Addressing the Challenge of Classroom Disruptions White Paper

Driven by a perceived dramatic increase of disruptive behavior among their youngest students, our members asked EAB to conduct a survey to better understand the scope of the problem and how districts, schools, and teachers are responding to it. Responses from multiple stakeholders outlined several important trends:

Teachers and administrators report an alarming recent increase in disruptive behavior

The vast majority of educators perceive student misbehavior to be on the rise, regardless of their position or background. However, teachers report disruptions among a much larger percentage of their students than administrators.

Districts and schools lack clear and consistent behavior management guidelines

Most districts and schools do not have a clearly communicated and consistently followed protocol for managing behavioral disruptions. Guidelines or recommendations for how to handle disruptive behavior often do not reach school administrators or teachers.

Teachers report lack of preparation and support in managing disruptive behavior

Teachers report feeling unprepared and poorly supported by school leaders in managing their classrooms. Training in evidence-based programs varies from teacher to teacher and school to school, making it difficult to assess what works.

Download the white paper to see the key survey findings, demographics of participating districts, and more.