Promoting Anti-Racism Practices and the Cycle of Critical Consciousness within Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Frameworks

Abstract

Note this manuscript has supplementary files that will only be available online and does not need to be included in the printed version. text for online abstract: The interpretation of behavior of from marginalized backgrounds is susceptible to prejudice, bias, and racist ideology. This is especially true when evaluations include subjective assessment of perceived challenging behaviors which has historically led to overrepresentation of student from marginalized backgrounds at-risk of or with an emotional disturbance. While Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) frameworks are increasingly used in schools to support students behaviorally and decrease the need for special education services, students of color continue to be overrepresented as needing supports within these frameworks. One possible cause for this overrepresentation is implicit bias in evaluation and intervention of behavior for marginalized students. In an effort to increase the cultural responsiveness of PBIS frameworks, we describe the incorporation of anti-racist actions and the concept of critical consciousness in evaluating student behavior.

Pulling the Lever: Supporting Critical Consciousness in Secondary Special Education and Transition

“…For example, while discussing Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) in a special education law course, faculty could include readings like an article by Kramarczuk Voulgarides and colleagues (2021) that highlights how schools can procedurally comply with IDEA while continuing to engage in discriminatory discipline practices with Black students. Another example of an assignment could be analyzing interventions like Response to Intervention or Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports from an anti-racist and anti-ableist perspective using articles like those by Park and colleagues (2021) and Taylor and colleagues (2022).…”