Creating a positive and safe learning environment is essential for the growth and development of students. The recent report by the Education Futures Council highlights the urgent need for systemic reform in our schools, calling the current state of education a "public emergency." As Co-Chair Condoleezza Rice stated, “Educational excellence is inextricably tied to the success — or failure — of our nation” (The 74, 2024). More than a challenge, it’s an opportunity for leaders, educators, and especially behavior analysts to step up and be part of the solution.
The Council’s emphasis on system-level changes resonates deeply with the principles of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM). They advocate for reorganizing schools to prioritize student outcomes, minimizing excessive regulations, and creating a "bottom-up" system where schools are empowered to make decisions at the local level. These recommendations align with what we already know: effective leadership and well-designed systems are the backbone of successful schools. Since leadership can be boiled down to behavior and results, behavior analysts should be at the table to help design these systems, ensuring they are grounded in evidence-based practices that drive sustainable change.
Leadership: Setting the Tone for Positive Behavior
Effective leadership is a cornerstone of positive and productive school environments. Research by Robinson et al. (2008) found that leadership explains up to 25% of the variance in student achievement. Strong leaders don’t just focus on outcomes; they focus on behavior—of staff, students, and even themselves. Here’s how good leaders set the tone:
Establishing Vision and Values: Leaders communicate a shared vision that emphasizes positive behavior and high expectations.
Modeling Behavior: By demonstrating respect, empathy, and integrity, leaders create a culture where these values are lived, not just stated.
Building Relationships: Positive relationships with students, staff, and parents foster trust and collaboration.
Equipping Staff: Leaders focus on equipping teachers and staff with the skills they need to succeed, reinforcing efforts with feedback and recognition.
Engaging the Community: Parents and the broader community play a critical role, and effective leaders make them active partners in the school’s mission.
Good leadership isn’t measured by test scores alone—those can be manipulated through coercive practices or unethical means. Instead, the true measure of a leader lies in the collective behavior of their followers. By pinpointing and reinforcing the right behaviors, leaders can inspire teams to work together toward shared goals.
Systems: Providing Structure and Sustainability
Leadership without systems is like a car without a roadmap. Systems provide the structure needed to align behavior with desired outcomes. The Council’s call to flip the hierarchy—putting schools at the top of the decision-making chain—reflects the importance of systems that empower local action while maintaining coherence. Here are examples of systems that support positive behavior:
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS): This proactive framework teaches and reinforces expected behaviors, creating a consistent and predictable environment.
Acceptance Commitment Training (ACT): By integrating ACT principles into the curriculum, schools can help students develop self-regulation, perspective-taking, and effective decision-making skills.
Performance Management Systems: Evaluations alone don’t improve performance; good systems align individual and organizational goals, provide clear feedback, and recognize excellence to motivate staff.
Crisis Management Frameworks: In challenging situations, systems grounded in ABA like Professional Crisis Management empower staff to prevent and de-escalate crises while maintaining safety and minimizing disruption.
Systems work because they are built on behavior. They break down complex goals into processes, processes into tasks, and tasks into measurable actions. By focusing on the behaviors that drive outcomes, systems ensure that positive change is both achievable and sustainable.
A Call to Action for OBM and Behavior Analysts
The Education Futures Council’s report is a wake-up call—and a window of opportunity. Behavior analysts and OBM practitioners have the tools to design and implement systems that can bring this vision to life. From identifying critical behaviors to creating systems of reinforcement, our expertise can bridge the gap between intention and execution.
We need to be at the table with policymakers, educational leaders, and stakeholders to ensure that these reforms are grounded in evidence-based practices. By leveraging the science of behavior, we can help create school environments where positive change isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.
As the Council stated, “Together, we can launch a new approach to address the current state of public education.” Let’s take that challenge seriously. Leadership and systems are our wheelhouse because they are both built on behavior. Let’s use them to make a difference.
References
Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635–674.
The 74. (2024, October 22). America’s schools facing a ‘public emergency’: Education Futures Council report urges system-level reforms to better serve students. The 74.
Comments