Effects of implementing the Discipline with Dignity classroom management model on the number of discipline referrals in K--2 classrooms in a mid-Southern state

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of implementing Discipline with Dignity in K-2 classrooms on the number of discipline referrals generated. The K-2 classrooms in two schools were asked to participate without randomization. All the 24 consenting teachers completed a survey designed to assess self-readiness to manage student behaviors, as well as to gather teacher effect data. The instrument reliability was .9579. The subjects in the experimental group consisted of 13 teachers and 178 of their students. The teachers received training on the Discipline with Dignity model and had ongoing support throughout the six weeks study period. None of them received training in the model prior to this study. The number of discipline referrals of their participating students was compared to those of the control group of 11 teachers and 78 of their students. No training with the Discipline with Dignity model was provided for the control group of 11 teachers. All office referrals were tracked to the district's WINSCHOOL database. Findings indicated there was no significant difference in the number of office referrals alone. However, when the referrals were examined by gender, the experimental group was associated with a lower number of boys than girls being referred to the office when compared to the control group. Additionally, teacher specific data were inconclusive because of the low proportion of non-certified teachers who taught less than five years in the control group.