then validating and prioritizing those causes,
and lastly developing solutions (Rueda, 2011). Through this process, the identification of
disparities between current practice and goal performance becomes apparent and highlights
organizational strengths.
In this study, the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework is modified to provide
an analysis of a promising practice. The gap analysis problem-solving process is well-suited to
the study of teachers’ performance concerning their set goal within XYZ Middle School and
ABC School District. The basis of the analysis is to understand teachers’ goals with regard to the
school and district goals, and identify assumed performance influences in the areas of
knowledge, motivation, and organization based on the gap analysis theory, context-specific
literature and a real understanding of XYZ Middle School within ABC School District. This
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study explores performance influences of knowledge, motivation, and organization in greater
detail in the next portion of this chapter.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
Krathwohl (2002) explains the structure of knowledge as existing across four
dimensions: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. Factual knowledge encompasses
the essential elements of any given content, while conceptual knowledge refers to the
relationships across the factual knowledge (Krathwohl, 2002). Clark et al. (2008) merges the
concepts of factual and conceptual knowledge in their description of declarative knowledge,
which is seen as information accessible through long-term memory and can support processes
through conceptual understanding. Both Krathwohl (2002) and Clark et al. (2008) articulate that
the next knowledge dimension, procedural knowledge, is the application of skills acquired
through factual and conceptual, or declarative, knowledge. Within procedural knowledge, there
begins the process of automaticity, where the required mental effort and self-monitoring to
perform a task diminishes (Clark et al., 2008). Krathwohl (2002) argues that the awareness of
this automaticity or personal cognition is the development of metacognition, the fourth
dimension of knowledge. This section reviews influences on discipline practices as these
influences relate to the four types of knowledge.
Declarative Factual Knowledge Influences
Declarative factual knowledge refers to the basic knowledge, such as facts and
terminology, needed to understand specific content (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a
positive discipline plan focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful,
teachers would need to know what is meant by the terms positive discipline, self-regulation, and
31

self-reflection. Therefore, an assumed influence that can act as a barrier for teachers in achieving
their goal of engaging in the facilitation and modeling of self-reflection and self-regulation
strategies to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships
is their lack of knowledge of positive disciplinary strategies, such as self-reflection and self-
regulation. This cause can be validated through a survey asking teachers to name discipline
strategies used within their classroom and school. Teachers’ ability to name strategies that would
fall into the categories of self-reflection and self-regulation would validate or invalidate this
assumption.
Teachers Can Name Positive Discipline Strategies, Such as Self-Regulation and Self-
Reflection, and Know the Protocols Associated with Positive Discipline Strategies. It is
essential for teachers to clearly understand for themselves the knowledge requirements for a task
(Ambrose et al., 2010). It has been noted by Johansen, Little and Akin-Little (2011) that when
teachers state that they do not believe positive behavior strategies (i.e., self-reflection and self-
regulation) work, teachers, in reality, do not have a full understanding of the term positive
behavior interventions. The research completed by Johansen, Little and Akin-Little (2011) is a
perfect example of the importance of factual knowledge. Based on Clark and Estes (2008)
analysis of factual knowledge, connecting factual knowledge to conditions for use, allows
teachers to retain their genuine understanding of positive discipline strategies such as self-
regulation and self-reflection. In order to prevent problem behavior in schools, and the
subsequent exclusionary practices that follow, it requires teachers to be fluent in the content for
behavior intervention implementation (Sugai & Horner, 2008). Teachers’ factual knowledge of
positive discipline strategies, such as self-reflection and self-regulation, influences their ability to
conceptualize and ultimately implement these practices.
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Declarative Conceptual Knowledge Influences
Declarative conceptual knowledge refers to the categories, theories, and structures within
specific content knowledge (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan
focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would need to
know when to use self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their classroom. Therefore,
an assumed influence that can act as a barrier for teachers in achieving their stakeholder goal is
their lack of knowledge of when to utilize positive disciplinary strategies, such as self-reflection
and self-regulation, to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student
relationships. A survey providing scenarios and asking teachers to identify at what point they
would utilize different strategies serves as a means of validation of the cause. Teachers’ ability to
identify appropriate times to use the strategies would validate or invalidate this assumed
influence of conceptual knowledge.
Teachers Need to Know When to Offer Students Positive Discipline Strategies and
the Difference Between Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III Services in Positive Discipline Models.
A deep understanding of the principles and features of positive discipline, including self-
reflection and self-regulation strategies, allows teachers to apply this knowledge in various
contexts as well as adapt to shifting realities within their classroom (Ambrose et al., 2010). Sugai
and Horner (2008) share that behavior interventions are successful and sustainable when teachers
utilize the strategies and skills along a continuum of support, emphasizing localized classroom
instruction and expanding to tiered supports based on the logic of evidence-based intervention
strategies and teachers data-driven decision-making skills. Therefore, if preventative
interventions, like positive discipline, are to be successful, they must exist in environments
flexible enough to support positive and adaptive behaviors, across all tiers of intervention
33

(Hester, 2002). To be able to ebb and flow across all tiers, in a continuum of behavior support,
teachers must possess the conceptual knowledge of positive discipline principles and strategies.
It is this conceptual knowledge of positive discipline that influences how teachers implement
self-reflection and self-regulation strategies.
Procedural Knowledge Influences
Declarative and procedural knowledge enable varying types of performance; procedural
knowledge focuses on understanding how and when to use knowledge (Ambrose et al., 2010).
Procedural knowledge refers to knowing how to do something as a result of having knowledge,
such as riding a bike or tying shoes (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline
plan focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would
need to know how to implement self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their
classroom. Therefore, an assumed influence that can act as a barrier for teachers in achieving
their stakeholder goal is their lack of knowledge of how to implement positive disciplinary
strategies, such as self-reflection and self-regulation, to maintain a positive learning environment
and build supportive student relationships. Surveys and observations of teachers implementing
positive discipline strategies such as self-reflection and self-regulation, provide validation of this
influence. A lack of teachers properly implementing these strategies would indicate a gap in
procedural knowledge.
Teachers Need to Know How to Implement Appropriate Positive Discipline
Strategies, Such as Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection, and Teachers Need to Be Able to
Teach Positive Discipline Strategies to Students Based on Their Needs. There is no universal
way to teach all students; for teachers to do their work well, they must employ a broad array of
instructional and behavioral strategies (Gay, 2015). It is teachers' procedural knowledge of
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positive discipline practices that allows them to know how to implement strategies such as self-
reflection and self-regulation within their classrooms. Sugai and Horner (2008) emphasize that
teachers must know how to make appropriate modifications and adjustments to behavior
interventions based on the analysis of multiple factors, such as student performance data and the
context or environment in which the learning occurs. Teachers' ability to know how to select
strategies and methods of instruction, and their ability to know how to relate to their students, is
what fosters engagement, trust, and a positive learning environment (Gehrke, 2005). This
procedural knowledge of positive discipline does not live in a vacuum; instead, it finds success
as a component of knowledge alongside factual and conceptual knowledge, and teachers'
reflection of these knowledge components inner workings and the positive discipline process
strengthens their overall performance.
Metacognitive Knowledge
Metacognitive knowledge refers to one's awareness of their knowledge, factual,
conceptual, and procedural, to allow for strategic analysis, both contextual and conceptual, to
facilitate problem-solving (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan
focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would need to
know how to reflect on their practice of self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their
classroom. An assumed metacognitive influence which may limit teachers' achievement of their
stakeholder goal of engaging in the facilitation and modeling of self-reflection and self-
regulation strategies to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student
relationships, is not reflecting on their impact. This cause can be validated through a survey
asking teachers to reflect on their practice, both success and failures, with self-reflection and
35

self-regulation strategies. A failure of teachers to complete the reflection on their practice would
validate the assumption.
Teachers Need to Reflect on the Process and Effectiveness of Using Positive
Discipline Strategies, Such as Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection. Being able to reflect on
skills as a learner and accurately evaluate abilities allows teachers to engage in the most effective
strategies to ensure stronger outcomes (Ambrose et al., 2010). Feuerborn and Tyre (2012) argue
that staff use of personal self-reflection shifts their perception of student behavior away from
something staff seeks to control in students and rather to a learning opportunity for both. So,
successful behavior interventions occur when teachers involved are reflective of their practice to
earnestly and positively address the needs of their students from a preventative rather than
reactive perspective (Sugai & Horner, 2008). Feuerborn and Tyre (2012), as well as Sugai and
Horner's (2008) research, amplifies the significant importance Krathowl (2002) wrote about in
being aware of metacognitive activity and then using that information to adapt the ways we think
and operate.
Table 2 shows the stakeholder’s influences and the related literature.

36

Table 2
Summary of Assumed Knowledge Influences on Stakeholders Ability to Achieve the Performance
Goal
Assumed knowledge influences Type of knowledge Research literature
Teachers can name positive
discipline strategies, such as self-
regulation and self-reflection.
Declarative factual
(terms, facts, concepts)
Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Johansen,
Little & Akin-Little, 2011;
Sugai & Horner, 2008
Teachers know the protocols
associated with positive
discipline strategies.
Declarative factual
(terms, facts, concepts)
Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011;
Johansen, Little & Akin-
Little, 2011; Sugai & Horner,
2008
Teachers need to know when to
offer students positive discipline
strategies.
Declarative conceptual
(categories, process
models, principles,
relationships)
Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Sugai &
Horner, 2008; Hester, 2002
Teachers need to know the
difference between Tier I, Tier II,
and Tier III services in the
positive discipline model.
Declarative conceptual
(categories, process
models, principles,
relationships)
Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Sugai &
Horner, 2008; Hester, 2002
Teachers need to know how to
implement appropriate positive
discipline strategies such as self-
regulation and self-reflection.
Procedural Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Gay,
2015; Gehrke, 2005; Sugai &
Horner, 2008
Teachers need to be able to teach
positive discipline strategies to
students based on their needs.
Procedural Ambrose et al., 2010;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Gay,
2015; Gehrke, 2005; Sugai &
Horner, 2008
Teachers need to reflect on the
process and effectiveness of
using positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation
and self-reflection.
Metacognitive Ambrose et al., 2010;
Feuerborn & Tyre, 2012;
Krathwohl, 2002; Clark et al.,
2008; Rueda, 2011; Sugai &
Horner, 2008
37

Motivation
Clark and Estes (2008) describe motivation as the psychological process that inspires
individuals to make an active choice to engage in a task, persist in accomplishing that task, and
put forth the appropriate mental effort to succeed in meeting the goals of the task. McGee and
Johnson (2015) expand on the concept of motivation to say that both internal beliefs of the
individual and the external cultures of the organization impact motivation. Seeing motivation as
a construct of both internal and external forces, Rueda (2011) identifies key variables that shape
one’s motivation as a result of being influenced through one’s social and cultural environments;
these motivational variables are value, self-efficacy, and attribution. One can summarize value
within motivation as a compilation of four things (1) the collective value of the importance one
places on doing a task well, attainment value, (2) the enjoyment one gains from doing the task,
utility value, (3) the usefulness one finds in completing the task, intrinsic value, and (4) cost in
personal capital one has to give up to achieve the goal of the task, cost value (Rueda, 2011;
Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). Self-efficacy is one’s belief in their capabilities. Self-efficacy
develops through experiencing mastery of a task, witnessing others succeed in tasks, persuading
or inspiration from others to complete a task, and engaging in self-improvement to seek personal
growth over peer competition (Bandura, 2012). Attribution within motivation is a belief in one’s
role in the success or failure of a task (Rueda, 2011). Weiner (2010) explains attribution as
consisting of three dimensions (1) the stability or permanence of a trait needed to complete the
task, (2) the locus or impact of internal and/or external forces on one’s ability to complete the
task, and (3) the controllability or whether or not the elements impacting the task are within
one’s control. The section reviews the motivational variables of value, self-efficacy, and
attribution to identify motivational influences affecting teachers.
38

Value
The motivational variable of value refers to the importance, enjoyment, usefulness, and
cost associated with a task; task value influences starting and persisting in an activity (Rueda,
2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan focused on self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers must value self-regulation and self-reflection
strategies to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships.
The assumed influence of value can be validated through surveys and document analysis, asking
teachers to rank tasks based on their perceived value as well as reviewing the documentation that
shows the actions within the discipline process teachers take. A low ranking or use of self-
reflection and self-regulation strategies can indicate a gap in task value.
Teachers Need to Value the Learning, Implementation, and Perceived Outcomes of
Positive Discipline Such as Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies. Value positively
impacts motivation when associated with a goal (decreasing exclusionary discipline), in a
supportive environment, and with multiple sources of value reinforcing the work (Ambrose et al.,
2010). Given that research indicates teachers find managing behavior one of the more
challenging parts of their role (Johansen, Little & Akin-Little, 2011), attainment, intrinsic, and
utility value are needed to support the implementation of behavior interventions. However,
teachers' perceptions about behavior and discipline impact how they react and implement support
strategies, either as punishment to remove behavior or as an inquiry to understand behavior and
teach its effects on others (Sadik, 2018), which can shift teachers' perceived value of
interventions. In Wigfield, Rosenzweig, and Eccles (2017) research, interventions that target
multiple sources of value: utility value, intrinsic value, and attainment value, create measurable
39

positive outcomes. Therefore, for positive discipline practices to be successful, teachers must
believe there is value in shifting to this practice.
Self-efficacy
The motivational variable of self-efficacy refers to one's belief in their own ability
(Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan focused on self-regulation and
self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would need to have confidence that they can
identify and implement established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a
positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships within their classroom.
The assumed influence of self-efficacy can be validated through surveys and observations,
asking teachers to rank tasks based on their confidence to execute them. Teachers' rankings in
task confidence would either validate or invalidate this assumed influence.
Teachers Need to Have Confidence That They Can Identify and Implement
Established Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies Within Their Daily Classroom
Management to Improve Behavior Outcomes For All Students and Confidence That They
Can Follow Established Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Protocols to Support and/or
Refer Students In Specialized Behavior Services(e.g., Tier II and Tier III). Teachers'
personal lived experiences distill their beliefs and as such shape their thoughts and actions;
therefore, teachers' beliefs about their students and teaching drive their decisions and actions in
relation to teaching strategies, classroom management techniques, and student relationships (Hoy
A., Hoy W., & Davis, 2009). So, it is no surprise that when teachers have a greater sense of
classroom management self-efficacy, they also feel more accomplished (Aloe, Amo, &
Shanahan, 2014), and that teacher behavior is a predictor of student progress and subsequently
impacts teachers' beliefs and self-efficacy and vice versa (Muijs & Reynolds, 2015). Hoy A.,
40

Hoy W., and Davis (2009) explain that teachers' efficacy beliefs compel their implementation
resolve, and Caprara et al. (2008) show that teachers' self-doubt in their instructional abilities can
amplify students' behavioral issues. Accordingly, for positive discipline practices to be
successful, teachers must have the confidence they can follow the protocols and implement the
strategies to shift to this practice.
Attribution
The motivational variable of attribution refers to an individual's beliefs as to why success
or failure outcomes occur and whether or not the individual impacts these outcomes (Rueda,
2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan focused on self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would need to believe that the success or failure
of implementing established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive
learning environment and build supportive student relationships within their classroom is in their
control. The validation of the assumed influence of attribution can occur through survey
questions asking teachers to identify terms which most contributed to their success in building a
positive learning environment and supportive student relationships. Teachers' reports of luck or
bias as attributions for success would indicate a gap in attributional motivation.
Teachers Need to Believe That the Success or Failure of Implementing Established
Positive Discipline Practices Such as Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies Within
Their Daily Classroom Management to Improve Behavior Outcomes for All Students is in
Their Control. A teacher's perceived rationale for an outcome (i.e., the belief that a low score
on a test is the outcome of poor study skills, not low aptitude) impacts a teacher's motivation to
implement positive discipline strategies by impacting their personal belief in their ability to
control and/or learn from the outcomes (Perry & Hamm, 2017). As Ambrose et al. (2010) clarify,
41

ability and effort are attributions of successful performance, and when those two elements are
controllable, sustainable positive performance occurs, and poor performance is refined and
adjusted. Teachers' schema, their knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions, determines how behavior
management manifests within their classroom (Johansen, Little & Akin-Little, 2011), reinforcing
the reciprocal relationship between a teacher's beliefs and their behaviors (Muijs & Reynolds,
2015). For this reason, teachers must believe that they control student behavior outcomes in
relation to their implementation of positive discipline practices for the implementation to be
successful.
Table 3 shows the stakeholder’s influences and the related literature.

42

Table 3
Summary of Assumed Motivation Influences on Stakeholders’ Ability to Achieve the Performance
Goal
Assumed motivation influences Motivation
Constructs
Research literature
Teachers need to value the learning,
implementation, and perceived outcomes of
positive discipline such as self-regulation
and self-reflection strategies.
Value Rueda, 2011; Ambrose et al.,
2010; Johansen, Little & Akin-
Little, 2011; Wigfield & Eccles,
2002; Sadik, 2018
Teachers need to have confidence that they
can identify and implement established
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management to
improve behavior outcomes for all students.
Self-
Efficacy
Bandura, 2018; Hoy A., Hoy W.,
& Davis, 2009; Muijs &
Reynolds, 2015; Rueda, 2011
Teachers need to have confidence that they
can follow established self-regulation and
self-reflection protocols to support and/or
refer students in specialized behavior
services(e.g., Tier II and Tier III).
Self-
Efficacy
Bandura 2018; Aloe, Amo, &
Shanahan, 2014; Hoy A., Hoy
W., & Davis, 2009; Caprara et
al., 2008; Rueda, 2011
Teachers need to believe that the success or
failure of implementing established positive
discipline practices such as self-regulation
and self-reflection strategies within their
daily classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students is in
their control.

Attribution Rueda, 2011; Ambrose et al.,
2010; Johansen, Little & Akin-
Little, 2011; Perry & Hamm,
2017; Muijs & Reynolds, 2015;
Wiener, 2010

Organizational Barriers
Within an organization, a cause for performance gaps can often be barriers that exist
within the organizational structures and systems themselves. Materials resources, work
processes, and organizational cultures that are unsuccessful or inadequate can prevent the
achievement of performance goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Material resources and work
43

processes are the tangible domains within an organization that allow for clear technical solutions
if a defect or barrier is present (Clark & Estes, 2008). Boleman and Deal (2017) explain
organizational culture as the distinct beliefs, values, and customs held and acted upon by
organizations. While organizational culture consists of a shared understanding of how the world
works - beliefs, values, and customs - within the organization, this understanding is developed,
influenced by, and exists in the organization's specific settings (Gallimore and Goldenberg,
2001). This section reviews the organizational barriers of material resources, work processes,
and organizational cultures (both cultural models and cultural settings) to identify organizational
influences affecting teachers.
Resources
Resources within an organization are the physical supplies, equipment, and tools needed
to achieve a goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan
focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers would need the
resources of funds and time for professional development, coaching, and ongoing
implementation support related to self-regulation and self-reflection training to maintain a
positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships within their classrooms.
Validation of the assumed influence of resources occurs through document analysis. Budget
analyses, training offered, and district professional development standards would identify the
allocation of resources and validate or invalidate this assumption.
The Organization Provides Teachers With the Needed Resources of Professional
Development, Coaching, and Ongoing Implementation Support Related to Positive
Discipline Practices (Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection) Training. If an organization's goal
is to improve behavioral outcomes, it will seek to implement successful behavioral interventions,
44

and behavioral interventions are successful when faithfully implemented with coaching and
training support (Sugai & Horner, 2008). Championing the use of professional development
resources, Martinussen, Tannock, and Chaban (2011) show a positive relationship in their
research between teachers provided training related to behavior management and teachers' use of
recommended instructional and behavior strategies. Ergo, mentoring, coaching, and formal
training (classes and workshops) positively impact teachers' sense of efficacy for classroom
management (Aloe, Amo, & Shanahan, 2014).
Policies and Procedures
Within organizations, policies and procedures refer to the work processes which specify
how the various work elements (people, materials, and equipment) work together over time to
achieve a goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan focused
on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers need policies that align
with the facilitation and implementation of self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to
maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships by the
organization. Validation of the assumed influence of policies and procedures occurs through
document analysis. A review of school and district policies and procedures reveals whether this
is a valid or invalid assumed influence.
The Organization Provides Teachers with Policies and Procedures That Align with
the Facilitation and Implementation of Positive Discipline Practices Such as Self-
Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies. Policies and procedures ensure consistent,
predictable, and equitable behavior, eliminating the interjection of personal biases or political
pressures (Boleman & Deal, 2017). Successful policies and procedures function as culturally
neutral processes, becoming a subordinate authority creating equal status for all parties involved
45

during the execution of a procedure (Schein & Schein, 2017). Schools that emphasize teaching
social skills and positive discipline are successful when structures are in place to support the
systemic and consistent use of these behavioral interventions school-wide (Sugai & Horner,
2008). It is the establishment of policies and procedures that function as culturally neutral that set
the foundation and structures for school reculturization.
Cultural Setting
Cultural settings within an organization refer to the social contexts in which the cultural
models play out (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive discipline plan focused on
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, the organization would need to
provide teachers with systems to consistently implement established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student
relationships within their daily classroom management practices. Validation of the assumed
influence of cultural settings occurs through surveys and observations focused on an acceptance
of non-participation, resistance to change, conflict avoidance, and authoritarianism. If teachers
identify these indicators as present in their school, it will validate an assumed gap within the
organization's cultural settings.
The Organization Provides Systems for Teachers to Consistently Implement
Established Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies Within Their Daily Classroom
Management Practices. Clearly conceptualized cultural settings allow staff to focus their
actions on elevating the work at hand (Gallimore & Goldenberg (2001). Maintaining positive
discipline practices requires a structured, consistent dialogue that necessitates staff abandon their
comfort zones and engage in discussions about human rights, separate from their personal
beliefs, and how they interact with discipline (Preez & Roux, 2010). When the right systems are
46

in place to support positive behavior, the cultural settings become such that collaboration,
cooperation, and positive communication take place between staff and students (Ross, Romer, &
Horner, 2012). Cultural settings dictate the focus of a school, the means of staff motivation, and
the communication process and collaboration school-wide (Hirabayashi, 2019). The school's
cultural settings lead the accepted model of interplay between staff, students, and staff and
students. Just as successful teachers model behavior expectations within the classroom,
organizations must model the expectations they seek to normalize.
Cultural Models
Cultural models within an organization refers to how an organization is structured, such
as the work processes, incentives, and values (Rueda, 2011). In the context of creating a positive
discipline plan focused on self-regulation and self-reflection strategies, to be successful, teachers
need to be part of a culture that aligns with their belief in collective effort to implement and
follow established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive learning
environment and build supportive student relationships within their daily classroom management
practices. Validation of the assumed influence of cultural models occurs through surveys and
observations focused on the presence of autonomy, bureaucracy, feedback, consistent goals, and
role models. A negative connotation identified by teachers within these indicators will validate
an assumed gap within the organization's cultural models.
Teachers Need to Be Part of a Culture That Aligns With Their Belief in Collective
Effort to Implement and Follow Established Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection Strategies
Within Their Daily Classroom Management Practices. The understanding of a school's
cultural model occurs through the analysis of what is normed within the school setting, who
participates, how people interact, why people interact, what is valued, and so on (Gallimore &
47

