Teacher Perceptions of Level System Effectiveness on the Behavior of Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

Students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) present significant academic and behavior management challenges for educators. As such, educators are constantly seeking interventions that are effective in assisting students with EBD to manage their own behavior and achieve success in school. One behavioral management approach that educators frequently recommend is the level system. As a first step to better understand level systems, we conducted a large-scale survey to determine the extent of level system use, the characteristics of teacher and students who use level systems, level system characteristics and procedures, teacher perceptions of level system effectiveness, and teacher satisfaction with level systems. Analysis of data revealed extensive use of level systems, similarities and differences between level system users and nonusers, characteristics common to level systems, and inconsistencies in perceptions of effectiveness and satisfaction. Finally, we offer implications of our findings for educators and provide suggestions for further level system research.