PROBLEM BEHAVIOR LEVELED EXAMPLES
PROBLEM
BEHAVIOR
DEFINITION
STAFF HANDLED
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
Affects student only
OFFICE
LEVEL 4
Affects other
students’ learning
Affects orderly
environment (class)
Harmful or Illegal Acts
Inappropriate behavior
causing interruption to 1 or 2
other students. Includes loud
talking, noises, crying, eat, etc.
Behavior causing an
interruption to class/activity.
Includes sustained loud talk,
yelling, sustained out-of-seat, or
continued misuse of materials.
Chronic disruptions.
M
Refusal to follow instructions.
Talking back and/or rude
interactions with students or
teacher without any
compliance.
M
Student refuses to do work.
Causes loud disruption during
class. Teacher must stop class
to address situation. Problem
behavior may have become
habitual or student shows no
desire to reduce misbehavior. M
Disruption
(minor & major)
Inappropriate
disruptions
(laughing, noises,
passing notes)
Disrespect
(minor & major)
Rude or impolite
behavior.
Non-Compliance
(minor & major)
Refusal to respond
to adult request.
Student sits there quietly not
doing anything, but a short
time later complies. This may
be the case for a student
struggling academically.
Student refuses to do work
and others notice. Able to get
student to work after a brief
one-on-one conversation.
(Teacher often feels
frustration or anger).
Property misuse
(minor)
Misuse of property.
Crayon breaking, pencil
breaking, throwing small
items, tipping back in chair,
writing on desk/wall/floor
(words not harmful)
Taking others belongings,
breaking other’s pencils,
standing on desk/table.
Destruction of
Property /
Vandalism
(major)
Physical contact
(minor)
Threat of
Physical Harm /
Fighting /
Assault (major)
Touching others.
Fighting involves
two people
engaged in physical
contact. Assault
will be defined as
one beating
another.
Noises, giggling, etc. with no
disruption to others.
Disrupting child’s own
learning.
STAFF OR OFFICE
LEVEL 3
Refusal to follow instructions.
Talking back or rude
interactions with other
students and/or teacher.
Compliance after intervening.
Non-serious, but inappropriate
touching of another (as in
punching each other in play,
horseplay), rough playground
play
Destruction of Property
Writing on bathroom walls,
writing on other people’s
assignments, etc.
M
Fighting/Assault/Threat
Actions involving serious
physical contact with intent to
harm. Injury may or may not
occur. (hitting, punching,
kicking, hair pulling, biting).
Threat of harm.
M
Destruction of Property /
Vandalism: Carving desktops,
graffiti, punching holes in
walls, destroying outside
property, writing in textbooks,
etc.
Fighting/Assault/Threat
Actions involving serious
physical contact with intent to
harm. Injury may or may not
occur. (hitting, punching,
kicking, hair pulling, biting).
Threat of harm.
PROBLEM
BEHAVIOR
DEFINITION
LEVEL 1
Affects student only
LEVEL 2
Affects other
students’ learning
LEVEL 3
Affects orderly
environment (class)
Inappropriate
language (minor
& major)
Verbal or written
message
inappropriate for age
level.
Bucket-dipping words used
toward themselves.
Saying words around other
children that are inappropriate
for age level. Within a
conversation in a nonthreatening manner. Words
are not aimed at others.
Verbal or written message that
include: swearing, name calling,
or use of words to a
teacher/student in a threatening
manner with intent to do harm.
(see bullying also)
M
Lying (minor &
major)
Not telling the truth.
Student tells a lie to
teacher/adult to get out of
trouble.
Student intentionally tells a
non-truth about another
student (they are aware)
Cheating (minor
& major)
Looking at or copying
others’ work.
Cheating on school work.
Happens one time.
Theft/Possession
of stolen
property (minor
& major)
Taking items that do
not belong to you.
Items taken directly
related to selfpreservation. Taking lunch
because student is hungry.
Lying where it causes emotional
harm to another student.
Knowingly spreading untruths.
m/M
Chronic cheating (more than 3
times)
M
Sneaky and intentionally taking
other’s items (including
teacher/adult). Denial when
confronted.
m/M
Name calling or
teasing (minor)
Cruel, offensive,
intimidating, or
humiliating behavior
toward others.
Bullying or
Intimidation
(major)
Taking other property because
there is a ‘want’. Honest when
confronted and shows
remorse.
Low-intensity pictures, verbal
statements, or written notes.
(dummy, stupid, slowpoke,
nicknames that aren’t liked)
LEVEL 4
Harmful or Illegal Acts
Bullying/Intimidation
Intimidating others physically
and/or psychologically. Enjoys
negatively influencing others.
Chronic teasing of others.
M
Weapon (major)
Object used for
physical harm.
Harassment
(major)
Civil rights violation.
Making fun of others
based on gender,
race, disability.
Includes sexual
harassment.
Obscene act
(minor or major)
Inappropriate
touching of ones own
or others’ body parts.
Toy knives, guns, etc.
M
Drawing pictures or writing
inappropriate sexual pictures or
words. Victim is unaware.
Discrimination toward others in
written manner where ‘victim’
again unaware.
M
Possible minor—young
children often ‘play’. This
is normal and not a cause
for alarm.
Touching of own “private parts”.
Sexually suggestions gestures.
Sexual remarks made to other
students. **Other students are
not touched in any way**
M
Bullying/Intimidation
Intimidating others physically
and/or psychologically.
Enjoys negatively influencing
others.
Chronic teasing of others.
Knife, gun, scissors used in
threatening way, lighters,
etc.
Discrimination based on civil
rights categories (race, sex,
origin, etc.). Includes
inappropriate sexual
advances or suggestions.
Touching of others “private”
areas. Sexually suggestive
gestures are with others.
Sexual remarks said to
student.