Goldenberg, 2001). To create a school environment conducive to positive behavior, school staff
must reculturize the school to focus on positive aspects of student behavior and abandon
negative, reactionary, and reprimand-based practices of the past (Hester, 2002). Creating a
positive, inclusive cultural model through reculturalization requires pluralistic leadership, anti-
racist cultural settings, and community commitment to critical inquiry (Dessel, 2010). The
school's cultural models are automatic and visible, they are the behaviors, attitudes, and
leadership styles accepted and reinforced by the stakeholders within the school (Hirabayashi,
2019). For cultural models to support a shift to positive discipline practices, all stakeholders must
be willing to internalize the beliefs and practices of positive discipline to normalize the shift to
an inclusive inquiry-based positive school-wide culture.
Table 4 shows the stakeholder’s influences and the related literature.

48

Table 4
Summary of Assumed Organization Influences on Stakeholders’ Ability to Achieve the
Performance Goal
Assumed organization influences Organizational
factors
Research literature
The organization provides teachers with
the needed resources of professional
development, coaching, and ongoing
implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and
self-reflection) training.
Resources (time;
finances; people)
Clark & Estes, 2008;
Sugai & Horner (2008);
Martinussen, Tannock,
and Chaban (2011); Aloe,
Amo, & Shanahan, 2014
The organization provides teachers with
policies and procedures that align with the
facilitation and implementation of positive
discipline practices such as self-regulation
and self-reflection strategies.

Policies, processes,
and procedures
Clark & Estes, 2008;
Boleman & Deal, 2017;
Schein & Schein, 2017;
Sugai & Horner (2008)
Teachers need to be part of a culture that
aligns with their belief in collective effort
to implement and follow established self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management
practices.

Cultural model Rueda, 2011; Gallimore
& Goldenberg, 2001;
Hester 2002; Hirabayashi,
2019; Dessel, 2010
The organization provides systems for
teachers to consistently implement
established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management practices.
Cultural setting Rueda, 2011; Gallimore
& Goldenberg, 2001;
Preez & Roux, 2010;
Ross, Romer, & Horner,
2012; Hirabayashi, 2019

This literature review aims to identify the strategies used through known research in
instructional practices, primarily geared towards improving disciplinary outcomes for students of
color within the middle school setting. The organization of this review follows the Clark and
Estes (2008) gap analysis framework. Analysis of the performance gap will identify the causes
49

through the collection of data on teachers’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
factors as described in Chapter Three.

50

Chapter Three: Methodology
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to evaluate XYZ Middle School’s performance related to
a larger problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at which Black students receive
exclusionary discipline. The analysis focuses on the areas of knowledge and skills, motivation,
and organizational issues. While a complete performance evaluation would focus on all
stakeholders, for practical purposes, the stakeholder focused on in this analysis was teachers.
As such, the questions that will guide the promising practice study are the following:
1. What is the current status of the teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources with regard to decreasing the disproportionality among students of color
(specifically Black) receiving exclusionary disciplinary practices within middle school?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and stakeholder
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations for organizational practice, school-wide practice, and teacher
practice in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources may be
appropriate for solving the problem of practice at another organization?
Conceptual and Methodological Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Model provided a comprehensive means to evaluate
this problem of practice. In determining the best course of action to analyze a promising practice
which shifted exclusionary discipline outcomes for Black students in middle school, first the
knowledge base of stakeholder groups needed to be evaluated. This knowledge evaluation was
to determine what was known by the stakeholders about various discipline practices, the role
each stakeholder played within these discipline practices, and how they engaged in the practice.
51

The knowledge data was then cross-referenced with the motivational framework, to build an
understanding of the why: why choose specific discipline approaches, why persist to achieve this
goal, why invest the effort and energy in the process. With a clear understanding of the
knowledge - what needs to be done, and the motivation - why the work gets done, organizational
barriers to completing the work began to surface. Identifying the organizational barriers and
establishing a means to remove them within the organization would allow for implementation
with fidelity of practices across the school district that could shift the disciplinary outcomes for
students.
In this study, the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework was modified to be used
as an analysis of a promising practice. The gap analysis problem-solving process was well-
suited to the study of teachers’ performance concerning their set goal within XYZ Middle School
and ABC School District. The basis of the analysis was to understand teachers’ goals with regard
to the school and district goals, and identify assumed performance influences in the areas of
knowledge, motivation, and organization based on the gap analysis theory, context-specific
literature and a real understanding of XYZ Middle School within ABC School District. The
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Gap Analysis Process is illustrated in Figure 2 as a guide for
organizations to identify causes for knowledge, motivation, and organizational gaps to identify
and implement effective solutions for performance improvement.

52

Figure 2.
Gap Analysis Process

Assessment of Performance Influences
The Gap Analysis Process began by identifying causes for performance gaps within the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers (Clark & Estes, 2008). Determining possible
causes for performance gaps was completed by examining the teacher knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences identified in Tables 2 through 4 in Chapter 2. To ascertain the
needs related to the gap between the promising practice school, XYZ Middle School, and the
other middle schools within ABC School district, an examination and analysis of teacher’s
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences across all middle schools within ABC
school district occurred. The information gathered through the analysis was then used to develop
plans to decrease the performance gap. The next three sections provide more detail about the
assessment of the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences.
Knowledge Assessment
Based on the literature review, several knowledge influences were identified (see Table
5). Krathwohl (2002) explains the structure of knowledge as existing across four dimensions:
53

factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. The analysis of each dimension of
knowledge determines influences affecting teachers and their discipline practices. This section
reviews the assessment of these knowledge influences on discipline practices within ABC School
District.

Table 5
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Method of Assessment
Assumed knowledge influences Survey item Documents Interviews
Declarative factual:
Teachers can name positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and self-
reflection.
X X
Teachers know the protocols associated with
positive discipline strategies.
X X
Declarative conceptual:
Teachers need to know when to offer students
positive discipline strategies.
X
Teachers need to know the difference between
Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III services in the
positive discipline model.
X
Procedural:
Teachers need to know how to implement
appropriate positive discipline strategies such
as self-regulation and self-reflection.
X

Teachers need to be able to teach positive
discipline strategies to students based on their
needs.
X
Metacognitive:
Teachers need to reflect on the process and
effectiveness of using positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and self-
reflection.
X
54

Declarative Factual Knowledge Assessment
Evaluating factual knowledge required an assessment that measured a participant's ability
to remember and understand the content (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Assessing factual
knowledge required a basic understanding of positive discipline strategies and the protocols
associated with them. To assess factual knowledge, the survey asked participants multiple-choice
questions to determine if teachers knew the discipline strategies they were using in their
classroom and what the steps were in implementing or enacting those discipline strategies. Table
5 provided an overview of the methods and survey questions used to gather this information.
Declarative Conceptual Knowledge Assessment
Conceptual knowledge consists of the ability to understand, analyze, and synthesize or
create meaning from content (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). To assess conceptual knowledge,
participants had to demonstrate their understanding of the functionality and interrelationships
among the various components within the content (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Assessing
conceptual knowledge required knowing when to use positive discipline strategies and how to
differentiate between the tiers of support within positive discipline strategies. To assess
conceptual knowledge, the survey required participants to review scenarios and identify at what
point they would use different disciplinary strategies. Table 5 provided an overview of the
methods and survey questions used to gather this information.
Procedural Knowledge Assessment
Assessing procedural knowledge required an assessment that measures participants'
ability to remember, apply, and evaluate the content (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Assessing
procedural knowledge required the knowledge of how to implement and teach appropriate
positive discipline strategies such as self-regulation and self-reflection. To assess procedural
55

knowledge, the survey required participants to answer multiple-choice questions to determine if
teachers understood how to implement positive discipline strategies such as self-reflection and
self-regulation Table 5 provided an overview of the methods and survey questions used to gather
this information.
Metacognitive Knowledge Assessment
Assessing metacognitive knowledge required the assessment of strategic, cognitive, and
self-knowledge (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Anderson and Krawthwohl (2001) recommend
utilizing assessment methods that require participants to demonstrate a comprehension of
cognition as well as an understanding of one's own cognition. Metacognitive knowledge required
teachers to have the ability to reflect on their impact on student disciplinary outcomes related to
the teachers' use of positive discipline strategies. To assess metacognitive knowledge, the survey
required the teacher participants to answer multiple-choice questions to determine if they were
able to reflect on their impact on student disciplinary outcomes related to the teachers' use of
positive discipline strategies. Participants also provided a brief narrative on how they reflect on
their use of discipline strategies. Table 5 provided an overview of the methods and survey
questions used to gather this information.
Motivation Assessment
A literature review revealed four specific motivational influences (see Table 6) that
encompass value, self-efficacy, and attribution. Clark and Estes (2008) describe motivation as
the psychological process that inspires individuals to make an active choice to engage in a task,
persist in accomplishing that task, and put forth the appropriate mental effort to succeed in
meeting the goals of the task. The key variables that shape one's motivation are value, self-
efficacy, and attribution (Rueda, 2011). Analysis of each motivational variable determined the
56

influences impacting teachers and their discipline practices. This section reviews the assessment
of the motivational variables of value, self-efficacy, and attribution to identify motivational
influences on discipline practices within ABC School District.

Table 6
Summary of Motivation Influences and Method of Assessment
Assumed motivation influences Survey item Documents Interviews
Value:
Teachers need to value the learning,
implementation, and perceived outcomes of
positive discipline such as self-regulation and
self-reflection strategies.
X X X
Self-Efficacy:
Teachers need to have confidence that they can
identify and implement established self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies within
their daily classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students.
X
Teachers need to have confidence that they can
follow established self-regulation and self-
reflection protocols to support and/or refer
students in specialized behavior services(e.g.,
Tier II and Tier III).
X
Attribution:
Teachers need to believe that the success or
failure of implementing established positive
discipline practices such as self-regulation and
self-reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management to improve behavior
outcomes for all students is in their control.
X X

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Value Assessment
The motivational variable of value referred to the importance, enjoyment, usefulness, and
cost associated with a task; task value influences starting and persisting in an activity (Rueda,
2011). Assessing the motivational variable of value required the knowledge of teachers' value of
the learning, implementation, and perceived outcomes of positive discipline such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies. To assess value, the survey required participants to rank
tasks associated with positive discipline strategies based on their perceived value. Data analysis
of the documentation of the actions within the discipline process teachers take is also used to
validate the value influence. Table 6 provided an overview of the methods and survey questions
used to gather this information.
Self-efficacy Assessment
The motivational variable of self-efficacy referred to one's belief in their own ability
(Rueda, 2011). Assessing teachers' self-efficacy required the knowledge of teachers' confidence
that they can identify and implement established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management to improve behavior outcomes for all students, and
follow established self-regulation and self-reflection protocols to support and/or refer students in
specialized behavior services(e.g., Tier II and Tier III). To assess teachers' self-efficacy, the
survey asked participants to rank tasks related to positive discipline strategies and tiered supports
based on their confidence to execute them. Table 6 provided an overview of the methods and
survey questions used to gather this information.
Attribution Assessment
The motivational variable of attribution referred to an individual's beliefs as to why
success or failure outcomes occur and whether or not the individual impacts these outcomes
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(Rueda, 2011). Assessing teachers' attribution required the knowledge of teachers' belief that the
success or failure of implementing established positive discipline practices such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students is in their control. To assess teachers' attribution, the survey
required teachers to identify and rate terms which most contributed to their success in building a
positive learning environment and supportive student relationships. Table 6 provided an
overview of the methods and survey questions used to gather this information.
Organization/Culture/Context Assessment
The literature review brought to light several organizational influences (see Table 7).
Within an organization, materials resources, work processes, and organizational cultures that are
unsuccessful or inadequate can prevent the achievement of performance goals (Clark & Estes,
2008). Material resources and work processes are the tangible domains within an organization
that allow for clear technical solutions if a defect or barrier is present (Clark & Estes, 2008).
While organizational culture consists of a shared understanding of how the world works - beliefs,
values, and customs - within the organization, this understanding is developed, influenced by,
and exists in the organization's specific settings (Gallimore and Goldenberg, 2001). Analysis of
each organizational element determined the influences impacting teachers and their discipline
practices. This section reviews the assessment of the organizational influences of resources, work
processes (policies, processes, and procedures), organizational cultures (both cultural settings
and cultural models) discussed in chapter two.

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Table 7
Summary of Organization Influences and Method of Assessment
Assumed organizational influences Survey item Documents Interviews
Resources:
The organization provides teachers with the needed
resources of professional development, coaching,
and ongoing implementation support related to
positive discipline practices (self-regulation and
self-reflection) training.
X X X
Policies, processes, and procedures:
The organization provides teachers with policies and
procedures that align with the facilitation and
implementation of positive discipline practices such
as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies.
X X
Cultural models:
Teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with
their belief in collective effort to implement and
follow established self-regulation and self-reflection
strategies within their daily classroom management
practices.
X X
Cultural settings:
The organization provides systems for teachers to
consistently implement established self-regulation
and self-reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management practices.
X X

Resource Assessment
Resources within an organization are the physical supplies, equipment, and tools needed
to achieve a goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). Assessing organizational resources required the
knowledge of what resources the organization provides teachers concerning professional
development, coaching, and ongoing implementation support related to positive discipline
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practices. To assess the resources, a review of building and district training offered, and district
professional development standards identified the allocation of resources and validated or
invalidated this assumption. Table 7 provided an overview of the influences assessed through
document and data analysis.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Assessment
Within organizations, policies and procedures referred to the work processes which
specify state how the various work elements (people, materials, and equipment) work together
over time to achieve a goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). Assessing organizational work processes
(policies, processes, and procedures) required knowing what policies and procedures the
organization has that align with the facilitation and implementation of positive discipline
practices such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies. To assess the work processes, a
review of school and district policies and procedures revealed whether this is a valid or invalid
assumed influence. Table 7 provided an overview of the influences assessed through document
and data analysis.
Cultural Models Assessment
Cultural models within an organization referred to how an organization is structured,
such as the work processes, incentives, and values (Rueda, 2011). Assessing cultural models
required the knowledge of teachers' belief in a collective effort to implement and follow
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management
practices. To assess the organization's cultural models, the survey required participants to answer
rate indicators focused on the presence of autonomy, bureaucracy, feedback, consistent goals,
and role models within their school. A negative connotation identified by teachers within these
indicators validated an assumed gap within the organization's cultural models. Table 7 provides
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an overview of the methods and survey questions used to gather this information.
Cultural Settings Assessment
Cultural settings within an organization referred to the social contexts in which the
cultural models play out (Rueda, 2011). Assessing cultural settings required the knowledge of
the systems which impact teachers' implementation of established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily classroom management practices. To assess the
organization's cultural settings, the survey required participants to rate indicators focused on an
acceptance of non-participation, resistance to change, conflict avoidance, and authoritarianism
within their school. The prevalence of identification of the indicators within the school validated
the assumed influence of the organization's cultural settings. Table 7 provided an overview of the
methods and survey questions used to gather this information.
Participating Stakeholder and Sample Selection
The stakeholder group of focus for this paper was the middle school teachers, grades six
through eight, within the ABC School District. Teachers employed at any one of the four middle
schools within ABC School District during the 2019/2020 school year were invited to participate
in this survey. Of the 27 eligible teachers at XYZ Middle School, 21 teachers (78% response
rate) elected to complete the study survey. Surveys were also provided to the 118 eligible
teachers at the three other middle schools within ABC School District, and 21 teachers (18%
response rate) elected to complete the study survey. Teacher interviewees were identified
through a survey question where XYZ Middle School teachers were asked if they would
participate in a focus group interview to gain further understanding of the practices within XYZ
Middle School. Interviews were conducted with the three teachers from XYZ Middle School
who volunteered, the school administration team, and district supervisor, in an attempt to more
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thoroughly understand the shifts that took place to decrease the racial disparities present in the
school's exclusionary discipline The data collected from the survey questions, interviews, and
document analysis provided information to the investigator to identify variances across the
middle schools to support recommendations in alignment with the promising practice in place at
XYZ Middle School to shift racial disparities within exclusionary discipline.
Sampling
The sampling strategy for this study was purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is a
process by which the researcher identifies specific attributes within the general population of
interest, and seeks out the specific individuals who possess those attributes to participate in the
survey (Johnson & Christenson, 2014). This study sought teachers employed by the ABC School
District in a middle school during the 2019-2020 school year. The cohort of teachers possessing
the specific attributes receive an equal opportunity to participate in the study. Administrative
interviews consisted of one to one interviews, conducted through online video conferencing.
The following positions participated in the interview process: the Chief of Secondary Schools,
XYZ Middle School’s Principal, and the two Assistant Principals for XYZ Middle School.
Recruitment
For this study, teachers present in a middle school within the ABC School District during
the 2019-2020 school year were the focus. With the emphasis on ensuring the sampling criteria
are met. The recruitment process was an email distribution of the survey by the principal
researcher, followed up by solicitation requests by each middle school dean. Sharing solicitation
for participation in the survey through middle school deans ensures there is an in-building
connection to the data collection, and the dean position within ABC School District is not an
administrative role, rather as a peer partnership.
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Instrumentation
Survey Design
The survey design for this study (see Appendix A) provided data that can be interpreted
for the specific purpose of measuring the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors of
teachers in the context of promising practices to diminish racial bias within student disciplinary
practices. The survey used multiple-choice, ranking, Likert-scale, and open response questions to
provide comprehensive data collection that would be beneficial to the researcher and easy to
understand for the participants (Fink, 2017).
A survey is the preferred type of data collection for this study, as it allows access to the
largest number of participants within the sampling criteria. The sampling criteria was all
teachers employed by the ABC School District in a middle school during the 2019-2020 school
year. The survey data was collected during a specific window of time and collected through the
online system of Qualtrics, which USC provided.
Interview Design
The interview design for this study (see Appendix D) provided both one to one interviews
with the administrative team and focus group interviews with teachers from XYZ Middle
School. In selecting the survey method, the researcher determined interviews to be an efficient
and effective way to conduct an in-depth analysis of XYZ Middle School stakeholders’
understanding of their knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences as it pertains to
decreasing racial disparity within exclusionary discipline.
Data Collection
Following the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board (IRB)
approval, participants were solicited by district email to participate within the study. All
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participants were provided with an informed consent form, explaining the procedures and
purpose of the study. Once consent was given, participants continued on to the survey.
Surveys
The survey designed for this study was crafted for the specific purpose of measuring the
knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors of teachers in the context of promising
practices to diminish racial bias within student disciplinary practices. All middle school teachers
who worked for ABC School District during the 2019-20 school year, and were still employed
by ABC School District in the 2020-21 school year received a survey. The survey was delivered
online, utilizing the survey management tool Qualtrics, which USC provided. The researcher
used Likert-style, rankings, multiple-choice and checklist survey formats to facilitate data
collection and ensure the survey is beneficial, purposeful, and easy to understand for the
participants and the researcher (Fink, 2017).
The data collection took place through a self-administered survey. The survey was open
in the field for two weeks, allowing completion reminders after three and five days. Online
administration of the survey provided the most access to teachers spread across an entire district.
The use of Qualtrics to administer the survey also allowed for the Qualtrics system to support the
data analysis process.
Interviews
The interview protocol designed for this study was crafted for the specific purpose of
measuring the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors of teachers and administrators
in the context of promising practices to diminish racial bias within student disciplinary
practices. All administrators who worked for XYZ Middle School District during the 2019-20
school year were invited to participate in the interview process as well as all teachers from XYZ
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Middle School who opted into the interview process through the survey. The interviews were
conducted through Zoom video conferencing. The researcher obtained consent for recording the
interview process prior to the start of the interview. The interview recordings and researcher
notes were used for data analysis. The analysis of individual data into summary reports
prevented any individual responses from being traced to an individual respondent. The
interviews were recorded and the researcher transcribed the recordings. The recordings and all
other data will then be destroyed after three years from the date this dissertation defense is
approved.
Document Analysis
Documents collected for analysis within this study were chosen for the specific purpose
of measuring the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors of teachers in the context
of promising practices to diminish racial bias within student disciplinary practices. The
documents collected were school and district professional development catalogs and calendars,
disciplinary intervention data, disciplinary outcomes data, teacher collective bargaining
agreement, and school and district discipline policies and practices. The document access was
gained through district-level approval to access and public records posted and shared by the
district and state.
Document content analysis is a process to organize and categorize information related to
the research questions and influences being assessed (Bowen, 2009). The documents selected
were analyzed and the content categorized to align with the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences identified to provide context and insight into the practices and
outcomes across the promising practice school of XYZ Middle School and the other middle
schools within ABC School District. Table 8 outlines the documents and data to be analyzed.
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Table 8
Summary of Documents Selected and Data Analyzed
Document items Data analyzed
Professional development catalogs/calendars
for 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 school
years
Type and frequency of professional
development offered for staff related to
positive discipline
Disciplinary intervention data for 2017/18,
2018/19, and 2019/20 school years
Type and frequency of infractions reported,
and the interventions used to support a shift in
behavior over
Discipline outcomes data for 2017/18,
2018/19, and 2019/20 school years
Type and frequency of outcomes of
disciplinary infractions, such as exclusion
from class through suspension and expulsion
Collective bargaining agreement for teachers
for 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 school
years
Data identifying the supports available for
teachers relative to positive discipline
Discipline practices (written) for each middle
school and the district for 2017/18, 2018/19,
and 2019/20 school years
Data identifying the activities associated with
discipline and their correlation to positive
discipline
Discipline policies (written) for each middle
school and the district for 2017/18, 2018/19,
and 2019/20 school years
Data identifying the district and each school’s
stated policies associated with discipline and
their correlation to positive discipline
Staff meeting agendas for 2017/18, 2018/19,
and 2019/20 school years
Data identifying staff voice in decision
making processes around discipline,
communication processes of building
administration about discipline practices and
outcomes, frequency of reinforcement of
discipline practices and the type of practices
reinforced

