The Effects of a School-Wide Behavior Management Plan on Student Office Referrals
Larry Friend
May 2004
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a school-wide behavior
management plan on the number of students being referred to the office. The behaviors
identified as referable offenses were physical assault, verbal assault, disrespect toward
others, and insubordination. The study was a pre-experimental one-shot case study,
which examined the first 135 days of two consecutive school years, 2002-2003 and 20032004. In the first year, no school-wide management plan was in place. During the 20032004 school year, a school-wide behavior management plan was implemented. Office
referral data was collected and compared to the previous year in order to see the effect of
the implemented program. Office referrals decreased by 69%. These findings suggest
that a school-wide behavior management plan can reduce office referrals.