School-Based Observation: A Practical Guide to Assessing Student Behavior

Widely used to assess social–emotional and behavioral referral concerns in grades PreK-12, systematic direct observation is an essential skill for school psychologists and other educators. This accessible book helps practitioners conduct reliable, accurate observations using the best available tools. Chapters present effective coding systems for assessing student classroom behavior, the classroom environment, behavior in non-classroom settings, and behavior in a functional assessment context; also provided are guidelines for developing new codes when an appropriate one does not already exist. Procedures for summarizing, graphing, and interpreting data for different assessment purposes are detailed. In a large-size format for easy photocopying, the book includes 13 reproducible coding forms. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.

Amy M. Briesch, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University. Her primary research interests include the role of student involvement in intervention design and implementation, and the development of feasible and psychometrically sound measures for the assessment of student behavior in multi-tiered systems of support. She was a recipient of the Lightner Witmer Award for early-career scholarship in school psychology from Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association, and is an Associate Editor of the Journal of School Psychology and an elected member of the Society for the Study of School Psychology. Dr. Briesch has authored over 50 publications, including the books Direct Behavior Rating: Linking Assessment, Communication, and Intervention; Evidence-Based Strategies for Effective Classroom Management; and School-Based Observation: A Practical Guide to Assessing Student Behavior.

Robert J. Volpe, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University and Co-Director of the Center for Research in School-based Prevention. His research focuses on behavioral assessment in school-based problem-solving models, and evaluating classroom interventions for students with emotional and behavior problems. Dr. Volpe is former President of the Society for the Study of School Psychology and serves on the advisory board of Journal of School Psychology and on the editorial boards of School Psychology Review and Journal of Attention Disorders. He has authored or coauthored over 130 journal articles, books, and book chapters. His books include Daily Behavior Report Cards: An Evidence-Based System of Assessment and Intervention, Effective Math Interventions: A Guide to Improving Whole-Number Knowledge, and School-Based Observation: A Practical Guide to Assessing Student Behavior.

Randy G. Floyd, PhD, is Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis. His research focuses on understanding the measurement properties of psychological assessment techniques and reducing error in measurement. He is a past editor of the Journal of School Psychology and currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, the Journal of School Psychology, School Psychology International, and School Psychology Review. Dr. Floyd is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association Division 16 (School Psychology) and an elected member of the Society for the Study of School Psychology. He has authored or coauthored more than 80 publications, including Assessing Intelligence in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide and School-Based Observation: A Practical Guide to Assessing Student Behavior.