Data Analysis
Data analysis is the process of systematic collection and organization of information from
surveys, interviews, and documents to derive findings (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). Within this
study, data analysis occurred through surveys, interviews, and documents outlined in the
previous Data Collection section. Analysis of survey data occurred using descriptive statistics.
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Analysis of the interview data was qualitative, and the interviews were transcribed to provide a
factual record of the analysis. The assumed influences of knowledge, motivation, and
organization should support identified patterns within the data. The patterns identified within the
survey and interview data were cross-referenced against the documents collected to identify
convergence or divergences from the documentation data. The analysis of survey data, interview
data, and aligned documents allowed for the classification of gaps based on their knowledge,
motivational, and/or organizational influence.
Trustworthiness of Data
Within the process of this study, deliberate steps occurred to ensure credible and
trustworthy findings. A strategy used to validate the findings was triangulation. Triangulation is
the use of multiple sources of data to build a coherent reasoning for the themes presented
(Creswell, 2014). The triangulation of past research, survey data, interview data, and the
secondary sources of ABC School District’s discipline data recorded and tracked in the Skyward
system, as well as policies, procedures, and professional development information was used
throughout the data analysis process. District and school leaders provided peer review of the
data to ensure a pluralist analysis and identify potential alternative explanations for the data
collected. Lastly, the researcher reconstructed the data to identify themes present, share the raw
data, and include the process note for the collection and analysis of the data.
Role of Investigator
The investigator in this study served as the Dean of Students for XYZ Middle School,
starting in the 2019-20 school year. As a member of the organization, the investigator provided a
valuable and unique perspective, and does not serve in a supervisory role. The investigator
consciously selected the sample for the study, gathered district and school documents, collected
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informed consent, and compiled survey responses. The main point of contact for the study and
the person who reported the data analysis and findings in Chapter four is the investigator.
Limitations
The limitations of this study were sample size and instrumentation. The sampling of non-
XYZ teachers in this study was small due to the restrictions placed on access to teachers as a
result of the impact of COVID-19. The smaller sample size could impact the validity of the
conclusions, wondering if the non-XYZ teachers who participated did so because this is a topic
they are knowledgeable about, and why others did not participate. While document analysis can
collaborate themes and findings from survey and interview data, surveys and interviews cannot
directly evaluate teacher behavior (Robinson & Leonard, 2019). A more complex study would
include observations, focus groups, and interviews, gathering information and insights from
administrators, teachers, students, and families.

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Chapter Four: Results or Findings
This chapter presents the results and findings aligned with the research questions and the
assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to XYZ Middle School’s
promising practice, the disproportionate rate at which Black students receive exclusionary
discipline. A mixed methodology was utilized for this study, combining survey and interview
data with document analysis to assess the study questions and the assumed knowledge,
motivation, and organization influences identified in Chapter Two and Chapter Three. Multiple
sources of data were collected to validate the study questions and the assumed influences.
Specifically, survey, interview, and artifact data were collected to understand the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational structures XYZ Middle School possesses as a promising practice
study. Chapter four is organized by the study questions and first broken into knowledge-based,
motivational, and organizational assertions supported by quantitative results and qualitative
findings. Following the breakdown of KMO assertions, the chapter reviews the organizational
culture and context. The chapter concludes with a summary of the validated KMO influences and
the discovered assets in the promising practice of XYZ Middle School that will be used to
generate recommendations and an evaluation plan in Chapter 5.
Surveys and interviews were conducted, and documents and artifacts were collected to
expose the assumed influences and address the study questions. The results of the surveys and
interviews are organized into corresponding assumed knowledge, motivation, and organization
domains. An anonymous survey was sent out to 139 middle school teachers within the ABC
School District. At the end of the survey, a final question allowed teacher participants to opt into
an interview by clicking on a link to provide their contact information. This is how participants
were able to opt into the interview process. The option to be interviewed was made available at
the end of the survey to allow teacher participants to gain an understanding of the research topic
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through the survey and be asked to participate without any pressures that occur through a
personal request.
The questions that guided data collection and are used to frame this chapter are:
1. What is the current status of the teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources with regard to decreasing the disproportionality among students of color
(specifically Black) receiving exclusionary disciplinary practices within middle school?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and stakeholder
knowledge and motivation?
The third guiding question in this study will be addressed in chapter 5:
3. What recommendations for organizational practice, school-wide practice, and teacher
practice in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources may be
appropriate for solving the problem of practice at another organization?
Participating Stakeholders
Of the 27 eligible teachers at XYZ Middle School, 21 teachers (78% response rate)
elected to complete the study survey. Surveys were also provided to teachers at the three other
middle schools within ABC School District, and 21 of the 118 eligible teachers (18% response
rate) elected to complete the study survey. Interviews were conducted with the school
administration team and district supervisor, as well as a focus group of teachers from XYZ
Middle School, in an attempt to more thoroughly understand the shifts that took place to decrease
the racial disparities present in the school's exclusionary discipline. Table 9 compares the racial,
ethnic, and gender breakdowns of the survey respondents and the interview participants
compared to the school and district's demography.

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Table 9
Distribution of Study Participants by Race/Ethnicity and Gender

District
staffing
(n=896)
School
staffing
(n=41)
Survey
replies
non-XYZ
school
(n=21)
Survey
replies
XYZ
school
(n=21)
Admin.
interview
member
(n=4)
Teacher
interview
members
(n=3)
Race/Ethnicity
African
American/Black 3.6% 4.9% 10% 14% 25% 0%
Asian/Pacific
Islander 7.5% 9.8% 5% 5% 0% 0%
Hispanic/Latino 3.6% 2.4% 0% 5% 0% 0%
Mixed Racial
background 4.1% 2.4% 0% 0% 25% 0%
Native American 0.9% 0% 5% 0% 25% 0%
White 78.3% 80.5% 80% 76% 25% 100%
Gender
Female 75.4% 68.3% 67% 62% 75% 33%
Male 24.4% 31.7% 28% 28% 25% 33%
Non-binary 0% 0% 0% 5% 0% 33%
Prefer not to
answer
0% 0% 5% 5% 0% 0%

The survey respondents included 12 males, 27 females, 1 non-binary, and 2 who would
prefer not to answer. Of the respondents, 6 male, 13 female, 1 non-binary, and 1 preferring not
to answer were assigned to XYZ Middle School during the 2019-2020 school year. The survey
respondents included teachers of varied experience and content specialties. Table 10 provides a
breakdown of the survey participants' years of experience teaching middle school and the years
of experience in their current location. All general content area teachers were represented across
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the survey, with the distribution represented in table 11.

Table 10
Survey Participants: Years of Experience in Teaching Middle School and at their Current
Location
Teaching middle school Current location
Years of
experience
All participants
(n=42)
XYZ only
(n=21)
All participants
(n=42)
XYZ only
(n=21)
1-5 46% 33% 71% 57%
6-10 33% 48% 19% 33%
11-15 14% 14% 5% 5%
16-20 2% 0% 0% 0%
21-25 5% 5% 5% 5%

Table 11
Distribution of Survey Participants by Content Area
Content Area All survey participants (n=42) XYZ only participants (n=21)
Language arts 12% 14%
Math 18% 19%
Science 19% 10%
Social studies 12% 10%
World language 5% 5%
Special education 10% 14%
Electives 24% 28%

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From the 21 respondents assigned to XYZ Middle School, three volunteered to
participate in focus group interviews. One on one interviews were also conducted with all four
members of the administrative team overseeing XYZ Middle School. Table 12 introduces the
interview participants by providing the pseudonym, race/ethnicity, and role of each participant
within the organization.

Table 12
Pseudonyms, Race/Ethnicity, and Role within the Organization
Pseudonym Race/Ethnicity Role within the organization
Administration interviews
“Ava” Native American District Administrator
“Amelia” Mixed Racial Background Principal
“Abigail” White Assistant Principal
“Andrew” African American/Black Assistant Principal
Teacher interviews
“Tobias” White Teacher - Electives (CTE)
“Tessa” White Teacher - Social Studies
“Taylor” White Teacher - Language Arts

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In the analyses that follow, interview participants are referred to by their pseudonym and
direct quotes from their interviews are used to support the assertions.
Data Validation
This study utilized a mixed methodology, incorporating a survey, interviews, and
document analysis to investigate the research questions and explore the validity of the presumed
KMO influences on the problem of practice. A survey was the first measure utilized to gather
information about teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences with respect to
discipline practices. The response rate among XYZ Middle School teachers was significant at
78% (n=21). The response rate among non-XYZ Middle School teachers was not significant at
18% (n=21); it provided a sampling comparable to XYZ Middle School. The survey data was
grouped in alignment with the conceptual framework, and the items were analyzed in
disaggregate by XYZ Middle School participants and non-XYZ Middle School participants to
investigate any noteworthy differences. Administrative and teacher interviews were the second
measure utilized to gather information. All administrative team members for XYZ Middle
School were interviewed, along with all teachers from XYZ Middle School who volunteered to
participate.
To develop sound arguments, set criteria were established to assess the need or asset of
an influence. Survey data used a threshold of 70% or higher to ascertain agreement, and results
above 90% were categorized as compelling evidence. Interview data used as evidence
demonstrated alignment amongst administrative participants at 75% and across teacher
participants at 67%, with agreement across either subgroup of interviews resulting in a higher
rate being seen as conclusive.
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Research Question One
This section of the chapter will address the first research question through the assumed
influences identified in chapter two. Teachers’ presumed knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences on student discipline outcomes were assessed through surveys and
interviews. Results of the surveys and interviews were presented for each assumed cause within
the knowledge categories of factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge,
and metacognitive knowledge, the motivation categories of value, self-efficacy, and attribution,
as well as the organizational categories of resources, policies and procedures, cultural setting and
cultural models. Results and findings of surveys and interviews were used to demonstrate
whether gaps were present within the assumed causes. Since this is a promising practice study
when applicable, XYZ Middle School’s survey results are compared to non-XYZ Middle School
teacher results as a means to identify if there are any gaps present between XYZ Middle School
teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences and those of the other middle
schools within ABC School District.
Results and Findings for Declarative Factual Knowledge
Based on the protocols listed in Chapter Three, surveys and document analysis were used
to assess middle school teachers’ declarative factual knowledge, interviews were not conducted
for this influence. Teachers were surveyed on engaging in the facilitation and modeling of self-
reflection and self-regulation strategies to maintain a positive learning environment, build
supportive student relationships, and measure their knowledge of positive disciplinary strategies,
such as self-reflection and self-regulation. Results have been organized and evaluated to assess
whether or not there is a gap regarding the assumed causes.
Declarative Factual Knowledge Influences
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Teachers can name positive discipline strategies, such as self-regulation and self-
reflection. Teachers know the protocols associated with positive discipline strategies.
Survey Results. Teachers were asked to describe self-regulation, self-reflection, and the
protocols involved in providing positive discipline support within their classroom. Over 90% of
participants from XYZ Middle School (n=21) and over 87% of non-XYZ Middle School
participants accurately demonstrated factual knowledge of positive discipline strategies and
protocols. The factual knowledge survey results are detailed in table 13.

Table 13
Survey Results for Declarative Factual Knowledge of Positive Discipline Strategies and
Protocols
Questions % of correct respondents
XYZ Middle School (n=21)
Non-XYZ Middle
Schools (n=17)
Q9. What is self-regulation 95.2% 93.8%
Q10. What is self-reflection 90.5% 100%
Q11. Choose the correct order of the
process for positive discipline
95.2% 87.5%

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Document Analysis. Professional Development and training related to positive discipline
practices was offered four times between 2017 and 2019 through ABC School District. XYZ
Middle School also incorporated an additional hour of training provided by school leaders to
staff as part of the building pre-service training during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years.
Summary. The assumed influences are that teachers can name positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and self-reflection, and know the protocols associated with
positive discipline strategies. According to the survey results, this influence is validated and as
an asset for both groups. The correct response rate was significant, with over 90% of all XYZ
Middle School participants (n=21) and over 87% of non-XYZ Middle School participants (n=17)
correctly naming the practices and protocols associated with positive discipline strategies.
Results and Findings for Declarative Conceptual Knowledge
Surveys were used to assess middle school teachers’ conceptual knowledge, in alignment
with the protocols outlined in Chapter Three, interviews and document analysis was not
conducted for this influence. Teachers were surveyed on the knowledge needed to effectively
utilize positive disciplinary strategies, such as self-reflection and self-regulation, to maintain a
positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships. Results have been
organized and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the assumed causes.
Declarative Conceptual Knowledge Influences
Teachers need to know when to offer students positive discipline strategies. Teachers
need to know the difference between Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III services in the positive discipline
models.
Survey Results. Teachers were asked to identify the strategy or support they would use
within four specific scenarios. All XYZ Middle School teachers (n=21) and 97% of non-XYZ
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Middle School teachers (n=17) accurately identified interventions aligned with positive
discipline practices across the scenarios presented. Teachers were then asked to label various
services or classroom management interventions as either tier I, II, or III. Table 14 represents
the percentage of choices teachers made that align with positive discipline practices.

Table 14
% of teachers identifying tiered supports in alignment with positive discipline practices
Q13. Label interventions as Tier I, Tier II, Tier III Tier I Tier II Tier III
XYZ Middle School (n=21) 85% 80% 40%
Non-XYZ Middle Schools (n=17) 75% 87% 30%

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Summary. The assumed influences that teachers knew when to offer students positive
discipline strategies, and could provide appropriate services have been validated. Over 97% of
all respondents (n=38) accurately identified interventions aligned with positive discipline
practices across the various behavior scenarios, identifying them as an asset. A compelling
majority of respondents from XYZ and non-XYZ Middle Schools were able to identify Tier I
and Tier II interventions accurately. In contrast, both subgroups struggled to identify Tier III
interventions accurately, indicating a need.
Results and Findings for Procedural Knowledge
Surveys were used to assess middle school teachers’ procedural knowledge. Teachers
were surveyed on their knowledge of how to implement positive disciplinary strategies, such as
self-reflection and self-regulation, to maintain a positive learning environment and build
supportive student relationships. Based on the protocols listed in Chapter Three interviews and
document analysis were not conducted for this influence. Survey results have been organized
and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the assumed causes.
Procedural Knowledge Influences
Teachers need to know how to implement appropriate positive discipline strategies, such
as self-regulation and self-reflection, within their classroom. Teachers need to be able to teach
positive discipline strategies to students based on their needs.
Survey Results. Teachers were presented with four different student behavior scenarios
and asked to identify the best way to address the situation from a standard set of options. Across
the four scenarios, teachers from XYZ Middle Schools (n=19) identified support aligned with
positive discipline strategies with 81% accuracy, and non-XYZ Middle Schools (n=15) identified
aligned supports with 83% accuracy. When asked to explain how they would teach discipline
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strategies to their students, XYZ Middle School teachers (n=19) responded with modeling
(n=11) and building or fostering student relationships (n=9). Only one participant from XYZ
Middle School (n=19) did not mention modeling or student relationships in their answer. Non-
XYZ Middle School participants (n=9) cited modeling (n=3), student relationships (n=2),
frequent reminders of the expectations (n=4).
Summary. The assumed influences that teachers need to know are how to implement
appropriate positive discipline strategies, such as self-regulation and self-reflection, and teach
positive discipline strategies to students based on their needs were validated. Across ABC
School District, the majority of both XYZ Middle School and Non-XYZ Middle School
participants were able to identify supports aligned with positive discipline strategies accurately,
and articulate teaching practices that aligned with positive discipline strategies, indicating they
are an asset for both groups.
Results and Findings for Metacognitive Knowledge
In alignment with the protocols outlined in Chapter Three, only surveys were used to
assess middle school teachers’ metacognitive knowledge. Teachers were surveyed on if and how
they reflected on their practice of facilitating and modeling self-reflection and self-regulation
strategies to maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships.
Results have been organized and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the
assumed causes.
Metacognitive Knowledge Influences
Teachers need to reflect on the process and effectiveness of using positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and self-reflection.
Survey Results. Teachers were asked to identify how they self-reflect. At XYZ Middle
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School 88.9% of teachers (n=18) and 80% of non-XYZ Middle School teachers (n=19) indicated
that they think about the effectiveness of their own classroom management and instructional
strategies to be able to know what has been successful and what needs improvement. When
teachers were asked to share their thoughts on their use of positive discipline in their middle
school classrooms, all XYZ Middle School respondents (n=13) indicated it positively affected
and fostered student relationships. One respondent from XYZ Middle School shared these
thoughts about their use of positive discipline strategies:
Positive discipline is such an integral part of my teaching in a middle school space. I
think about my own experience in middle school and what a difference understanding
why I am doing what I am doing would have made on my own self-outlook, my
relationships with my teachers, and my relationships with my classmates. It has changed
my teaching game, helped me create authentic relationships with students and created a
more positive environment in my classroom.
There were only four teachers from non-XYZ Middle Schools who responded to the question.
Three out of the four respondents cited concerns due to a lack of schoolwide structures and
supports. One respondent wrote:
I want to use positive discipline but I need help with schoolwide structures so it is
consistent… we are inconsistent on what we expect and don’t communicate student needs
and situations so that we can all understand where a student is coming from… Some
students seem to be held to different standards than others and I don’t have the
background of why.
Another non-XYZ Middle School teacher simply wrote, “discipline in general is not discussed at
my school”.
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Summary. The assumed influence is that teachers need to reflect on the process and
effectiveness of using positive discipline strategies, such as self-regulation and self-reflection.
According to the survey results, over 80% of all respondents (n=37) indicated that they reflect on
their classroom management and instructional strategies' effectiveness. Indicating the
metacognitive influences are an asset for both groups. Furthermore, XYZ Middle School
teachers indicated that upon reflection, using positive discipline strategies had a positive impact
on their classroom management and student relationships.
Results and Findings for Value
Teachers’ value of self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive
learning environment and build supportive student relationships was assessed through surveys
and interviews. Through surveys, teachers were asked to rank tasks based on their perceived
value, interviews recorded teachers perceived outcomes of positive discipline, and
documentation was reviewed that shows the actions within the discipline process teachers take.
Results have been organized and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the
assumed causes.
Value Influences
Teachers need to value the learning, implementation, and perceived outcomes of positive
discipline such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Survey Results. Teachers ranked the value they place on the following statements:
students deserve to feel safe to share their feelings within their classroom, students should not be
excluded from classroom learning, behavior (positive or negative) is a form of communication,
and student misbehavior is a learning opportunity for the teacher. All participants in the survey,
XYZ Middle School teachers (n=19) and non-XYZ Middle School teachers (n=14) rated their
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values as either high or moderate on a scale of high, moderate, low, or none. When teachers
were specifically asked how much they value suspension as an effective tool for managing
negative behavior, XYZ Middle School teachers (n=19) reported 21% placing no value, 74%
citing low value, and 5% indicating moderate value. In comparison, non-XYZ Middle School
teachers (n=14) reported 79%, indicating low value and 21% citing moderate value on the use of
suspension to manage negative student behavior. This is detailed in Figure 3.

