Creating Conditions for Positive Student Behavior Resource Center

According to a nationwide EAB survey, 78% of teachers identified student behavior as a top concern and nearly 90% of superintendents agree this to be an urgent issue for their district. The significant increase in disruptive student behavior over the past few years has left educators overwhelmed and parents frustrated. While most school districts are investing in many proven strategies to improve student behavior, they aren’t seeing the promised results and are unsure why.

EAB’s research uncovered the four conditions schools must achieve to create an environment conducive to positive student behavior—a safe, supportive, engaging, and connected environment. First, using EAB’s diagnostic survey, assess each of these four conditions in your district, schools, and classrooms.

The diagnostic can be used as a self-assessment, but feel free to invite others (i.e., support staff or teachers) to weigh in as well! Please reach out to your EAB dedicated advisor or email [email protected] to have an expert facilitate this process with your school or leadership team. 

Download the Diagnostic

Once you record the results, use the tools in this student behavior resource center to enhance your school’s existing behavior management approach or identify new practices that can promote a positive school environment for students to thrive behaviorally. Prioritize the statements with which you (and others) disagreed. Review each section below to understand which diagnostic statements each tool in the resource center addresses.

Condition #1: Safe

Use the resources in this section to help improve your district or school’s approach to physical and psychological safety, including bullying and discipline protocols. When students feel safe in school, they are more likely to behave positively, contribute to school culture, and connect with their peers.

Reference the following resources if you responded neutral, disagree, or strongly disagree with any of the statements listed on pages 4-5 of the diagnostic.

• Improving School Discipline Approaches
• Enhancing Students’ Psychological and Physical Safety

Access the Resources

Condition #2: Supported

Use the resources in this section to help improve your district and schools’ ability to provide students with opportunities to develop the social-emotional and behavioral skills they need to thrive.

Reference these resources if you responded neutral, disagree, or strongly disagree with any of the statements listed on pages 6-7 of the diagnostic.

• Supporting Students’ Socio-Emotional Skills
• Providing Behavioral Support
• Coordinating Staff to Meet Students’ Behavioral Needs

Access the Resources

Condition #3: Engaged

Use the resources in this section to help school leaders and teachers improve students’ schoolwide and classroom engagement with research-backed cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement strategies. These strategies help educators create effective classroom environments by providing students with consistent autonomy, incentives, and relevant learning materials to keep them motivated to behave positively.

Reference these resources if you responded neutral, disagree, or strongly disagree with any of the statements listed on pages 8-9 of the diagnostic.

• Supporting Schoolwide Engagement
• Improving Classroom Engagement
• Promoting Inclusivity

Access the Resources

Condition #4: Connected

Use the resources in this section to help improve your district or school’s connections. Statements within the connected condition help school leaders and teachers foster intentional relationships with all members of the school community (i.e., students, families, staff, and teachers) that create a strong sense of belonging.

Increasing connectedness among all members of your school community helps students feel more represented in their education, engage in social settings, and succeed in their academic pursuits.

Reference these resources if you responded neutral, disagree, or strongly disagree with any of the statements listed on pages 10-11 of the diagnostic.

• Student-to-Adult Relationships
• Student-to-Student Relationships
• Adult-to-Adult Relationships

Access the Resources