Comprehensive Preservice Training in Positive Behavior Support
Funded by The Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

A critical shortage of teachers is apparent in all disciplines nationally, but is particularly acute for teachers of students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD). Current trends suggest a continued increase in the number of students with EBD who receive special education services. Curriculum for teacher preparation must promote what we know about effective and efficient practices and systems when educating students with behavioral needs. The purpose of the Comprehensive Positive Behavior Supports (CPBS) Project is to train pre-service teachers to function effectively and efficiently within the structures and processes needed to support all students who present severe behavioral challenges, especially, those students with high-incidence disabilities whose behaviors disrupt the general education environment and who are frequently excluded from regular education settings. We propose to provide regular and special educators with comprehensive pre-service training that will emphasize opportunities for increasing educators' capacity (educational, behavioral, organizational) to meet the needs of all children with serious behavioral challenges.

In this four-year project, approximately 64 students will receive support and specialized coursework needed to complete a master's degree and eligibility for Oregon certification in teaching children with high-incidence disabilities at the elementary or middle/secondary level. These teacher trainees will receive intensive instruction and practical experience in the implementation of school-wide, classroom, and individualized strategies designed to achieve positive social and learning outcomes for students. This project is unique and innovative for three main reasons. First, the programmatic and research opportunities and resources are among the best in the nation. For example, students will have access to nationally recognized projects and experts on positive behavior supports, instructional design, school violence and safety, transition, and curriculum based assessment. Second, students will have access to the College of Education's extensive technical assistance dissemination and research resources. Third, students will graduate with specialized positive behavior support competencies that are in low supply and high demand in the general and special education workforce.

This project specifically targets students with high-incidence disabilities and severe behavior challenges because they are the last to be included, first to be excluded, and the most difficult to provide with effective behavior support. Also, these students pose significant challenges to teachers/administrators due to their extreme problem behaviors and their capacity to exceed the resources of conventional educational settings. Finally, this perspective is consistent with the invitational priority that focuses on preparing pre-service personnel in order to meet the diverse needs of children with high incidence disabilities and to enhance the supply of well-trained personnel to serve these children in areas of chronic shortage.