Figure 3.
Responses by school on Q20c of value data set

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Interview Findings. All teachers interviewed shared the beneficial outcomes of positive
discipline training and practices on student and teacher behavior. Interview participant Tessa
spoke about the buy-in of teachers and students impacting teacher practice. Tessa stated, "I felt
like what I had been taught as a teacher wasn't what I was doing, but seeing this work and
knowing it's what is best for our students, then seeing the students buy-in was really cool" Tobias
articulated how he came to value the training and outcomes of positive discipline stating:
A big turning point was getting trained. It gave teachers a shared vocabulary that even if
we didn't know how to accomplish what we were trying to do. We were able to name that
problem when it was happening in the class… Refocus and rename the disruption, so
what I'm seeing as a disruption or disrespect is the student attempting to solve a problem.
So what is this problem that's trying to be solved, let’s work on that.
Document Analysis. The review of disciplinary incidents that involved an intervention
with someone outside of the classroom at XYZ Middle School across the years in which they
have utilized positive discipline strategies illustrates a sharp decline in the use of external
supports to manage classroom behavior, as well as a decline in the resulting number of
exclusionary disciplinary actions. This is detailed in Figure 4.

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Figure 4.
Disciplinary incidents during the first two trimesters at XYZ Middle School during 2017-18,
2018-19, and 2019-20 school years.

Summary. The assumed influence is that teachers need to value the learning,
implementation, and perceived outcomes of positive discipline such as self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies. According to the survey results, teachers indicated value in positive
discipline practices and beliefs. With XYZ Middle School, teachers place low to no value on the
use of suspension to manage student behavior. The value XYZ Middle School teachers reported
in the survey was corroborated through the interview respondents identifying the positive impact
associated with the training and use of positive discipline strategies across their school and is
evidenced by the decrease in reported discipline incidences. Based on these findings, the value
influences have been identified as an asset for both XYZ Middle School and Non-XYZ Middle
Schools.
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Results and Findings for Self-Efficacy
Teachers’ self-efficacy was assessed based on the protocols listed in Chapter Three,
surveys were used, and no interviews or document analysis were completed for this influence.
Through surveys, teachers were asked about their confidence in identifying and implementing
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive learning
environment and build supportive student relationships within their classroom. Results have been
organized and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the assumed causes.
Self-efficacy Influences
Teachers need to have confidence that they can identify and implement established self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students. Teachers need to have confidence that they can follow
established self-regulation and self-reflection protocols to support and/or refer students in
specialized behavior services (e.g., Tier II and Tier III).
Survey Results. The survey assessed teacher self-efficacy through three questions. The
first question focused on teachers’ confidence to demonstrate and use positive discipline
strategies. At XYZ Middle School 100% of participants (n=19) and 93% of non-XYZ
participants (n=14) all self-reported confidence in their ability to demonstrate and use self-
reflection and self-regulation strategies successfully. The second question addressed teachers’
confidence in using tiered supports and seeking additional help if they do not feel successful.
XYZ Middle School participants (n=19) reported confidence with a rate of 91%, and non-XYZ
participants (n=14) reported confidence with a rate of 88%. The third question reviewed
teachers’ confidence to positively impact student behavior within their classroom and school
using positive discipline strategies. Across ABC School District, 89% of teacher participants
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from XYZ Middle School (n=19) and 79% of non-XYZ participants (n=14) responded with
confidence in their ability to positively impact student behavior through positive discipline.
Summary. The assumed influences are that teachers need to have confidence that they
can identify and implement established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their
daily classroom management to improve behavior outcomes for all students, and the confidence
that they can follow established self-regulation and self-reflection protocols to support and/or
refer students in specialized behavior services (e.g., Tier II and Tier III). These influences are
validated and identified as an asset for both groups according to the survey data, where a
minimum of 89% of respondents from XYZ Middle School (n=19) and 79% of non-XYZ
participants (n=14) reported confidence in their ability to identify, implement, and support
positive discipline practices.
Results and Findings for Attribution
Teachers’ attribution was assessed through surveys and interviews, in alignment with the
protocols outlined in Chapter Three; no document analysis was conducted for this influence.
Through surveys, teachers were asked to identify what most contributed to their success in
building a positive learning environment and supportive student relationships. Results have been
organized and evaluated to assess whether or not there is a gap regarding the assumed causes.
Attribution Influences
Teachers need to believe that the success or failure of implementing established positive
discipline practices such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management to improve behavior outcomes for all students is in their control.
Survey Results. Teachers’ attribution was assessed through multiple questions on the
survey. The survey results reveal 95% of XYZ Middle School participants (n=19) and 96% of
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non-XYZ Middle School participants (n=14) indicate being prepared to support their students
with positive discipline strategies. All of XYZ Middle School participants (n=19) cited an
ability to implement positive discipline strategies, and that using and teaching these strategies
has allowed teachers to build positive learning environments. Comparatively, 96% of non-XYZ
Middle School participants (n=14) cited an ability to implement positive discipline strategies,
and 82% of non-XYZ participants agree that using and teaching positive discipline strategies
help them build positive learning environments. XYZ Middle School participants (n=19)
responded with a 95% agreement that teaching and using positive discipline strategies has helped
them build supportive student relationships. At the same time, 79% of non-XYZ participants
(n=14) agree that teaching and using positive discipline strategies help teachers build supportive,
positive student relationships.
Interview Findings. Interview data indicated teachers’ attributions aligned with positive
discipline practices. All interview participants verbalized a desire to build student relationships
that would allow them to problem-solve behavior concerns with students in class instead of
removing students from class. Taylor articulated that in sharing:
There is an expectation and a goal that you want your kids to stay in your room.
Especially on those first year teacher, high stress days, when I am literally in survival
mode, and a kid is creating a really large disruption. I know I can take the space in my
mind to be like why am I doing this and what is going on here… it really feels like we
[XYZ Middle School] have reimagined what school is and we are so much less worried
about what we're supposed to be doing, and so much more worried about what's actually
good for our kids, what they need, and what is good for our community of learners.
Summary. The combination of survey results and interview findings support the assertion
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that teachers believe that the success or failure of implementing established positive discipline
practices such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom
management to improve behavior outcomes for all students is in their control. In the survey data,
teachers at XYZ Middle School report that they believe they are prepared, can implement, and
build positive relationships with their students through positive discipline strategies. This was
reinforced by the interview findings where teachers articulated ownership of the process and a
desire to work with students to solve problems in their classroom and not send the student out.
Based on the results and findings the attribution influences were identified as an asset for both
XYZ and Non-XYZ Middle Schools.
Results and Findings for Resources
Teachers responded to surveys and interviews to assess their perception of the school
organizations and their respective resources. Surveys, interviews, and document analysis were
used to assess whether or not teachers felt their organization provided them with the needed
resources related to self-regulation and self-reflection training, to maintain a positive learning
environment and build supportive student relationships within their classrooms. The resources
evaluated were funds and time for professional development, coaching, and ongoing
implementation support.
Resource Influences
The organization provides teachers with the needed resources of professional
development, coaching, and ongoing implementation support related to positive discipline
practices (self-regulation and self-reflection) training.
Survey Results. Teachers were asked to share their agreement with access to resources
aligned with supporting positive discipline strategies. XYZ Middle School participants (n=17)
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demonstrated a range of agreement to access resources from 77% to 94%. Non-XYZ Middle
School participants (n=13) cited a range of agreement in access to resources from 54% to 77%.
The breakdown of the responses are detailed in table 15.

Table 15
Percentage of Participant Agreement to Access of Resources that Support Positive Discipline
Practices (A=agreement, D=disagreement)
XYZ
(n=17)
Non-XYZ
(n=13)
Q24. Rate your agreement with the following statements:
My school has provided me the following resources…
A A
a) positive discipline training 94% 54%
b) positive discipline coaching or specific staff to
support behavior struggles in my classroom
88% 54%
c) data of student discipline outcomes 94% 62%
d) time to reflect on data and classroom management
practices
82% 77%
e) time to plan for classroom management/behavioral
learning
77% 54%

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Interview Findings. The interview subjects reported a shared understanding that
resources and support are always available for positive discipline practices and strategies. While
discussing how he utilizes positive discipline practices in his classroom and helping students
problem-solve, Tobias shared, "If I can't figure it out in the moment in the classroom for
whatever reason, I'm able to call in support from a third party in the hallway conference system."
The concept of administrative or third party support was echoed by Taylor, who commented that
"you see members of admin walking around talking to your kids, leading them back to their
classes, and the power dynamic is so very different, it not talking down to, it's collaboratory."
Document Analysis. Professional Development and training related to positive discipline
practices was offered four times between 2017 and 2019 through ABC School District. XYZ
Middle School also incorporated an additional hour of training provided by school leaders to
staff as part of the building pre-service training during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years.
During the 2019-20 school year, XYZ Middle School also posted and shared publicly in monthly
staff meetings discipline data reports and updates.
Summary. The interview data highlights the teachers’ of XYZ Middle School, seeing
their administration team as a resource. Coupled with the document analysis and survey data,
which shows that the teachers of XYZ Middle School believe they receive the training, coaching,
data, and time needed to implement positive discipline practices successfully, it is clear that the
assumed resource influences were validated. Survey results indicated the resource influence is
an asset for XYZ Middle School and presented as a need for Non-XYZ Middle Schools.
Results and Findings for Policies and Procedures
Document analysis and survey results were used to assess teachers’ perception of the
school organizations and their respective policies, processes, and procedures. Interviews were
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not conducted for this influence. The survey was used to assess whether or not teachers feel their
organizations provide them with policies and procedures that align with the facilitation and
implementation of self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive learning
environment and build supportive student relationships.
Policies and Procedures Influences
The organization provides teachers with policies and procedures that align with the
facilitation and implementation of positive discipline practices such as self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies
Survey Results. Teachers identified agreement or disagreement with their school’s
presence of policies and procedures that support positive discipline practices. An average of
90% of respondents from XYZ Middle School (n=17) indicate agreement with the presence of
supportive policies and procedures within their school. Respondents from non-XYZ Middle
School (n=13) indicate a lower rate of agreement averaging 72% across the three subset
questions. The breakdown of the responses are detailed in table 16.

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Table 16
Percentage of Participant Agreement in the Presence of Policies and Procedures that support
Positive Discipline Strategies (A=agreement, D=disagreement)
XYZ
(n=17)
Non-XYZ
(n=13)
Q25. Rate your agreement with the following statements: My
school has provided me the following…
A D A D
a) procedures to support positive discipline practices 88% 6% 69% 15%
b) policies that support positive discipline 94% 6% 62% 15%
c) policies that seek to minimize classroom exclusions 88% 6% 85% 8%

Document Analysis. XYZ Middle School provides all staff members with a Behavior
Management Process (see Appendix E), which is an annotated flow chart walking staff step by
step through the positive discipline process and the supports available at each step. Teachers at
XYZ Middle School also receive a Hallway Conference and Re-Entry Guide (see Appendix F),
which clarifies what occurs within a hallway conference and how to accept a student back into
the classroom after taking a moment to reset either in a cool-down zoom or through a hallway
conference. Finally, teachers and administrators utilize an online reporting form that allows staff
who participate in hallway conferences to track those conferences. This form allows teachers to
notify the administration when there is a behavior concern they would like them to look into.
Summary. The assumed influence is that the organization provides teachers with policies
and procedures that align with the facilitation and implementation of positive discipline practices
such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies. According to the survey results, XYZ
Middle School respondents (n=19) indicated high levels of agreement at 90% with access to
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policies and procedures that support positive discipline practices compared to non-XYZ schools
respondents (n=13), which indicated a moderate level of access at 72%. Based on the survey
results and the document analysis, this influence has been validated and seen as an asset for XYZ
Middle School. In contrast, the survey results demonstrated a partial need for policies and
procedures within Non-XYZ Middle Schools which support positive discipline practices.
Results and Findings for Cultural Settings
Teachers responded to surveys and interviews to assess their perception of the school
organizations and their cultural settings in alignment with the protocols shared in Chapter Three;
no document analysis was conducted for this influence. Surveys and interviews were used to
assess whether or not the organization provided teachers with systems to consistently implement
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to maintain a positive learning
environment and build supportive student relationships within their daily classroom management
practices.
Cultural Settings Influences
The organization provides systems for teachers to consistently implement established
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management practices.
Survey Results. The survey inquired about cultural settings through a series of questions
asking teachers to identify if negative cultural setting elements exist within their schools’. XYZ
Middle School respondents (n=17) identified disagreement with negative cultural settings, with
an average of 54% across the four questions. In contrast, non-XYZ Middle School respondents
(n=13) indicated an average of 27% disagreement with negative cultural settings within their
schools. The breakdown of the responses are detailed in table 17.

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Table 17
Percentage of Participants Agreement and Disagreement with the Presence of Negative Cultural
Settings (A=agreement, D=disagreement)
XYZ
(n=17)
Non-XYZ
(n=13)
Q27. Rate your agreement with the following statements: My
school consistently allows the following…
A D A D
a) non-participation in implementing and using positive
discipline strategies (self-regulations and self-reflection)
in classrooms
35% 53% 54% 31%
b) teachers to be resistant to change when implementing and
using positive discipline strategies (self-regulations and
self-reflection) in their classrooms
41% 59% 54% 39%
c) staff to foster conflict avoidance when confronted with
others not implementing and using positive discipline
strategies (self-regulations and self-reflection) in their
classrooms
41% 41% 62% 23%
d) administration to require strict obedience to policies and
procedures when teachers are implementing and using
positive discipline strategies (self-regulations and self-
reflection) in their classrooms
18% 65% 77% 15%

Interview Findings. Teacher interview respondents shared the role their peers and
administration played in supporting the consistent implementation of positive discipline
practices. Tobias and Tessa reflected on a specific event that was impactful. Tobias shared:
I remember there was a lot of pushback that first year. There were a couple of teachers
that they're like, No, I just want them to come and take the student. Then the next year
the paperwork and tracking systems got introduced and I stopped hearing the complaints.
Also possibly because the culture had shifted, and the teachers realized that this was the
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direction that the wind was blowing and it was time to get on board or get out of the
way. Which I also think is a big part of it because I know our principal gave a speech at
the end of that first year, when a new middle school was opening up, and our principal
got up at the last staff meeting and said, things have to change here. If you're not willing
to go in this direction. You should really be applying to this new middle school or
applying to other schools in the area. And that was that. We were going this way and
she kept her promise.
The teacher respondents also shared how the constant presence of administrations in the
hallways and interacting positively and authentically with students fostered a norming of positive
discipline practices as XYZ Middle School practices and priorities.
Summary. The assumed influence is that the organization provides teachers with systems
to consistently implement established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their
daily classroom management practices. While the interview findings strongly suggest the
presence of consistent support systems, the survey results indicate possible conflict-avoidance
and resistant behavior being reported about peers. Based on the survey and interview findings,
this influence is validated and as a need for both groups, as inconsistencies exist between
teachers' perceived views reported in the survey and their first-hand accounts recalled in the
interview findings.
Results and Findings for Cultural Models
Based on the protocols listed in Chapter Three teachers responded to surveys and
interviews to assess their perception of the school organizations and their cultural models; no
document analysis was conducted for this influence. Surveys and interviews were used to assess
whether or not teachers feel they are part of a culture that aligns with their belief in collective
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effort to implement and follow established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to
maintain a positive learning environment and build supportive student relationships within their
daily classroom management practices.
Cultural Model Influences
Teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with their belief in collective effort to
implement and follow established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management practices.
Survey Results. Teachers were asked to indicate their level of agreement with cultural
models that support positive discipline strategies within their schools. XYZ Middle School
participants (n=17) indicated high levels of agreement, with 70% or higher of respondents citing
an agreement to the presence of autonomy to implement positive discipline strategies, a
bureaucratic process to follow for managing student behavior, opportunities to provide feedback
on discipline practices and provide feedback on classroom management practices. Non-XYZ
Middle School participants (n=13) indicated high levels of agreement in two areas, with 92% of
respondents agreeing to having autonomy to implement positive discipline strategies and 77% of
respondents agreeing to have opportunities to provide feedback on discipline practices. The
breakdown of the responses are detailed in Table 18.

