Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) Dramatically Improves Expulsion/Suspension Rate with Voyager Sopris Learning's Best Behavior Positive School Climate Program

DALLAS, March 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Voyager Sopris Learning^™, provider of a comprehensive suite of evidence-based interventions, assessments, and professional services, is pleased to share that the positive school climate program Best Behavior by Dr. Jeffrey Sprague and Dr. Annemieke Golly contributed to dramatic decreases in reports of student defiance, expulsions, and suspensions in California's Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) during the 2011–2013 school years, as reported in the Napa Valley Register.

"NVUSD made a commitment several years ago to overhaul our traditional student code of conduct and implement an effective, research-based behavior program," says Ivan Chaidez, the district's director of English Language Learner and Alternative Education Services. "We now have a systematic and sophisticated approach that permits more options in response to behavioral situations. We also have multiple alternative consequences that allow students opportunities to change their behavior and get right back on track so learning can continue."

This past year, as noted in the Napa Valley Register by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, there was an 18.9 percent drop in suspensions and a 75.5 percent drop in expulsions within NVUSD.

"As a PBIS coach having worked for nearly 10 school districts in multiple states under various 'brands' of PBIS, I can say unequivocally that Best Behavior is the most straightforward, easy-to-implement PBIS training curriculum," says Laura Mooiman, Program Specialist for Positive Behavior Intervention and Support in NVUSD. "I have worked at many schools using other PBIS training that takes three to five years to accomplish what a Best Behavior school can accomplish in one year. … Dr. Sprague has been with us since this work began, and we credit his book Best Behavior with setting a strong foundation for our work."

Napa Valley Unified School District explicitly teaches the Best Behavior principle and expectation school-wide: Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. This nurtures an open, caring community and promotes a sense of security for both students and teachers.

"The Best Behavior program is a fully integrated behavior management system that guides the implementation of school- and district-wide positive behavior supports," says George Logue, president of Voyager Sopris Learning. "With professional development templates and tools, this handbook walks educators through a research-based system of scalable interventions that employs a collaborative approach to establishing a positive school climate. Best Behavior addresses school-wide supports, classroom management, individual student interventions, and family collaboration."

To listen to a complimentary webinar by coauthor Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D., titled "From Restorative Justice to Restorative Discipline in Schools: Challenges and Opportunities," visit http://www.soprislearning.com/sopris-webinars/2013-fall-webinar-series-archive

For more information about Best Behavior, visit www.soprislearning.com/bestbehavior or call 800.547.6747. 

About Voyager Sopris Learning

Voyager Sopris Learning^™ is committed to partnering with school districts to overcome obstacles that students, teachers, and school leaders face every day. The suite of instructional and service solutions we provide is not only research based, but also evidence based—proven to increase student achievement and educator effectiveness. Our solutions have been fully tested in the classroom, ensuring that they are easy to implement and teacher friendly. They are innovative, both in overall instructional approach and in the strategic use of technology in blended and 100% online solutions, and they are supported by an unparalleled commitment to build local capacity for sustained success. With a comprehensive suite of instructional resources, we provide the best-in-class assessments, professional development and school-improvement services, literacy and math instructional tools—both comprehensive intervention and supplemental—and resources to build a positive school climate. Voyager Sopris Learning is a member of Cambium Learning Group, Inc. (ABCD), based in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.voyagersopris.com.

Media Contact:
Sandy Rothstein
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
800.547.6747
[email protected]

Investor Contact:
Philip Davis
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
[email protected]

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SOURCE Cambium Learning Group