Problem behavior at school “interferes with the educational process and places a burden on teachers” (U.S. Department of Education 2002, p. III-17). Disciplinary problems have long been linked to negative outcomes for students with disabilities, such as course failure and dropping out of school (Wagner et al. 1991). Parents, administrators, teachers, and communities all are interested in keeping schools safe and maintaining positive environments conducive to learning (Finley 2003; Gallegos 1998; Sprague, Smith, and Stieber 2002). To accomplish these goals, schools employ a range of policies and approaches to managing student behavior, including classroom token economies, positive behavior supports, and suspensions and expulsions (Leone et al. 2000; NASP Center 2005; Peterson and Skiba, 2001; Sugai et al. 2000). Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) provide a national picture of disciplinary experiences at the secondary school level of youth with disabilities, offering a perspective on youth who exhibit problem behaviors at school and on schools’ implementation of disciplinary actions.