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Table 18
Percentage of Participants Agreement and Disagreement with the Presence of Cultural Models
(A=agreement, D=disagreement)
XYZ
(n=17)
Non-XYZ
(n=13)
Q26. Rate your agreement with the following statements: My
school has provided me the following…
A D A D
a) autonomy to implement positive discipline strategies 88% 12% 92% 8%
b) a bureaucratic process to follow for managing student
behavior
77% 12% 62% 23%
c) an opportunity to provide my feedback on the successes
and areas of improvement with discipline practices
82% 12% 77% 23%
d) feedback on my discipline and classroom management
practices
71% 24% 46% 31%
e) consistent goals associated with discipline and classroom
management
65% 18% 31% 54%

Interview Findings. The teacher interview respondents share a sense of belonging and
norming of the work XYZ Middle School is doing around student relationship and discipline.
Tessa characterized it as follows:
I've been able to see how our practices have changed in a manner that empowers
educators and students to work together to fix things in the classroom so that we can all
learn together in a better way. And I like it's been really, really cool to see how the things
have been changing for the better. It feels like we are all here for the same purpose and
our method of getting there is drastically different than it used to be. And so much better
than it used to be... We are all very much here because we have bought into this and
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invested in creating a place and a different way of doing things that serves our students
needs and not the agenda that has always been handed to us.
Taylor a new teacher describes the discipline culture at XYZ Middle School as one based in
relationships and mutual respect:
I know that XYZ has a relationship with the Sheriff's Office, because every school does
in some way, but we don't have school resource officers. We have a person who is
physical school security, who is also someone the students adore and have an incredible
relationship with and it is just so amazing. There's so many relational aspects to all of
this, that all of our disciplinarians are people that you respect and you don't want to piss
them off because you respect them, not because you're scared of them, it's not fear
motivated. It's very much about how this person has authority because they have earned
it by building that relationship.
Summary. The assumed influence is, teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns
with their belief in collective effort to implement and follow established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily classroom management practices. Based on the survey
results and interview findings, this influence is validated and teachers at XYZ Middle School
demonstrate this is an asset. While the data for Non-XYZ Middle Schools indicate a need.
Research Question Two
The next section of this chapter will address the second research question guiding this
study and investigate the relationship between XYZ Middle School's organizational culture and
context and its stakeholders' knowledge and motivation. This was a promising practice study
researching the practices in place within XYZ Middle School. The hope was that examining
XYZ Middle School's organizational culture and context in isolation will uncover connections
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between the stakeholders' knowledge and motivation and the school's success at minimizing
racial disparities within exclusionary discipline for Black students.
Results and Findings of Organizational Context
Teachers and Administrators from XYZ Middle School participated in interviews to
assess their perception of the school organizational context. Interviews were used to establish the
organizational context in which teachers and administrators worked within XYZ Middle School.
Building documents were also analyzed to provide evidence of organizational structures and
context present in this promising practice school.
Interview Findings
XYZ Middle School faces a number of challenges that are not present to the other middle
schools within the area based on its location and attendance boundaries. Amelia described the
setting of XYZ Middle School:
An extremely diverse population and in a community that has been historically
marginalized and not given access to basic needs… We do not have access, where our
school is to medical care, grocery stores, or restaurants. However, there are more than
five to ten liquor stores and dispensaries… But basic needs such as the Fire Department,
Police Department, urgent care, road maintenance do not exist because it is an
unincorporated area, it has to rely on the county and it has not been given the access
points that it needs.
When discussing XYZ Middle School’s decrease in racial disparities within exclusionary
discipline, interview participants, teachers and administrators alike, who were present in the
school district prior to XYZ’s shift in practice all describe an environment that was not focused
on including students. Ava described classroom management practices as, “teachers would just
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call the office and say, come get this kid or they would just send the kid out of their classroom.”
Tobias shared, “I remember kind of being told, if there's a problem send, them to ISS [in school
suspension], there was very much a push to exclude students from the classroom.” Abigail
explained the context of the school culture prior to the shift as such:
It would not surprise me if the number of incidents of students removals from a class is
incorrect data and likely found to be much higher from the first year, because students
would be sent out of class, wonder the hall, and then the bell would ring and they would
just go to their next class without it ever being document anywhere without an offense
report, without a phone call home, without anything.
Document Analysis
XYZ Middle School’s population is diverse across racial, economic, and language
demographics. XYZ Middle School demographics show that 65% of the student population
receives free or reduced lunch, 20% of the students are enrolled in an English Language
Learning program, and 18% receive special education services. The school’s racial/ethnic
composition is 26% Asian, 29% Black, 25% Hispanic/Latinx, 9% Multi-Race, and 8% White.
Summary. XYZ Middle School’s demographics show that the student population and
needs are diverse. The school’s location and geography create challenges in receiving support
for basic needs, such as food and medical services. It is also evident that XYZ Middle School
had a history of teachers removing students from class.
Results and Findings of Organizational Culture
Teachers and Administrators from XYZ Middle School participated in interviews to
assess the school’s organizational culture. Interviews were used to establish the organizational
culture in which teachers and administrators work within XYZ Middle School. Building
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documents were also analyzed to provide evidence of organizational structures and systems
present that support the culture in this promising practice school. No surveys were used in this
evaluation.
Interview Findings
Interview participants responded to four specific questions to gain insight into XYZ
Middle School’s organizational culture and its shifts over the three years this study reviews. First
interview participants were asked, what has changed in teacher practice over the past 3 years.
Interview data indicated that 100% of teachers interviewed identified changes that kept students
in their classrooms. Tessa shared, “Our practices have changed in a manner that empowers
educators and students to work together to fix things in the classroom together, so that we can all
learn together.” This sentiment was echoed by Taylor stating, “It felt like that [student removal]
was the exception, you wouldn't want your students out of the classroom, unless you absolutely
had to, and then the goal is always to get them back in the classroom.” Administrator
interviewees responded, noticing teacher practices shifted away from removal and more towards
relationship building and repair. Andrew shared, “How they're interacting and communicating
with the students… how they [teachers] support students and are making decisions that will lead
them [students] away from not meeting expectations.” Amelia responded by saying, “They
[teachers] don’t blame students. They build relationships, they're thinking about what they have
done that may have triggered or set something off for the students. Teachers are thinking and
first connecting with their students before they correct them.”
The same consistency was seen in the interview participants when asked how
administration’s practice has changed over the past three years. All interview participants
commented on the physical presence of administration, principal and vice principal, across the
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building and their priorities. Tobias shared, “The number of administrators that are in the
hallway having conversations with kids, as opposed to being back in their offices changed, and
as a byproduct of the hallway conferences, they're being pulled into our classrooms.” Tessa
agreed stating, “Its [hallway conferences] normed their [administration’s] presence, so that it's
not terrifying when an admin is coming into your classroom, it's oh hi welcome. It’s become a
partnership.” Ava explained the shift in administration’s practice as such:
It's an immediate response, drop everything and go to the classroom when a teacher
requests it. Initially it seems like you are going to have all the administrators and the
support staff running their toes off and taking care of situations for the classroom
teachers, but what happened over time is, by modeling for the teachers what a hallway
conference looks like in real time, without really saying hey teacher pay attention to what
I'm doing. They were, in essence, providing the opportunity for teachers to see how they
talk to students, how they de-escalate students, and how they bring a more restorative
lens to discipline if discipline is needed. They would sometimes call the teacher out of the
classroom, take over their lesson, and turn the conversation over to the student and the
teacher with the sole purpose being to return that student as an engaged learner back into
the classroom environment.
When reflecting on the administrative team’s practice, Amelia summarized the shifts in practice
she has seen in the following:
We stay consistent in our work and we push each other. Because you cannot work in an
environment helping kids, if you are going to allow systematic things to happen that have
continued to happen. It has to be changed and it's going to be changed by us changing
and pushing each other.
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Lastly, to understand the dynamics of the organizational culture as it relates to race
within this study, participants were asked the following two questions:
1. How has your interaction with students of color changed over the past three years?
2. How have you seen the school community change over the past three years with respect
to how people address race?
All interview participants cited positive gains in their interactions with students of color as a
result of the personal growth, relationship building, and communication skills expected of XYZ
Middle School staff. Amelia simply stated, “I have learned who I am in the last five years.”
Abigail highlights her thoughts by saying, “I have become more cognizant of my lens and the
filters of others… I’m more comfortable and confident with having that [race] conversation
because everyone knows this is a thing we are going to talk about.” Taylor provided a
comparison to understand how the culture at XYZ Middle School has impacted interactions with
students:
It was a big conversation at the school where I did my student teaching, they were really
worried about kids calling them racist and were always so stressed about it and that I
found it really frustrating... There was a lot of nervousness and tender hooks around that
previously. Here [XYZ Middle School] it doesn't feel so stressful. It doesn't feel like it's
definitely gonna be negative, because it doesn’t have to be. All of those conversations
feel a lot more relaxed, I think, also, because I feel like I'm trusting that other educators
are doing similar things, where we're thinking about and talking about race rather than it
feeling taboo to even bring up.
Tessa explained, “Working here I have come to understand that I need to check myself and
make sure I’m checking my privilege, every single day.”
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This personal shift in student interaction has also fostered culture shifts across the school
community as well. Ava characterized the school community shifts by saying, “There's a lot
more parent involvement and parent interest in collaborating with the school because they really
sense that this staff and the administrators are there to support their students.” Amelia, describes
how the community has changed by explaining, “we actually talk about it [race].” Amelia went
on to share, “In our family meetings parents say it’s easier to talk about sex and drugs, than it is
to talk about race… so I open the door, let’s find ways to talk about this because your kids are
talking about it.” Andrew also shared the sentiment of communication shifts across the
community as he mentioned, “our school community is more open to talking about race, naming
and calling out their biases… we have a better sense of community since we have acknowledged
our differences and chose to come together as one.” Tessa claimed, “People have become less
afraid to have those [race] conversations, and it feels like a less terrifying environment for us to
grow and learn and move forward in, then it might have in previous years.” While Tobias shared
the following anecdote to surmise how the school community response with respect to race:
There was one equity training in particular, and two teachers who happen to be black
were angry about something that was said, and they spoke out, and they got the support
of our administration and the support of our staff. In different schools, in different places
there would have been a grumble across the crowd, here that never happens… a spade is
called a spade, we don’t dance around conversations and if it is getting too academic or
too white person focused, it gets called out.
Document Analysis
XYZ Middle School has established structures in place to support transparent and open
communication, access to information, and the integration of staff and student voice. The school
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utilizes a ‘living’ digital handbook which is updated weekly and contains building wide
communications to families and staff members, staff meeting notes and presentations, resources,
technology supports, and grade level team updates. Systems have been established that ensure
staff and student voice are a part of decisions being made within the school. These systems are
an intricate web of school-based teams with focused purposes and design structures that inform
each other’s practice. Table 19 clarifies the team and committees within XYZ Middle School,
their purpose, their membership, and who they are informed by.

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Table 19
Purpose, Membership, and Affective Partners, XYZ Middle School Committees
Committee Purpose Membership Affective partners
Advisory
Committee
Develop daily school-wide
lessons targeted at
reinforcing school norms
and supporting student
social-emotional
development
School Counselors
Instructional Coach
Special Education
Building Leadership
Care Team
ILT
Building Leadership
Student and Staff
Feedback
Building
Leadership
Team
Manage the overall business
of the school; foster a safe
and rigorous learning
environment for students
and staff; facilitate the
creation, implementation,
and management of the
school improvement plan.
Principal
Assistant Principals
Dean of Students
Office Manager
All Stakeholders
Care Team Provide systems of support
for students, as identified
through EWIS data and staff
referral, to remove barriers
to school success
School Counselors
CBO Partners
Dean of Students
Grade level Admin.
Grade Level Meetings
Building Leadership
Data Team Create solutions to reduce
the opportunity gaps for
students and foster self-
reflection/self-regulation
across the school
community.
Dean of Students
Grade Level Rep.
Content Area Rep.
Classified Rep.
Grade Level Meetings
Whole Staff Meetings
Building Leadership
Student and Staff
Feedback
Instructional
Leadership
Team (ILT)
create systems to implement
and monitor building
initiatives, support staff with
instructional strategies,
reflective practice, and
classroom management
Building Leadership
Instructional Coach
Special Education
Inclusion Teacher
AVID Coordinator
District Content
Facilitators
Data Team
School Improvement
Team
Building Leadership
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Committee Purpose Membership Affective partners
School
Improvement
Team
Accountability team to
improve instruction and
assessment of classroom
curriculum with a focus on
student learning through
teacher practice
Building Leadership
Classified Rep
Department Leads
Instructional Coach
Data Team
Building Leadership
Student and Staff
Feedback
Staff
professional
development,
staff meetings,
and grade level
meetings
Provide consistent
systematic communication
on the state of building
initiatives, student concerns,
and gather staff input.
Staff PD is led by
Building Leadership
Whole group is led by
the ILT
Grade Level is led by
grade level leads
ILT
Building Leadership
Student and Staff
Feedback

Summary. The organizational culture of XYZ Middle School is one of trust, personal
growth, and transparent communication. Teachers and administrators alike share an openness to
learning and lead their personal growth that requires vulnerability with their peers, supervisors,
and students. This trust-based culture is encouraged by the administration's consistent focus on
student-centered learning and communication to understand a student's motivation and the basis
of the adults' reactions. The vulnerability of staff and students has been cultivated over time
through the consistency of the administration’s actions, fostering a pluralistic leadership model
to identify and address school concerns, and maintaining consent transparent communication
about all the processes.
Results and Findings of Stakeholders Knowledge and Motivation
Teachers and Administrators from XYZ Middle School participated in interviews to
assess their knowledge and motivation related to their organizational culture and context. No
surveys or document analysis were used for this evaluation. Interviews were used to establish the
knowledge and motivation related to the organizational context and culture of XYZ Middle
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School.
Interview Findings
Interview participants were asked to share what they know is different about how XYZ
manages discipline compared to other middle schools within the ABC School District. Teachers
shared an acknowledgement of the commitment on both their part and the administrators. Tobias
described this learning, “I’ve heard from other middle school teachers... They've heard about the
changes that we were making, the feedback that I heard from teachers was that they heard from
their admin that they weren't willing to do the work.” Ava reflected on the work across the
school district and shared what she has seen working with all the middle schools in the district:
What's totally different is the willingness of administrators and other staff who have been
tasked with being a responder, to immediately drop everything and go to the classroom
when there is a call, whether it's something, big or little. So if I'm meeting with the
principal and it's her responsibility to respond to a particular hallway and she gets a call
from that hallway. She will put me on hold in person and go to that hallway, many times
I've gone with her. I think the immediate response that teachers get to know that their
classroom environment is being supported is what's led to the change… The immediate
support is, how do I help this teacher re-engage the student in learning in a positive way.
Having that lens is entirely different, it has really changed everything… Other
administrators and other schools have told me, they're going to have hallway conferences
and what I've told them is you can't implement this unless you're 110% in it. You can't
say well today though I'm not going to run to your classroom because I was a little bit
busy or the superintendent was visiting me so I couldn't help you. It has to be all in all the
time... So over time teachers understood that they were going to be responsible for re-
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engaging that kid. So why not take their own skills and re-engage the kid without calling
the principal
The administrators in the building reflected on the process of building relationships and
communicating with students. Andrew shared, “We definitely have a better connection in
alignment with social-emotional learning and how that influences and directs our discipline.
We’re teaching our students to communicate instead of managing their behaviors” While Abigail
stated, “We believe in fresh starts. We believe that kid, and they deserve a clean slate and to not
get written off… In other buildings I’ve heard of removing kids to improve culture. That has
never been a solution for us.” Amelia discussed a specific action, placing her desk in the
hallway, to explain her motivation and what is different about practices at XYZ Middle School
compared to other schools within the district:
So the desk in the hallway really wasn't about kids. It was about teacher practice. The
teachers thought I was doing it to help the kids be in the classroom, but I was sitting at
the desk so teachers know I'm supporting them because I am right there… The teachers
were thinking I'm putting the desk there so kids stay in the classroom. I put the desk there
to teach, teachers to be engaged with their students… To solve this [discipline problem] I
had to really drill down. Why, why do you think that that's [sending kids into the hall]
effective. How is that helping because every day you send the same person and it's
interesting because you have other kids in there that don't look like this person, but you
never send them out... I found out some major practices that were not happening, that
needed to start to happen, building relationships, making contact with families, staying
connected, and being consistent.
Summary. The stakeholders' knowledge and motivation are detailed in Research
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Question 1. Additional insights were gained in reviewing the findings specific to XYZ Middle
School's organizational context and culture to address Research Question 2. Both teachers and
administrators identified a blanket willingness to participate in the work focused on decreasing
negative student discipline and increasing student-teacher relationships. The administrators
interviewed demonstrated a strong understanding of the importance of building relationships
with students and fostering two-way communication between themselves and students, as well as
teachers and students.
Summary of Validated Influences
This chapter utilized a mixed methodology approach, combining survey and interview
data with document analysis to assess the first two study questions. First, reporting on the KMO
influences and identifying KMO assets within the study. Then reviewing the organizational
context and culture specific to the promising practice site, XYZ Middle School. When making
assertions for the data, set criteria were established. Survey data used a threshold of 70% or
higher to ascertain agreement and results above 90% were categorized as compelling evidence.
Interview data used as evidence demonstrated alignment amongst administrative participants at
75% and across teacher participants at 67%, with agreement across either subgroup of interviews
resulting in a higher rate being seen as conclusive.
Across knowledge influences, one influence demonstrated a partial need in both
subgroups of XYZ Middle School and Non-XYZ Middle Schools, however there were no gaps
between both subgroups. No gaps or needs were identified within the motivation influences.
Only one gap was present within cultural settings for XYZ Middle School. In contrast, gaps
were present across three organizational influences, resources, policies and procedures, and
cultural models, for Non-XYZ Middle Schools. Both subgroups demonstrated a need within
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cultural settings. Table 20 shows the knowledge, motivation, and organization influences for this
study and their determination as an asset or need across both XYZ Middle School and Non-XYZ
Middle Schools within the ABC School District. Recommendations for each demonstrated need
will be addressed in Chapter Five.

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Table 20
Summary of Assumed Influences Determined
KMO assumed influence Asset or need
determined: XYZ
Middle School
Asset or need
determined: Non-XYZ
Middle Schools
Knowledge - declarative factual
Teachers can name positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and
self-reflection.
Asset Asset
Teachers know the protocols associated
with positive discipline strategies.
Asset Asset
Knowledge - declarative conceptual:
Teachers need to know when to offer
students positive discipline strategies.
Asset Asset
Teachers need to know the difference
between Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III
services in the positive discipline model.
Partial Need (Partial
need is indicated
because discrepancies
only existed in
identifying Tier III
services and supports.)
Partial Need (Partial
need is indicated
because discrepancies
only existed in
identifying Tier III
services and supports.)
Knowledge - procedural:
Teachers need to know how to
implement appropriate positive
discipline strategies such as self-
regulation and self-reflection.
Asset Asset
Teachers need to be able to teach
positive discipline strategies to students
based on their needs.
Asset Asset

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KMO assumed influence Asset or need
determined: XYZ Middle
School
Asset or need
determined: Non-
XYZ Middle Schools
Knowledge - metacognitive:
Teachers need to reflect on the process
and effectiveness of using positive
discipline strategies, such as self-
regulation and self-reflection.
Asset Asset
Motivation - value:
Teachers need to value the learning,
implementation, and perceived outcomes
of positive discipline such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Asset Asset
Motivation - self-efficacy:
Teachers need to have confidence that
they can identify and implement
established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students.
Asset Asset
Teachers need to have confidence that
they can follow established self-
regulation and self-reflection protocols to
support and/or refer students in
specialized behavior services(e.g., Tier II
and Tier III).
Asset Asset
Motivation - attribution:
Teachers need to believe that the success
or failure of implementing established
positive discipline practices such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management
to improve behavior outcomes for all
students is in their control.
Asset Asset
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KMO assumed influence Asset or need
determined: XYZ Middle
School
Asset or need
determined: Non-
XYZ Middle Schools
Organization - resources:
The organization provides teachers with
the needed resources of professional
development, coaching, and ongoing
implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and
self-reflection) training.
Asset Need
Organization - policies and procedures:
The organization provides teachers with
policies and procedures that align with the
facilitation and implementation of
positive discipline practices such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Asset Partial Need
Organization - cultural settings:
The organization provides systems for
teachers to consistently implement
established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management practices.
Need Need
Organization - cultural models:
Teachers need to be part of a culture that
aligns with their belief in collective effort
to implement and follow established self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management
practices.
Asset Need

Chapter Five will provide an overview of the study, and present recommendations for
practice based on empirical evidence, followed by an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses;
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limitations and delimitations; and future research implications.

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Chapter Five: Recommendations and Evaluation
Chapter Four provided the study results and findings aligned with the study questions and
the assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to XYZ Middle
School’s promising practice around the larger problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at
which Black students receive exclusionary discipline. The validation of the influences and study
questions was based on survey results, interview findings, and document analysis.
Chapter Five will use the results and findings to guide the research-based solutions and
recommendations. These recommendations will be organized by the categories of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational influences. This chapter will first review elements from Chapter
One to revisit the rationale for this promising practice study, establish context within the
project’s organization, and understand the importance of developing a replicable practice.
Review of Organizational Context and Rationale
XYZ Middle School consists of a diverse student population and has focused on fostering
a culture of equity and excellence for its students and staff. By focusing on the consistent use of
inclusive instructional practices to narrow the opportunity gaps across race, special needs, and
socioeconomic status XYZ Middle School has reimagined school for its students and families. It
is this drive that lends XYZ Middle School to be the focus of this promising practice study. The
disciplinary and instructional practices put in place at XYZ Middle School led to a decrease in
racial disparities within exclusionary discipline. Over the course of three years, XYZ Middle
School shifted an exclusionary discipline disparity rate for Black students from 2.1 to 1.1 or null,
while the other middle schools within the district maintained an average disparity rate of 2.5
across the same timeframe.
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Research shows when students receive restrictive or exclusionary discipline measures,
there are negative impacts such as increased probability of engagement with the juvenile justice
system (Fabelo & Carmichael, 201; Hernandez, 2016; Wallace, 2017); and engagement in the
juvenile justice system increases students’ probability of incarceration (Aizer & Doyle 2013).
The impact of exclusionary discipline can also be seen in the connection articulated by Losen
(2015) between discipline rates and high school dropout rates. When exclusionary discipline
rates can be linked to high school dropout rates as well as adult incarcerations rates, and Black
students are disproportionately disciplined on a national average of 23% more than their White
peers (GAO, 2018); then the argument can be made that we are utilizing the public school
discipline system to maintain, if not perpetuate, Jim Crow-era segregation within our schools and
society, which makes replicating the practices with XYZ Middle School imperative for the future
of all our students.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The project aims to evaluate XYZ Middle School’s performance related to a larger
problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at which Black students receive exclusionary
discipline. The analysis will focus on the areas of knowledge and skill, motivation, and
organizational issues. While a complete performance evaluation would focus on all stakeholders,
for practical purposes, the stakeholder to be focused on in this analysis is teachers.
As such, the questions that guided the promising practice study are the following:
1. What is the current status of the teachers’ knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources with regard to decreasing the disproportionality among students of color
(specifically Black) receiving exclusionary disciplinary practices within middle school?
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2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and stakeholder
knowledge and motivation?
3. What recommendations for organizational practice, school-wide practice, and teacher
practice in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organizational resources may be
appropriate for solving the problem of practice at another organization?
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction
The data from this study validated teachers factual, conceptual, procedural, and
metacognitive knowledge as it relates to the problem of practice. No gaps were determined
between XYZ Middle School and the other middles schools across all seven total assumed
influences within knowledge, however one need emerged for both subgroups within conceptual
knowledge. Influences were validated through surveys, interviews, and document analysis.
Table 21 indicates the priority level for each validated influence in achieving the organization's
goal, and the research-based principles which support this recommendation. Following the
table, a discussion is provided for each high priority influence, the associated principle, and the
specific recommendations based on the supporting literature identifying factors present within
the promising practice which can be used as a model to replicate the practice within other
districts .

