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Abstract
This action research (AR) case study included interventions designed to provide training for school administrators in addressing student threats of violence. Following interventions, the AR team collected data to explore changes to participants’ self-efficacy perceptions and discipline practices in addressing student threats of violence.
Six assistant principals participated in student threat assessment training. Following training, the AR team generated qualitative data through interviews and questionnaires. The team analyzed quantitative data collected through pre- and post-assessments, pre- and post-surveys, and student discipline data from before and after implementation of the study’s interventions. Research questions included the following:
1. How do school administrators’ self-efficacy perceptions with respect to addressing student threats of violence change after participation in interventions designed to provide student threat assessment training and support?
2. How do school administrators’ student discipline practices change after participation in interventions designed to provide student threat assessment training and support?
Findings included the following:
1. Participation in student threat assessment training enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
2. Collaboration within threat assessment teams enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
3. Past experiences involving student threats enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
4. Incident-specific circumstances often diminished self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
5. Participation in student threat assessment training reinforced school administrators’ pre-established authoritative discipline practices as being appropriate and effective for addressing student threats of violence.
6. School administrators demonstrated an understanding of the harmful effects of zero tolerance approaches to discipline for students who make threats of violence.
7. Participants’ schools, on average, demonstrated a reduction of exclusionary discipline actions following participation in student threat assessment training.
Six assistant principals participated in student threat assessment training. Following training, the AR team generated qualitative data through interviews and questionnaires. The team analyzed quantitative data collected through pre- and post-assessments, pre- and post-surveys, and student discipline data from before and after implementation of the study’s interventions. Research questions included the following:
1. How do school administrators’ self-efficacy perceptions with respect to addressing student threats of violence change after participation in interventions designed to provide student threat assessment training and support?
2. How do school administrators’ student discipline practices change after participation in interventions designed to provide student threat assessment training and support?
Findings included the following:
1. Participation in student threat assessment training enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
2. Collaboration within threat assessment teams enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
3. Past experiences involving student threats enhanced self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
4. Incident-specific circumstances often diminished self-efficacy perceptions of school administrators regarding their ability to prevent violence and implement fair and appropriate student discipline measures in situations involving student threats of violence.
5. Participation in student threat assessment training reinforced school administrators’ pre-established authoritative discipline practices as being appropriate and effective for addressing student threats of violence.
6. School administrators demonstrated an understanding of the harmful effects of zero tolerance approaches to discipline for students who make threats of violence.
7. Participants’ schools, on average, demonstrated a reduction of exclusionary discipline actions following participation in student threat assessment training.