Positive Behavioral Support: A Proactive Strategy for Minimizing Behavior Problems in Urban Multicultural Youth

The social—emotional needs of children in urban school communities place these students at risk for educational failure. For these children, successful teaching and learning models appear particularly complex because they must combine both multicultural approaches and effective positive behavior support (PBS) strategies that promote healthy, prosocial behaviors. This article examines trends in the racial disparity in exclusionary discipline procedures that impact the schooling experiences of urban children, presents a conceptual framework for understanding culturally influenced social behaviors, and discusses ways to incorporate multicultural education into PBS programs