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Table 21
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed knowledge
influence
Priority
(High, Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Declarative factual knowledge
Teachers can
name positive
discipline
strategies, such as
self-regulation
and self-
reflection.
Low How individuals
organize knowledge,
influences how they
learn and apply what
they know (Schraw
and McCrudden,
2006)
Use positive discipline
practices consistently in
staff meetings and training,
explicitly naming the
strategies when they are in
use.
Teachers know
the protocols
associated with
positive discipline
strategies.
High How individuals
organize knowledge,
influences how they
learn and apply what
they know (Schraw
and McCrudden,
2006)
Provide targeted learning
opportunities that both
demonstrate and ask
teachers to reflect on their
practice of positive
discipline strategies.

Model the effective use of
positive discipline
practices, including how
and when to use them, in
trainings and in practice
throughout the school day

Provide graphic organizers
outlining the process for
teachers to reference

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Assumed knowledge
influence
Priority
(High, Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Declarative conceptual knowledge
Teachers need to
know when to
offer students
positive
discipline
strategies.
High Continued practice
promotes
automaticity and takes
less
capacity in working
memory
(Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006)
Provide targeted learning
opportunities that both
demonstrate and ask
teachers to reflect on their
practice of positive
discipline strategies.

Model the effective use of
positive discipline
practices, including how
and when to use them, in
training/professional
development simulations
and in practice throughout
the school day, explicitly
naming the strategies when
in use.

Provide graphic organizers
outlining the process for
teachers to reference
Teachers need to
know the
difference
between Tier I,
Tier II, and Tier
III services in the
positive
discipline model.
Low Managing intrinsic
load by
segmenting complex
material into simpler
parts
and pre-training,
among
other strategies,
enables
learning to be
enhanced
(Kirshner, Kirshner,
&
Paas, 2006)
Provide staff development
training that articulates the
variables across the tiers of
support

Provide graphic organizers
naming the tiered supports
in context of the positive
discipline process for
teachers to reference
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Assumed knowledge
influence
Priority
(High, Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Procedural knowledge
Teachers need to
know how to
implement
appropriate
positive
discipline
strategies such as
self-regulation
and self-
reflection.
High Modeled behavior is
more likely to be
adopted if the model
is credible, similar
(e.g.,
gender, culturally
appropriate), and the
behavior has
functional value
(Denler et al.,
2009)

Feedback that is
private, specific, and
timely
enhances performance
(Shute, 2008).
Model the effective use of
positive discipline
practices, including how
and when to use them, in
multiple settings:
● trainings
● meetings
● throughout the
school day

Provide clear expectations
and outlines for the
implementation and use of
positive discipline
practices

Provide timely feedback
that links use of positive
discipline practices and
building relationships to
improved performance.
Teachers need to
be able to teach
positive
discipline
strategies to
students based on
their needs.
High Effective
observational learning
is achieved
by first organizing and
rehearsing modeled
behaviors, then
enacting them overtly
(Mayer, 2011)
Provide positive discipline
lessons, developed by
teachers from your school
who have been trained, for
all teachers to implement.
Allow teachers time to
review, reflect, and
dialogue with the lesson
creators prior to
implementing within their
classrooms

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Assumed knowledge
influence
Priority
(High, Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Metacognitive knowledge
Teachers need to
reflect on the
process and
effectiveness of
using positive
discipline
strategies, such as
self-regulation
and self-
reflection.
The use of
metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006)
Provide opportunities for
teachers to come together
and reflect and discuss
their classroom practices
and their relationship to
discipline outcomes.

Factual Knowledge
Teachers need to know the protocols associated with positive discipline practices and
strategies, which was identified as a high priority because this foundational knowledge must be
present to impact teacher practice and outcomes. Schraw and McCrudden (2006) found that how
individuals organize knowledge influences how they learn and apply what they know. This
would suggest that providing teachers with targeted learning opportunities and a graphic
organizer would support their learning. The recommendation then for teachers would be to
provide focused learning opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and give teachers access
to a visual flowchart outlining the processes for positive discipline practices.
Ambrose et al. (2010) advise that it is essential for teachers to understand for themselves
the knowledge requirements for a task. Allowing teachers to visualize the protocols associated
with positive discipline practices through a graphic organizer provides them with a means of
organizing their knowledge and connecting the protocols to practice. Based on Clark and Estes
(2008) analysis of factual knowledge, connecting factual knowledge to conditions for use allows
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teachers to retain their genuine understanding of positive discipline strategies such as self-
regulation and self-reflection. Providing a flowchart or graphic organizer to support teachers in
understanding the protocols associated with positive discipline practices serves as scaffolding to
build confidence in using positive discipline strategies. Hattie (2013) points out, ‘we are all
visual learners’ (p.115), explaining that the most effective learning occurs when words and
visuals are linked and connected to prior knowledge. Likewise, ensuring learning opportunities
are short, focused, and occur multiple sessions, as opposed to one large learning moment,
increases the learning effectiveness (Hattie, 2013). The recommendation being made in this case
study is for teachers to be provided with focused learning opportunities where they can
demonstrate their knowledge and give teachers access to a visual flowchart outlining the
processes for positive discipline practices, which would likely improve implementation of
positive discipline strategies.
Conceptual Knowledge
Teachers need to know when to offer students positive discipline strategies. Schraw and
McCrudden (2006) found that continued practice promotes automaticity and uses less capacity in
working memory. This would suggest that ongoing application and review of positive discipline
strategies would support teachers learning. The recommendation for teachers would be to
provide multiple targeted learning opportunities in varied settings that ask teachers to identify
when their practice of positive discipline strategies would be appropriate.
A deep understanding of the principles and features of positive discipline allows teachers
to apply this knowledge in various contexts and adapt to shifting realities within their classroom
(Ambrose et al., 2010). Having teachers identify their use of positive discipline practices in
varied settings would allow teachers to know when to offer support in their classrooms. If
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interventions, like positive discipline, are to be successful, they must exist in environments
flexible enough to support positive and adaptive behaviors across all intervention tiers (Hester,
2002). To ebb and flow across all tiers, in a continuum of behavior support, teachers must
possess automaticity within their conceptual knowledge of positive discipline principles and
strategies. When basic knowledge skills are automated, it creates mental space to comprehend
the big picture; knowledge skills are automated through repetition and consolidation, increasing
conceptual mastery (Hattie, 2013). Therefore, it is likely that providing multiple targeted
learning opportunities in varied settings, which ask teachers to identify the appropriate use of
positive discipline strategies, would support the implementation of positive discipline practices.
Procedural Knowledge
Teachers need to know how to implement appropriate positive discipline strategies such
as self-regulation and self-reflection. The influence focused on implementing the strategies
versus teaching the strategies was chosen for this discussion because the content-specific
recommendations for teaching strategies utilizing pre-designed lessons, whereas implementing
the strategies requires individual action and ownership. Dentler et al. (2009) found that modeled
behavior is more likely to be adopted if the model is credible, similar, and the behavior has
functional value, while Shute (2008) identified that feedback that is private, specific, and timely
enhances performance. This would suggest that providing teachers with timely, specific, and
personalized feedback, as well as exposure to peer and administrative behavior models, would
increase their procedural knowledge. The recommendations would be for teachers to experience
positive discipline practices modeled, including how and when to use them, in multiple settings
and be provided with one-on-one feedback that is timely, specific, and links the use of positive
discipline practices to improved classroom behaviors.
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Sugai and Horner (2008) emphasize that teachers must know how to make appropriate
modifications and adjustments to behavior interventions based on the analysis of multiple
factors, such as student performance data and the context or environment in which the learning
occurs. Modeling instructional behavior for teachers and coaching teachers on their practice
through timely and specific feedback grants them the opportunity to refine their practice and
increase their effectiveness. Hawkins and Heflin (2011) determined that when teachers receive
feedback on their interaction with students, they become more aware of their practice and
behaviors, which increases teachers' satisfaction with their own practice. Accordingly, by
allowing teachers to experience positive discipline practices through modeling and being
provided with one-on-one feedback that is timely, specific, and links the use of positive
discipline practices to improved classroom behaviors, this intervention's effectiveness can be
increased.
Metacognitive Knowledge
Teachers need to reflect on the process and effectiveness of using positive discipline
strategies, such as self-regulation and self-reflection. Baker (2006) found that the use of
metacognitive strategies facilitates learning. This would suggest that having teachers reflect on
their use of positive discipline practices would increase their effectiveness. The recommendation
would be to provide teachers with dedicated opportunities to come together to reflect and discuss
their classroom management practices and those practices' relationship to discipline outcomes.
Feuerborn and Tyre (2012) found that teachers' use of personal self-reflection shifts their
perception of student behavior away from a teacher-controlled mindset to a learning opportunity
for both teacher and student. Sugai and Horner (2008) articulate that successful behavior
interventions occurred when teachers involved are reflective of their practice and address the
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needs of their students from a preventative rather than reactive perspective. Allowing teachers
the time and space to reflect and discuss their classroom management practices and outcomes,
fosters a deeper understanding of positive discipline practices and outcomes with students.
Feuerborn and Tyre (2012), as well as Sugai and Horner's (2008) research, amplifies the
significant importance Krathowl (2002) wrote about in being aware of metacognitive activity and
then using that information to adapt the ways we think and operate. Hattie (2013) expanded on
this concept by articulating that the more teachers seek to understand their own practice and
impact, the more their students benefit. "Self-awareness and reflection are the first critical stage
in this developmental process" (Sanders et al., 2014, p.184). Thus, the recommendation being
made in this study, to provide teachers with dedicated opportunities to come together to reflect
and discuss their classroom management practices and those practices' relationship to discipline
outcomes, can increase positive discipline practices success.
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction
The data from this study validated the motivational influences within value, self-efficacy,
and attribution as they relate to the problem of practice. No gaps or needs were determined
between both subgroups across all four assumed influences within motivation. Influences were
validated through surveys, interviews, and document analysis. Table 22 indicates the priority
level for each validated influence in achieving the organization's goal, and the research-based
principles which support this recommendation. Following the table, a discussion is provided for
each high priority influence, the associated principle, and the specific recommendations based on
the supporting literature.

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Table 22
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed motivation
influence
Priority
(High, Low)
Principle and
citation
Context-specific
recommendation
Value
Teachers need to
value the learning,
implementation, and
perceived outcomes
of positive discipline
such as self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies.
High Rationales that
include a
discussion of the
importance
and utility value
of the work or
learning can help
learners develop
positive values
(Eccles, 2006;
Pintrich, 2003)
Provide teachers with
materials, training, and
activities that are relevant
and useful to them as
learners, connected to their
classrooms.
Self-efficacy
Teachers need to
have confidence that
they can identify
and implement
established self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies
within their daily
classroom
management to
improve behavior
outcomes for all
students.
High Feedback and
modeling
increases self-
efficacy
(Pajares, 2006)

Provide teachers an
environment in which they:
● receive frequent,
specific feedback and
advice
● are provided the
opportunity to
witness peers and
supervisors model the
strategies
● receive coaching
support in the
moment
● receive multiple
opportunities for
observation and
practice prior to
implementation
Teachers need to
have confidence that
they can follow
established self-
regulation and self-
Low
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reflection protocols
to support and/or
refer students in
specialized behavior
services(e.g., Tier II
and Tier III).
● celebrate their
successes
Attribution
Teachers need to
believe that the
success or failure of
implementing
established positive
discipline practices
such as self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies
within their daily
classroom
management to
improve behavior
outcomes for all
students is in their
control.
High Provide feedback
that stresses the
process of
learning,
including the
important of
effort, strategies,
and potential
self-control of
learning.
(Anderman &
Anderman, 2009)
Provide teachers with
feedback that emphasizes the
nature of learning, the
importance of effort, and the
role of self-control.

Build supportive personal
relationships across the
school staff, as a community
of learners.

Value
Teachers need to value the learning, implementation, and perceived outcomes of positive
discipline such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies. Eccles (2006) and Pintrich (2003)
found that sharing rationales, which include discussing the importance and utility value of the
work or learning, can help learners develop positive values. This would suggest that sharing
authentic models and examples within trainings and activities would increase teachers' sense of
value in using positive discipline practices. The recommendation then is for the organization to
provide teachers with authentic models, materials, and trainings that are relevant, useful to them
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as learners, and connected to their classrooms.
Ambrose et al. (2010) state that value positively impacts motivation when associated with
a goal (decreasing exclusionary discipline), in a supportive environment, and with multiple value
sources reinforcing the work. Knowing that teachers' perceptions about behavior and discipline
impact how they react and implement support strategies (Sadik, 2018), these perceptions can
shift teachers' perceived value of interventions. Therefore teachers' collective efficacy around
positive discipline, or collective perceived value that their practice impacts student outcomes,
can be positively influenced with clear goals supported through reinforcement strategies, such as
sharing personal accounts of success. This follows the principle that including discussions and
rationales of the importance and utility value of the work can help learners develop positive
values (Eccles, 2006; Pintrich, 2003). Therefore the recommendation for the organization to
provide teachers with authentic models, materials, and trainings that are relevant, useful to them
as learners, and connected to their classrooms can impact teachers' belief in the practices as well
as their application.
Self-Efficacy
Teachers need to have confidence that they can identify and implement established self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management to improve
behavior outcomes for all students. Pajares (2006) found that feedback and modeling increases
self-efficacy. This would suggest that providing learners with a demonstration of what they need
to do and then provide feedback on their performance would increase their self-efficacy. The
recommendation is for the organization to provide teachers demonstrations with multiple
opportunities for practice, coaching, and feedback in identifying and implementing established
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to support their classroom management.
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Hoy et al. (2009) explain that teachers' efficacy beliefs compel their implementation
resolve, and Caprara et al. (2008) show that teachers' self-doubt in their instructional abilities can
amplify students' behavioral issues. Accordingly, for positive discipline practices to be
successful, teachers must have the confidence to follow the protocols and implement the
strategies to shift to this practice. Hattie (2013) explains that to achieve a challenging task, there
must be a balance between the level of self-efficacy a learner has and the task's difficulty to
motivate learners to meet the challenge. Knowing that feedback and modeling increase self-
efficacy (Pajares, 2006), and that teachers' self-efficacy drives their decisions and actions
concerning teaching strategies, classroom management techniques, and student relationships
(Hoy et al., 2009). It can be concluded that the recommended strategy, to provide teachers
demonstrations with multiple opportunities for practice, coaching, and feedback in identifying
and implementing established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies to support their
classroom management, would increase teacher performance.
Attribution
Teachers need to believe that the success or failure of implementing established positive
discipline practices such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily
classroom management to improve behavior outcomes for all students is in their control.
Anderman and Anderman (2009) found that providing feedback, which stresses the process of
learning, including the importance of effort, strategies, and potential self-control of learning,
increases learners' attribution. This would suggest that providing teachers with feedback in a
safe learning environment would increase their attribution. The recommendation is then for the
organization to provide a system for peer coaches and administrators to share feedback with
teachers that emphasizes the nature of learning, focuses on their effort in applying positive
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discipline practices, and reiterates the role of self-control and ownership in learning in
implementing and refining their use of positive discipline practices.
Ambrose et al. (2010) clarify, ability and effort are attributions of successful
performance, and when those two elements are controllable, sustainable positive performance
occurs, and poor performance is refined and adjusted. Teachers' schema, knowledge, beliefs, and
perceptions determine how behavior management manifests within their classroom (Johansen et
al., 2011), reinforcing the reciprocal relationship between a teacher's beliefs and their behaviors
(Muijs & Reynolds, 2015). For this reason, teachers must believe that they control student
behavior outcomes concerning their implementation of positive discipline practices for the
implementation to be successful. Hattie (2013) states that schema refinement begins by realizing
that the current manner of doing something is not working and that successful and non-
successful thinking can be contrasted. This contract can be obtained by providing teachers with
feedback in a safe learning environment, which aligns with the principle found by Anderman and
Anderman (2009) stating that providing feedback that stresses the process of learning, including
the importance of effort, strategies, and potential self-control of learning increases learners'
attribution. Therefore it can be assumed that the recommendation of providing a system for peer
coaches and administrators to share feedback with teachers that emphasizes learning,
implementing, and refining their use of positive discipline practices would strengthen teacher
performance.
Organizational Recommendations
Introduction
The data from this study validated the organizational influences of resources, policies and
procedures, cultural settings, and cultural models as they relate to the problem of practice. Gaps
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were determined between the subgroups within three out of the four organizational influences. A
need also emerged within cultural settings for both subgroups. Influences were validated through
surveys, interviews, and document analysis. Table 23 indicates the priority level for each
validated influence in achieving the organization's goal, and the research-based principles which
support this recommendation. Following the table, a discussion is provided for each high
priority influence, the associated principle, and the specific recommendations based on the
supporting literature.

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Table 23
Summary of Organizational Influences and Recommendations
Assumed organizational
influence
Priority
(High,
Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Resources
The organization
provides teachers with
the needed resources
of professional
development,
coaching, and ongoing
implementation
support related to
positive discipline
practices (self-
regulation and self-
reflection) training.
High Effective change efforts
ensure that
everyone has the
resources needed to do
their job, and that if
there are resource
shortages, then
resources are aligned
with organizational
priorities (Clark and
Estes, 2008)
Establish positive
discipline practices and
racial equity as
priorities among school
initiatives.

Identify key
stakeholders whose
current role supports
the implementation of
positive discipline
practices and ensure
that is a consistent
priority for them.
Policies and procedures
The organization
provides teachers with
policies and
procedures that align
with the facilitation
and implementation of
positive discipline
practices such as self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies.
High Effective organizations
insure that
organizational
messages, rewards,
policies and procedures
that govern the work of
the organization are
aligned with or are
supportive of
organizational goals
and values (Clark and
Estes, 2008)
Ensure alignment of
current discipline
policies and procedures
aligns with positive
discipline practices.

Provide supporting
documents or tools for
implementation of
positive discipline
practices that are easy
to access and use.

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Assumed organizational
influence
Priority
(High,
Low)
Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
Cultural settings
The organization
provides systems for
teachers to
consistently
implement established
self-regulation and
self-reflection
strategies within their
daily classroom
management practices.
High Effective change efforts
are communicated
regularly and frequently
to all key
stakeholders.
(Clark & Estes, 2008)

Accountability is
increased when
individual roles and
expectations are aligned
with organizational
goals and mission
(Elmore, 2002).
Develop strategies to
align individual
practices with
organizational goals.

Create systems to
support autonomy and
accountability through
transparent
communication.
Cultural models
Teachers need to be
part of a culture that
aligns with their belief
in collective effort to
implement and follow
established self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies
within their daily
classroom
management practices.
High Effective change efforts
use evidence-based
solutions and adapt
them, where necessary,
to the organization’s
culture (Clark & Estes,
2008)
Consider how current
disciplinary and
classroom management
practices either promote
or inhibit equity and
inclusion.

Establish a team to
monitor discipline
trends and identify
data-driven, evidence-
based change efforts
should be adapted for
the school.

