Determining Evidence Based Properties of M.O.P. Civic Education School Discipline Program

Abstract

School discipline helps establish a safe and supportive environment for student learning and development. There are however factors that can undermine the creation of such an environment. These factors include the conduct of students as well as that of school staff. The Me Others Property Civic Education School Discipline Program has been implemented for the last 20 years in several local schools in Indiana. However its evidence based properties have yet to be evaluated. This study examined such properties via the literature on evidence based practices for school discipline. The APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) suggests that the use of EBP in schools can help boost students’ psychological wellbeing, and also create the grounds for productive learning outcomes (Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology, 2006). There is increasing appeal for interventions developed on the basis data-informed practices (Kelly et al., 2010). Specifically the study continues to assess the data from a survey administered in two local schools (70 elementary students) and 45 high school-age students who completed a pre-post-test in Belize. The MOP program espouse to help students learn how to respect themselves, others, and property and make right choices. Preliminary findings are presented and discussed.