Resources
The organizational resource influence states that the organization must provide teachers
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with the needed professional development, coaching, and ongoing implementation support
related to positive discipline practices (self-regulation and self-reflection) training. The data
surrounding this influence demonstrated a gap between XYZ Middle School and the non-XYZ
Middle Schools in the study. Clark and Estes (2008) found that effective change efforts ensure
that everyone has the resources needed to do their job and that if there are resource shortages,
then resources are aligned with organizational priorities. This suggests that aligning
organizational resources with organizational priorities would increase the effectiveness of change
efforts. The recommendation then is for the organization to establish positive discipline practices
as a priority among school initiatives and align the resources of key stakeholders to support the
implementation of positive discipline practices and ensure that it stays a consistent priority.
Championing the use of professional development resources, Martinussen et al. (2011)
show a positive relationship in their research between teachers provided training related to
behavior management and teachers' use of recommended instructional and behavior strategies.
Ergo, mentoring, coaching, and formal training (classes and workshops) positively impact
teachers' sense of efficacy around classroom management (Aloe et al. 2014). In the case of using
positive discipline to minimize classroom exclusions, resources play an important role. This
mirrors the position of Clark and Estes (2008) in examining effective change efforts, ensuring
that everyone has the resources needed to do their job, and those resources are aligned with
organizational priorities. Sugai and Horner (2008) found that if an organization's priority is to
improve behavioral outcomes, it will need to seek to implement successful behavioral
interventions, and those interventions are successful when faithfully implemented with coaching
and training support. The literature supports the establishment of positive discipline practices as
a priority amongst school initiatives and the alignment of key stakeholders' resources to support
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the implementation of positive discipline practices and ensure that it stays a consistent priority.
Policies and Procedures
The data demonstrated a gap between XYZ Middle School and the non-XYZ Middle
Schools in the study. XYZ Middle School reported a high level of agreement with policies and
procedures to support positive discipline practices within their school, while non-XYZ Middle
Schools reported low agreement levels. The organizational influence states, the organization
must provide teachers with policies and procedures that align with the facilitation and
implementation of positive discipline practices such as self-regulation and self-reflection
strategies. Clark and Estes (2008) suggest that effective organizations ensure that organizational
messages, rewards, policies, and procedures that govern the organization's work are aligned with
or are supportive of organizational goals and values. This suggests that the alignment of
organizational policies and procedures with organizational goals would increase organizational
effectiveness. The recommendation is then for the organization to ensure current discipline
policies and procedures align with positive discipline practices.
Bolman and Deal (2017) found that policies and procedures ensure consistent,
predictable, and equitable behavior, minimizing the presence of personal biases or political
pressures. Schools that emphasize teaching social skills and positive discipline are successful
when structures are in place to support the systemic and consistent use of these behavioral
interventions schoolwide (Sugai & Horner, 2008). This aligns with the principle shared by Clark
and Estes (2008) that effective organizations ensure that organizational policies and procedures
that govern the organization's work are supportive of organizational goals and values. As such,
the literature on policies, procedures, and behavioral interventions would suggest the
recommendation to revise current discipline policies and procedures to ensure they support
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positive discipline practices would benefit the organization.
Cultural Settings
The data validated gaps in the assumed organizational influence of cultural settings,
showing that teachers believe their peers may be resistant to change and engage in conflict
avoidance when implementing positive discipline practices. To foster positive discipline
practices, the organization must provide systems for teachers to consistently implement
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom management
practices. Clark and Estes (2008) suggest that organizational performance increases when
individuals communicate constantly and candidly to others about plans and processes.
Furthermore, Elmore (2002) found that accountability is increased when individual roles and
expectations are aligned with organizational goals and mission. This suggests that by aligning
individual practices with organizational goals and establishing a transparent communication
culture, organizations' performance and accountability would increase. Gallimore and
Goldenberg (2001) state that clearly conceptualized cultural settings allow staff to focus their
actions on elevating the work at hand. While Preez and Roux (2010) claim to maintain positive
discipline practices, it requires a consistent dialogue that compels staff to abandon their comfort
zones and engage in discussions about human rights, separate from their personal beliefs, and
how they interact with discipline. Cultural settings dictate a school's focus, the means of staff
motivation, and the communication process and collaboration schoolwide (Hirabayashi, 2019).
The school's cultural settings lead the accepted interplay model between staff, students, and staff
and students. Successful teachers model behavior expectations within the classroom; likewise, an
organization must model the expectations they seek to normalize. The literature reviewed and
organizational change theory support the recommendations to develop strategies to align
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individual classroom management practices with the organizational goal of using positive
discipline practices and creating systems to support autonomy and accountability around using
positive discipline practices through open, transparent communication.
Cultural Models
The data demonstrated a gap between XYZ Middle School and the non-XYZ Middle
Schools in the study. XYZ Middle School reported having a bureaucratic process and two-way
communication/feedback systems to support positive discipline practices within their school,
contrasting with non-XYZ Middle Schools reports. The organizational influence suggests that
teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with their belief in collective effort to implement
and follow established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom
management practices. Clark and Estes (2008) found that effective change efforts use evidence-
based solutions and adapt them, where necessary, to the organization's culture. This suggests
that change efforts must be monitored and adapted to meet the organization's needs to be
successful. The recommendations are then for the organization to analyze how current
disciplinary and classroom management practices either promote or inhibit equity and inclusion;
establish a team to monitor discipline trends and identify data-driven, evidence-based change
efforts that should be adapted for the school; and institute a protocol identifying school
administrations’ active role in positive discipline practices as a critical priority.
To create a school environment conducive to positive behavior, school staff must
reculturize the school to focus on positive aspects of student behavior and abandon negative,
reactionary, and reprimand-based practices of the past (Hester, 2002). Dessel (2010) explains
that creating a positive, inclusive cultural model through reculturalization requires pluralistic
leadership, anti-racist cultural settings, and community commitment to critical inquiry. Knowing
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that effective change efforts must ensure that key stakeholders' perspectives inform the design
and decision-making process leading to the change, and the change efforts need to be
communicated regularly and frequently (Clark & Estes, 2008), providing a system to gather,
monitor, and report out change initiatives progress would align with the current organizational
change theories. Therefore, the literature supports the recommendations to analyze how current
disciplinary and classroom management practices either promote or inhibit equity and inclusion;
establish a team to monitor discipline trends and identify data-driven, evidence-based change
efforts that should be adapted for the school; and identify administrators’ active role in this
practice as a critical priority.
Implementation and Evaluation Plan
The model that guided this implementation and evaluation plan is the Kellogg Logic
Model (Kellogg, 2004). The Kellogg Logic Model focuses on two components of a program, the
planned work and intended results. The planned work within this program is the resources
available to direct the work, and the activities and actions used to bring about the program's
desired results (Kellogg, 2004). The program's intended results are the outputs, which are the
activities' direct products, the outcomes which are the changes in program participants' behavior,
and the impacts created through the change occurring within an organization and its communities
(Kellogg, 2004). The Logic Model approach creates a linear view of the relationships between
the program's goals and activities, their intended outcomes and impact, and the means for
evaluation and analysis of the program. The following sections will detail the planned work, the
intended results, as well as the evaluation and data analysis process for the recommendations
within this study.

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Planned Work
The focus of the recommended planned work from this study is two resources:
professional development and school-wide systems. The resource of professional development
encompasses training and modeling positive discipline practices, and behaviors used to foster
and norm self-reflective conversations about race across the staff and build positive relationships
within the school and classroom. The recommendations to achieve consistent and equitable
professional development practices ask that schools provide teachers with targeted learning
opportunities and maintain consistent, ongoing modeling and feedback supports. Targeted
learning opportunities provide dedicated instruction on crucial learning components of positive
discipline and disaggregated school data, reinforced in formal and informal work settings such as
staff meetings, grade-level meetings, care teams, and within preestablished coaching cycles.
Ongoing modeling and feedback occur throughout the day in any setting and in the moment with
hallway conferences, allowing administrators to model positive engagement with students and
building trust and de-escalation. The focus resource of school-wide systems runs concurrently
with the resource of professional development and encompasses the alignment of resources and
systems that support equitable practices. The alignment of resources and systems development
entails calibrating and prioritizing the resources of time, policies, and practice and implementing
flexible reciprocal systems and structures to foster collective efficacy and open communication
across teachers and administrators. Figure 5 shows the proposed planned work outlining the
resources, activities, and actions associated with ongoing professional development.

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Figure 5
Planned Work Framework for Professional Development

Figure 6 shows the proposed planned work outlining the resources, activities, and actions
associated with school-wide systems.
Actions Activities
Resources
Professional
Development
(Training/Modeling)
Provide teachers with
targeted learning
opportunities
Review school
discipline data
disaggregated by race
regularly
Dedicated training on
the purpose and practice
of self-reflection and
self-regulation
Dedicated training on
the purpose and use of
hallway conferences
Maintain consistent
ongoing modeling and
feedback supports
Utilize hallway
conferences for teachers
and student to address
classroom concerns
Revisit key training on
self-regulation and self-
reflection in multiple
and varied settings
(staff meetings, grade
level meetings,
professional
development, etc.)
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Figure 6
Planned Work Framework for School-Wide Systems

Actions Activities
Resources
School-Wide Systems
Calibrating priorities
across the school
School discipline
policy aligns with
positive discipline
practices
Classroom practices
and expectations align
with positive discipline
practices
Administration support
and involvement in
hallway conferences is
prioritized
Developing equity-
based systems
Peer-led review and
oversight of positive
discipline practices and
outcomes
All staff are
accountable for the use
of positive discipline
practices
Open, transparent two-
way communication
admin and teachers,
staff and students
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Intended Results
Outputs/outcomes and impacts make up the planned work's intended results (Kellogg,
2004). Outputs and outcomes are the direct products and shifts in behavior that occur due to the
planned actions; the impacts are the changes that occur within the school and community as a
result of the planned actions (Kellogg, 2004). The actions within Professional development and
school-wide systems are the sources reviewed to determine the intended results of the
recommended planned work for this program. The output/outcomes of the professional
development and school-wide systems actions are focused conversations about race, fostering
authentic relationships, access to feedback and modeling, and structures that reinforce self-
reflection amongst staff. The actions within school-wide systems also provide the
output/outcomes of clarity and consistency in equitable practices, student and staff ownership in
the process, and foster collective efficacy. The impacts of the professional development and
school-wide systems are the norming of conversations about race, self-reflection, increased
growth mindset, and decreased disciplinary outcomes. The actions within school-wide systems
also impact increased trust in the school and positive school and community partnerships.
Examination of the indented results articulates what elements of the program impact the
effectiveness of the program (Kellogg, 2004). Table 24 shows the intended results for the
proposed planned actions associated with professional development.
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Table 24
Intended Results for Professional Development
Actions Output/Outcomes Impact
Review school discipline data
disaggregated by race
regularly
Foster conversations about
race
Norm talking about race
Dedicated training on the
purpose and practice of self-
reflection and self-regulation
Foster authentic relationships:
student to teacher and teacher
to teacher
Decrease disciplinary
outcomes
Dedicated training on the
purpose and use of hallway
conferences
Physical materials to support
consistent implementation
Positive school and
community partnership
Utilize hallway conferences
for teachers and student to
address classroom concerns
Provide in the moment
feedback on positive
discipline and communication
Norm self-reflection and
growth mindset
Provide modeling in the
moment on positive discipline
and communication
Revisit key training on self-
regulation and self-reflection
in multiple and varied
settings (staff meetings, grade
level meetings, professional
development, etc.)
Foster learning across all
school settings
Norm self-reflection and
growth mindset
Reinforce self-reflection with
staff while holding
conversations about race
Norm talking about race

Table 25 shows the intended results for the proposed planned actions associated with school-
wide systems.

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Table 25
Intended Results for School-Wide Systems
Actions Output/Outcomes Impact
School discipline policy
aligns with positive discipline
practices
Clarity and consistency in
equitable practices
Increased trust in the school
processes
Classroom practices and
expectations align with
positive discipline practices
Foster positive relationships
and trust: student to teacher
and teacher to teacher
Decrease disciplinary
outcomes
Administration support and
involvement in hallway
conferences is prioritized
Provide modeling in the
moment on positive discipline
and communication
Positive school and
community partnership
Fosters positive relationships:
student -teacher- admin,
Fosters staff and student buy-in
Increased trust in the school
processes
Peer-led review and oversight
of positive discipline
practices and outcomes
Creates staff ownership
Norm self-reflection and
growth mindset
Fosters collective efficacy and
shared accountability
All staff are accountable for
the use of positive discipline
practices
Clarity and consistency in
equitable practices
Norm self-reflection and
growth mindset
Reinforce self-reflection with
staff while holding
conversations about race
Norm talking about race
Open, transparent two-way
communication admin and
teachers, staff and students
Reinforcing self-reflection

Fosters positive relationships:
student -teacher- admin

Fosters collective efficacy and
clarity in communication

Fosters conversations about
race
Increased trust in the school
processes

Norms talking about race

Norm self-reflection and
growth mindset

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Evaluation
The Kellogg Logic Model allows program evaluation from various vantage points,
including context, implementation, and outcomes (Kellogg, 2004). Program context is the
program relationships and capacity, considering how a program functions within the school
environment and community (Kellogg, 2004). Within this program, the context evaluated is if
staff, students, and community members feel valued. The measurement of value occurs through
surveys, attendance rates, interviews, and social media presence reviews. Program
implementation provides the quality and quantity metrics, assessing a program's ability to deliver
its desired results (Kellogg, 2004). The metrics assessed within this program are discipline data
and hallway conference reports to determine if the practice is prioritized by the administration, if
teachers are using the practice, and if the program is working overall. Program outcomes
document the effectiveness and satisfaction of progress occurring due to the program's
implementation (Kellogg, 2004). Within this program, the outcomes evaluated are if students,
staff, and community feel successful. The measurement of success occurs by reviewing student
attendance rates, staff retention rates, discipline data, social media presence, and district office
records of compliments and complaints. Table 26 shows the focus, indicators, instrumentation,
and timing for the program evaluation.

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Table 26
Evaluation Focus, Indicators, Instrumentation and Timing
Eval. focus Indicators Instrumentation Timing
Context
Do students, staff,
and community
feel valued?
Climate surveys Student surveys
Staff surveys
Each
trimester
Parent engagement Family meeting
attendance
Monthly
Community
engagement
Community meeting
attendance
Quarterly
Student Voice Focus Group lunches
with students
Trimester
Social Media
Presence
# of followers,
retweets, comments
Weekly
Implementation
Do admin
prioritize the
practice?
Rate of admin
response to hallway
conferences
Hallway conference
reports & data
collection
Monthly
Do teachers use
the practice?
Rate of teacher
requests for hallway
conferences
Hallway conference
reports & data
collection
Monthly
Is it working? # of discipline
referrals
Discipline data reports Monthly
Rate of exclusionary
discipline
Discipline data repots Monthly
Outcomes
Are students and
staff feeling
successful?
Student attendance
rate
Attendance data Monthly
Staff retention rate Staffing data Annually
# of hallway
conferences
Hallway conference
reports & data
collection
Monthly
Does the
community feel
successful?
Social Media # of followers,
retweets, comments
Monthly
# of complaints or
compliments
District office reports Monthly
149

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach
The Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis Process provided the framework utilized in
organizing the literature and influences shared in Chapter Two, developing the protocols of
assessment for the influences within Chapter Three, analyzing the results and findings in
Chapter Four, and cultivating the research-based recommendations in Chapter Five.
All methodological approaches have strengths and weaknesses. The strengths of using
the Clark and Estes (2008) framework in this study were its alignment to the field of study and
its focus on a problem-solving approach that emphasizes identifying and addressing root causes
within an organization. Task analysis is a process within education where teachers dissect a
learning objective into tasks to ensure learning across all steps of the process and minimize
misconceptions.. The Clark and Estes (2008) framework follows a similar analysis and
dissection of a problem, resulting in identifying gaps and, therefore, viable solutions. By
working through a process of evaluating stakeholders’ knowledge, then motivation, one can
establish the lowest common denominator affecting the problem of practice. Organizational
barriers then become evident once a firm understanding of stakeholders’ knowledge and
motivation, concerning the problem of practice, has been established. It is the systematic process
established by the Clark and Estes (2008) Gap Analysis framework that allows for the
delineation of root causes impacting the problem of practice within this study. The Clark and
Estes (2008) framework's weakness lies in the complexity of its analysis. Delving into a root
cause analysis from a knowledge, motivation, and organizational barrier requires a detailed
focus, best achieved by aligning with one stakeholder, even when the analysis may indicate gaps
present within other stakeholder groups that could be a contributing factor.
150

Limitations and Delimitations
A limitation of this study was the sample size for surveys and interviews. While the
promising practice school, XYZ, provided a survey response rate of 78%, the Non-XYZ Middle
Schools only generated a response rate of 18%. A greater response rate from the Non-XYZ
Middle Schools could have provided a clearer picture to articulate the differences in practices, if
any, between them. The interview process was focused on XYZ Middle School, in which all
members of the administration team participated and only three teachers participated. A larger
number of teacher participants within the interview would provide greater validity to the finding.
Incorporating administrative teams and teachers from the other middle schools would have
provided insight into their buildings practices as they relate to cultural settings and models, with
respect to conversations and actions around race and discipline . A second limitation was the
instrumentation. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on schools during the 2020-2021 school year,
teacher classroom observations and student interactions could not be reviewed or assessed during
this study.
Implications for Future Research
This study sought to identify the knowledge-based, motivational, and organizational
practices in place within a promising practice school to decrease racial disparities within
exclusionary discipline. The knowledge, motivations, and organizational factors were identified
specific to teachers’ classroom management and discipline practices. Input from the
administrative team was also collected via one-on-one interviews. Future research initiatives
could address a wider scope of study participants and a more varied array of study
instrumentation.
Limitations were found regarding the participants within this study. Future studies could
151

benefit from increasing participant participation among non- XYZ Middle School teachers,
expanding participation to include school administrative teams, and incorporating student and
family voice. Increasing non-XYZ Middle School teachers’ response rates to the survey and
incorporating them in focus group interviews would increase the validity of the comparison data
points and provide a more robust understanding of teacher practice within the non-promising
practice schools. Through the expansion of non-XYZ Middle School teachers within future
studies could illuminate if there is any disparities within the domains of knowledge or
motivation, related to discipline practices as well as student and teacher interactions, across the
broader teaching population. Expanding participation to include school administrative teams
from non- XYZ Middle Schools would supply insight into the practices occurring school-wide to
support student behavior and what disciplinary action takes place once a student leaves the
classroom. Highlighting the role school leadership plays in ensuring racial equity is centered
within their work and practice across the school building. Lastly, by incorporating student and
family voice, the study could gain a community perspective on the school disciplinary practices
and impacts on behavior.
Study instrumentation was also identified as a source of limitation. Future research can
improve the depth of understanding by providing protocols to observe teacher classroom
management, administrative disciplinary practices, and interview non-promising practice
teachers and administrators. While document analysis can collaborate themes and findings from
survey and interview data, surveys and interviews cannot directly evaluate teacher behavior
(Robinson & Leonard, 2019). Observation of teacher and administrator practice can provide
insight into behaviors and actions teachers and administrators may not self-report, therefore
providing a more comprehensive understanding of the promising practice.
152

Conclusions
The purpose of this promising practice study was to identify the knowledge, motivation,
and organizational influences that allowed XYZ Middle School to decrease the disproportionate
rate at which Black students receive exclusionary discipline and determine if those influences
could be applied at other organizations to decrease discipline disparities. Teachers were the
stakeholder group of focus for this study due to their relationships and interactions with students
aligned with their stakeholder goal. The KMO framework was used to identify the knowledge
teachers possess, what motivates them, and the organizational factors needed to support success.
Table 24 summarized the recommendations that could be applied in other organizations.

153

Table 27
Factors to Decrease Discipline Disparities Through Positive Discipline Practices
Knowledge
● Provide teachers with targeted learning opportunities, including:
○ dedicated ongoing professional development
○ ongoing modeling by peers and supervisors of desired practices
○ multiple opportunities to receive authentic feedback and coaching support
○ graphic organizer to reference as an outline the expected process/protocols
Motivation
● Maintain consistent, ongoing modeling and feedback supports that:
○ occur spontaneously throughout the day and in the moment
○ involve peers and supervisors providing and receiving modeling and feedback
○ exists in structure settings such as meetings and professional development
Organization
● Calibrating priorities within the organization to ensure:
○ current discipline policies align with positive discipline practices
○ resource priorities align with positive discipline practices
○ classroom practices and expectations align with positive discipline practices
○ administrators’ active engagement in positive discipline practices and supports
are prioritized

● Establishment of systems which provide:
○ open and transparent two-way communication among staff and administrators
○ accountability in the execution of positive discipline practices
○ autonomy for teachers to enact positive discipline practices within their
classroom
○ peer-led review and oversight of the organizations implementation of positive
discipline practices and outcomes

XYZ Middle School was able to decrease their discipline disparity over three years from
2.1 to 1.1, meaning during the 2017-18 school year, a black student was twice as likely to receive
exclusionary discipline. During the 2019-20 school year, there were no statistically significant
disparities present for black students within exclusionary discipline. There are multiple reasons
why, as a society, it is important to address the racial disparities that persist within public school
154

discipline. XYZ Middle School serves as a beacon to symbolize that this work can be done and
as a guide to show a path through this tumultuous landscape. XYZ Middle School was able to
drive this work without additional support; rather, they repurposed their resources and aligned
their efforts. There are no silver bullets in education, and as educators, we come to this work
humbly in service of others. If organizations choose to embrace the challenge, walk in the
discomfort of confronting their own implicit biases and practices, and undertake the heavy lift of
rebuilding student relationships while shifting long-held dominant cultural practices in an
endeavor to do better for all of the students they serve, that commitment will shift the outcomes
for all students.

155

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Appendix A: Survey Items
Survey Introduction
Welcome to the Middle School Classroom Discipline research study.

In advance, thank you for sharing your experience and views on the topic of class management
and discipline in middle school. As part of my dissertation research on organizational change
at the University of Southern California, this survey is meant to better understand the factors
that contribute to classroom management and discipline practices.

You will be presented with a series of questions about classroom management and student
discipline, you will be asked to provide your response to each of the questions. The survey
should take you approximately 15-25 minutes to complete. Please be assured that all your
responses will remain anonymous. The analysis of individual data into summary reports will
prevent any individual responses from being traced to an individual respondent. Your
participation in this research is voluntary. You have the right to stop at any point during the
survey, for any reason, and without prejudice. If you have questions about your rights while
taking part in this study, or you have concerns or suggestions please contact the principal
investigator, Stephanie Zikopoulos at zikopou@usc.edu.

By clicking the "consent" button below, you acknowledge that your participation in the study
is voluntary and that you are aware you may choose to end your participation in this survey at
any time and for any reason.

Please note that this survey will be best displayed on a laptop or desktop computer. Some
features may be less compatible for use on a mobile device.

Thank you.

❏ I consent and let's begin the survey
❏ I do not consent and do not wish to participate
Survey Item Response Options Influence Assessed
1. How many years have you been
working as a certificated teacher in
education?
1-3
4-6
7-9
10-12
13-15
Demographics
2. How many years have you been
teaching in middle school (6-8)?
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
Demographics
178

3. The Gender I identify as is… Female
Male
Non-binary/third gender
Prefer to self-describe
Prefer not to say
Demographics
4. The Race/Ethnicity I identify as is… African American/Black
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic/Latino
Mixed Racial Background
Native American
White
Demographics
5. In what school building were you
assigned to during the 2019-20 school
year?
A
B
C
D
Demographics
6. How many years have you worked
in the building you were assigned to
for the 2019-20 school year?
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
Demographics
7. What Subjects did you teach in the
2019-2020 school year?
English/Reading
Math
Social Studies
Science
Special Education
Art, Music, Fine Arts
PE or Health
World Language
Other
Demographics
8.
Checklist: check all options that
accurately complete this sentence
Positive Discipline strategies are…
a) reward cards
b) strategies that allow
students the
opportunity to learn
from their actions
and problem solve
c) strategies that foster
relationships with
students
d) social emotional
supports like self-
regulation and self-
reflection
Knowledge:
Declarative Factual

Teachers can name
what positive
discipline strategies,
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection, are.
179

e) a clear systematic
discipline responses
to behavior. (if x
happens, then y will
occur)
9.
Multiple Choice: Complete the
sentence...

Self-Regulation is…
a) using deep breathing
exercises
b) mental meditation to
find your calm
center
c) internally
monitoring and
adjusting one’s
behavior in
alignment with their
current situation
d) sharing your
feelings
e) other:
Knowledge:
Declarative Factual

Teachers can name
what positive
discipline strategies,
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection, are.
10.
Multiple Choice: Complete the
sentence...

Self-Reflection is…
a) not essential to
positive discipline
b) seriously thinking
about your actions
or motives
c) dwelling on the past
d) mirroring the
actions of a defiant
party
e) other:
Knowledge:
Declarative Factual

Teachers can name
what positive
discipline strategies,
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection, are.
11.
Multiple choice: Choose the correct
order of the process for positive
discipline practices

a) acknowledge the
feelings, seek to
understand, problem
solve, agree to a
plan, repair
relationships
b) acknowledge the
feelings, repair
relationships,
problem solve, seek
to understand, agree
to a plan
c) agree to a plan,
repair relationships,
Knowledge:
Declarative Factual

Teachers know the
protocols associated
with positive discipline
strategies.
180

acknowledge the
feelings, seek to
understand, problem
solve
d) problem solve,
agree to a plan,
repair relationships,
acknowledge the
feelings
e) other:
12.
For the following scenarios identify
which strategy you would utilize:
1) immediate office referral,
2) offer authentic choice,
3) provide an opportunity to
regulate
4) write up a referral
a) A student hits
another student
b) a student is being
loud and disruptive
c) a student is being
defiant in class
d) a student refuses to
engage in the work
Knowledge:
Declarative Conceptual

Teachers need to know
when to offer students
positive discipline
strategies.
13.
Label the following interventions as
1) Tier I,
2) Tier II,
3) Tier III
a) Parent-Teacher
Conference
b) Provide authentic
choice
c) specifically
designed individual
interventions
d) Offer a chance to
regulate in a cool
down zone
e) utilize a behavior
intervention plan
Knowledge:
Declarative Conceptual

Teachers need to know
the difference between
Tier I, Tier II, and Tier
III services in the
positive discipline
model.
14.
Multiple Choice:
Choose the best answer to address the
situation...

You have a student who… in the
middle of a seemingly calm class
period suddenly throws their papers
down and shouts at the person behind
them to SHUT UP
a) Utilize positive
redirection
strategies (i.e.:
praise those doing
the right thing,
proximity)
b) Offer a cool-down
zone
c) Offer a hallway
conference to talk it
out with an adult
d) Provide authentic
choice
Knowledge:
Procedural

Teachers need to know
how to implement
appropriate positive
discipline strategies
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection
181

e) Give an office
referral
f) other:

15.
Multiple Choice:
Choose the best answer to address the
situation...

You have a student who…during class
discussion is constantly yelling out
comments and questions, you have
reminded them several times to raise
their hand, but the student is not
following the procedures.
a) Utilize positive
redirection
strategies (i.e.:
praise those doing
the right thing,
proximity)
b) Offer a cool-down
zone
c) Offer a hallway
conference to talk it
out with an adult
d) Provide authentic
choice
e) Give an office
referral
f) other:
Knowledge:
Procedural

Teachers need to know
how to implement
appropriate positive
discipline strategies
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection
16.
Multiple Choice:
Choose the best answer to address the
situation...

You have a student who… during a
class discussion is clearly texting
someone on their phone.
a) Utilize positive
redirection
strategies (i.e.:
praise those doing
the right thing,
proximity)
b) Offer a cool-down
zone
c) Offer a hallway
conference to talk it
out with an adult
d) Provide authentic
choice
e) Give an office
referral
f) other:
Knowledge:
Procedural

Teachers need to know
how to implement
appropriate positive
discipline strategies
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection
17.
Multiple Choice:
Choose the best answer to address the
situation...

a) Utilize positive
redirection
strategies (i.e.:
praise those doing
the right thing,
proximity)
Knowledge:
Procedural

Teachers need to know
how to implement
appropriate positive
discipline strategies
182

You have a student who…is not being
disruptive, but does not want to engage
in the task at hand

b) Offer a cool-down
zone
c) Offer a hallway
conference to talk it
out with an adult
d) Provide authentic
choice
e) Give an office
referral
f) other:
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection
18.
Please explain how you would teach
positive discipline strategies to your
students.
open-ended Knowledge:
Procedural

Teachers need to be
able to teach specific
positive discipline
strategies to students
based on their needs.
19. Multiple choice:
Complete the sentence...
I self-reflect by…

a) thinking about the
effectiveness of my
own classroom
management and
instructional
strategies to be able
to know what has
been successful and
what needs
improvement.
b) deciding what needs
to be changed in my
instruction
c) deciding how to
appropriately
address behavioral
needs in my
classroom.
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
f) other:
Knowledge:
Metacognitive

Teachers need to
reflect on the process
and effectiveness of
using positive
discipline strategies,
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection.
20.
Rate the following sentences in order
of your value.

Value Scale:
1) High,
2) Moderate,
3) Low,
Motivation:
Value

183

a) students deserve to feel safe to
share their feelings within their
classroom
b) students should not be
excluded from the classroom
learning
c) suspension is an effective tool
for managing negative student
behavior
d) Behavior (positive and
negative) is a form of student
communication
e) student misbehavior is a
learning opportunity for the
teacher
4) None Teachers need to value
the learning,
implementation, and
perceived outcomes of
positive discipline such
as self-regulation and
self-reflection
strategies.
21.
Rate your degree of confidence in
doing the following by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale
given:
a) I can demonstrate self-
regulation in my classroom.
b) I can use self-regulation
strategies with my students
successfully
c) I can demonstrate self-
reflection in my classroom.
d) I can teach my students to use
self-reflection strategies
successfully
e) I can positively change
student behavior in my
classroom by using Positive
Discipline strategies (self-
regulation and self-reflection).
f) I can positively change student
behavior in my school by
using Positive Discipline
strategies (self-regulation and
self-reflection).
Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree
Motivation:
Self-Efficacy

Teachers need to have
confidence that they
can identify and
implement established
self-regulation and
self-reflection
strategies within their
daily classroom
management to
improve behavior
outcomes for all
students.
22.
Rate your degree of confidence in
doing the following by recording a
Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
Motivation:
Self-Efficacy

184

number from 1-5 using the scale
given:
a) I can use effective positive
behavioral management
protocols in my classroom
b) I know when to ask for
specialized support (Tier II or
Tier III) help for my students
c) I can follow the protocols to
ask for support when my Tier I
intervention are not successful
4) agree,
5) strongly agree
Teachers need to have
confidence that they
can follow established
self-regulation and
self-reflection
protocols to support
and/or refer students in
specialized behavior
services(e.g., Tier II
and Tier III).
23.
Rate your degree of agreement in the
following statements by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale given:

a) I can implement positive
discipline strategies (self-
reflection and self-regulation)
in my classroom.
b) I am prepared to support my
students with positive
discipline (self-regulation and
self-reflection) strategies.
c) Teaching self-regulation
strategies to my students has
helped me successfully build a
positive learning environment.
d) Using self-regulation strategies
with my students has helped
me successfully build a
positive learning environment.
e) Teaching self-regulation
strategies to my students has
helped me successfully build
supportive student relationships
f) Using self-regulation strategies
with my students has helped
me successfully build
supportive student relationships
g) Teaching self-reflection
strategies to my students has
helped me successfully build a
positive learning environment.

Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree

Motivation:
Attrition

Teachers need to
believe that the success
or failure of
implementing
established positive
discipline practices
such as self-regulation
and self-reflection
strategies within their
daily classroom
management to
improve behavior
outcomes for all
students is in their
control.
185

h) Using self-reflection strategies
with my students has helped
me successfully build a
positive learning environment.
i) Teaching self-reflection
strategies to my students has
helped me successfully build
supportive student relationships
j) Using self-reflection strategies
with my students has helped
me successfully build
supportive student relationships
24.
Rate your agreement with the
following statements by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale
given:

My school has provided me the
following resources:
a) positive discipline training
b) positive discipline coaching or
specific staff to support
behavior struggles in my
classroom
c) data of student discipline
outcomes
d) time to reflect on data and
classroom management
practices
e) time to plan for classroom
management/ behavioral
learning

Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree

Organization:
Resources

The organization
provides teachers with
the needed resources of
professional
development,
coaching, and ongoing
implementation
support related to
positive discipline
practices (self-
regulation and self-
reflection) training.
25.
Rate your agreement with the
following statements by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale given:

My school has provided me the
following:
a) procedures to support positive
discipline practices
b) policies that support positive
discipline

Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree

Organization:
Policy and Procedures

The organization
provides teachers with
policies and
procedures that align
with the facilitation
and implementation of
positive discipline
practices such as self-
186

c) policies that seek to minimize
classroom exclusions
regulation and self-
reflection strategies.
26.
Rate your agreement with the
following statements by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale given:

My school has provided me the
following:
a) Autonomy to implement
positive discipline strategies
b) A bureaucratic process to
follow for managing student
behavior
c) An opportunity to provide my
feedback on the successes and
areas of improvement with
discipline practices
d) Feedback on my discipline and
classroom management
practices
e) Identified model classrooms or
teachers who can support my
classroom management
practices
f) Consistent goals associated
with discipline and classroom
management

Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree

Organization:
Cultural Models

Teachers need to be
part of a culture that
aligns with their belief
in collective effort to
implement and follow
established self-
regulation and self-
reflection strategies
within their daily
classroom management
practices.
27.
Rate your agreement with the
following statements by recording a
number from 1-5 using the scale given:

My school consistently allows the
following:
a) non-participation in
implementing and using
positive discipline strategies
(self-regulation and self-
reflection) in my classroom.
b) teachers to be resistant to
change, when implementing
and using positive discipline
strategies (self-regulation and

Likert 5-point scale:
1) strongly disagree,
2) disagree,
3) neutral,
4) agree,
5) strongly agree

Organization:
Cultural Settings

The organization
provides systems for
teachers to consistently
implement established
self-regulation and
self-reflection
strategies within their
daily classroom
management practices.
187

self-reflection) in their
classrooms.
c) staff to foster conflict
avoidance, when confronted
with others not implementing
and using positive discipline
strategies (self-regulation and
self-reflection) in their
classrooms.
d) administration to require strict
obedience to policies and
procedures when teachers are
implementing and using
positive discipline strategies
(self-regulation and self-
reflection) in their classrooms.
28.
Please share your thoughts about the
use of positive discipline in the middle
school classroom.
open ended

188

Appendix B: Documents and Artifacts Collections Protocol
Document Influence Assessed
Professional development
catalogs/calendars for 2017/18,
2018/19, and 2019/20 school
years
Organization:
Resources
The organization provides teachers with the needed
resources of professional development, coaching, and
ongoing implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and self-reflection)
training.

Organization:
Cultural Models
Teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with their
belief in collective effort to implement and follow
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management practices.
Disciplinary intervention data for
2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20
school years
Motivation:
Value
Teachers need to value the learning, implementation, and
perceived outcomes of positive discipline such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Discipline outcomes data for
2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20
school years
Motivation:
Value
Teachers need to value the learning, implementation, and
perceived outcomes of positive discipline such as self-
regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Collective bargaining agreement
for teachers for 2017/18, 2018/19,
and 2019/20 school years
Organization:
Resources
The organization provides teachers with the needed
resources of professional development, coaching, and
ongoing implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and self-reflection)
training.
Discipline practices (written) for
each middle school and the district
for 2017/18, 2018/19, and
2019/20 school years
Organization:
Policy and Procedures
The organization provides teachers with policies and
procedures that align with the facilitation and
implementation of positive discipline practices such as
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Discipline policies (written) for Organization:
189

each middle school and the district
for 2017/18, 2018/19, and
2019/20 school years
Policy and Procedures
The organization provides teachers with policies and
procedures that align with the facilitation and
implementation of positive discipline practices such as
self-regulation and self-reflection strategies.
Climate survey results for
2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20
school years
Motivation:
Self-efficacy
Teachers need to have confidence that they can identify
and implement established self-regulation and self-
reflection strategies within their daily classroom
management to improve behavior outcomes for all
students.

Motivation:
Attribution
Teachers need to believe that the success or failure of
implementing established positive discipline practices
such as self-regulation and self-reflection strategies within
their daily classroom management to improve behavior
outcomes for all students is in their control.

Organization:
Cultural Models
Teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with their
belief in collective effort to implement and follow
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management practices.

Organization:
Cultural Settings:
The organization provides systems for teachers to
consistently implement established self-regulation and
self-reflection strategies within their daily classroom
management practices.
School budgets for 2017/18,
2018/19, and 2019/20 school
years
Organization:
Resources
The organization provides teachers with the needed
resources of professional development, coaching, and
ongoing implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and self-reflection)
training.
Staff meeting agendas for
2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20
Knowledge:
Declarative Factual
190

school years Teachers know the protocols associated with positive
discipline strategies

Organization:
Resources
The organization provides teachers with the needed
resources of professional development, coaching, and
ongoing implementation support related to positive
discipline practices (self-regulation and self-reflection)
training.

Organization:
Cultural Models
Teachers need to be part of a culture that aligns with their
belief in collective effort to implement and follow
established self-regulation and self-reflection strategies
within their daily classroom management practices.

191

Appendix C: Informed Consent and Information Sheet
Informed Consent/Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles CA, 90089
DECREASING Racial DISPROPORTIONALITIES WITHIN EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE
AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL

You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies include only people who
voluntarily choose to take part. This document explains information about this study. You should
ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research study aims to understand the gaps in participants’ knowledge, motivation, and
organizational culture (Clark & Estes, 2008) in decreasing the discipline disparities for
students of color within the public middle school setting.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in an online survey.

CONFIDENTIALITY
There will be no identifiable information obtained in connection with this study. Your name,
address or other identifiable information will not be collected.
The members of the research team, the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research
studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about this study, please contact the following individuals:

Principal Investigator Faculty Advisor
Stephanie Zikopoulos Dr. Darline Robles
zikopoul@usc.edu dprobles@rossier.usc.edu

IRB CONTACT INFOMRATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los
Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY

192
Appendix D: Interview Items
Interview Introduction
Thank you for taking time to meet and sharing your experience with me in this interview. As
part of my dissertation research on organizational change at the University of Southern
California, this interview is meant to better understand the factors that contribute to the
promising practice occurring within your school that has resulted in the decrease in racial
disparities within exclusionary discipline.

While I currently work as a member of this school, I am not here as an employee of this
organization or to make a professional assessment or judgment of your performance as a
recruiter. I would like to emphasize that today I am only here as a researcher collecting data
for my study. The information you share with me will be placed into my study as part of the
data collection. Your name will not be disclosed to anyone or anywhere outside the scope of
this study and will be known only to me specifically for this data collection. While I may use a
direct quote from you in my study, I will not provide your name specifically and will remove
any potentially identifying information. I will gladly provide you with a copy of my final
product upon request.

This interview is scheduled for one hour. Please be assured that all your responses will remain
anonymous. The analysis of individual data into summary reports will prevent any individual
responses from being traced to an individual respondent. Your participation in this research is
voluntary. You have the right to stop at any point during the survey, for any reason, and
without prejudice. I will record the interview to help me capture all of your responses
accurately and completely. If you would like me to stop recording at any point, I will do so. . I
will be using a third party such as rev.com to transcribe the recording and all files will be
returned to me upon finalization of the transcription. The recording and all other data will then
be destroyed after three years from the date my dissertation defense is approved.
If you have questions about your rights while taking part in this study, or you have concerns or
suggestions please let me know.

Do you have any questions before we get started?
Do I have your permission to begin the interview?
Do I have your permission to record this conversation for study purposes?

Thank you
Interview Question Research Question
1. Tell me a little bit about your personal
background
Demographics
DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY 193

2. Tell me a bit about your professional
background and your current role
within the district.
Demographics
3. Why do you think there has been a
decrease in racial disparity within
exclusionary discipline data at XYZ
over the past 3 years?
What is the current status of the teachers’
knowledge, motivation, and organizational
resources with regard to decreasing the
disproportionality among students of color
(specifically Black) receiving exclusionary
disciplinary practices within middle school?
(RQ1)

What recommendations for organizational
practice, school-wide practice, and teacher
practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources may
be appropriate for solving the problem of
practice at another organization? (RQ3)
4. What has changed in teacher practice
over the past 3 years?
RQ1/RQ3
5. What has changed in admin practice
over the last 3 years?
RQ1/RQ3
6. How has your practice changed over
the last 3 years with respect to race?
RQ1/RQ3
7. How has your interaction with
students of color changed over the
past 3 years?
RQ1/RQ3
8. How have you seen the school
community changes over the past 3
years with respect to how people
address race?
RQ3
9. What do you know is different about
how XYZ manages discipline
compared to the other Middle Schools
within ABC?
RQ3
.

DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY 194

Appendix E: Behavior Management Process

DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY 195

DISCIPLINE DISPROPORTIONALITY 196

Appendix F: Hallway Conference and Re-Entry Guide

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate XYZ Middle School’s (a pseudonym) performance, as a promising practice, related to the larger problem of practice, the disproportionate rate at which Black students receive exclusionary discipline. The stakeholders of focus for this study were middle school teachers, grades six through eight, within ABC School District (a pseudonym). Applying a modified Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework, the study collected and analyzed data related to the knowledge, motivation, and organizational structures that allowed for XYZ Middle School to eliminate their racial disparities within exclusionary discipline. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and document analysis to collect data that identified the influential factors that contributed to XYZ Middle School’s success. This study collected survey data from teachers across ABC School District, interview data from four school administrators as well as a representative teacher population at XYZ Middle School, and document analysis data to identify and validate assumed influences that may have impact exclusionary discipline outcomes. Based on the findings of the study, research-based solutions have been suggested to replicate the practices in place in XYZ Middle School.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Zikopoulos, Stephanie Mello (author)

Core Title Decreasing racial disproportionalities within exclusionary discipline at the middle school level

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 04/08/2021

Defense Date 03/09/2021

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag discipline disparity,OAI-PMH Harvest,positive discipline,racial disparity,self-reflection,self-regulation

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Robles, Darline (committee chair), Spencer, Melissa (committee member), Stowe, Kathy (committee member)

Creator Email szikopoulos@gmail.com,zikopoul@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-437897

Unique identifier UC11668564

Identifier etd-Zikopoulos-9429.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-437897 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Zikopoulos-9429.pdf

Dmrecord 437897

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Zikopoulos, Stephanie Mello

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA