Introduction
Great Falls High School is home to 1400 students, of which over 20% have IEPs or 504 plans, almost 60% are free and reduced eligible and nearly 18% identify as Native American. Great Falls serves a diverse population of students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Faced with escalating student behavioral issues and a growing sense of dissatisfaction among staff, Great Falls recognized the need for a new approach to discipline and behavior management.

The Problem
Before implementing RCD, Great Falls High School was struggling with a myriad of discipline-related challenges:
Disproportionate Time Spent on Behavior Management: Shianne reported spending 60% of her time addressing student behavior, particularly during the school’s two 30-minute lunch periods, where students were taking double lunches and leaving teachers and administrators to deal with the ensuing disruptions.

Frustrated Staff: Teachers lacked tools to manage even minor classroom disruptions (level one behaviors) and often responded by sending students to the office or filing Pupil Action Reports (PAR). This created a “Bermuda Triangle” of unresolved issues, further straining relationships between staff, administration and students.

Counterproductive Disciplinary Practices: Students often found loopholes in the punishment system, benefiting from “exits” that allowed them to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

Impact on Learning and Attendance: Poor behavior management was not only disrupting learning but also fostering a mindset among some students and their families that completing assignments at home was sufficient, hindering classroom attendance and participation.

The school’s safety and educational goals were being compromised, prompting leaders to seek a sustainable, values-driven solution.

The Solution
To address these challenges, Great Falls High School adopted Responsibility-Centered Discipline™ (RCD™) in the fall of 2023. RCD empowers educators to equip students with the skills needed to take ownership of their behavior, aligning well with the school’s vision to create self-determined, responsible citizens.

Key Implementation Steps

1. Rethinking Behavioral Systems:

• Great Falls changed its disciplinary model from “In School Suspension” to “In School Solutions” (ISS), emphasizing growth and accountability over punitive measures. While staffing ISS remains a challenge, assigning skilled and respected teachers to this duty has significantly enhanced staff buy-in.
• Teachers were provided tools like the “Give ‘Em Four” strategy, which focuses on a positive 4-to-1 ratio of reinforcement to criticism.

2. Building Staff Capacity:

• Teachers were trained in RCD techniques, empowering them to handle level one and two behaviors within the classroom, reducing administrative burden.
• Plans were established to provide ongoing training through a flexible virtual classroom model, pairing experienced teachers with new hires to ensure continuity in practice and philosophy.

3. Environmental and Structural Changes:

• The school consolidated lunch periods into one, allowing students to use the entire building, including the Field House, for recreational activities. This alone mitigated many behavioral issues tied to unsupervised time.

4. Changing Mindsets:

• Efforts were made to align parents and families with the school’s foundational principles of being present, on time and prepared. Staff worked to shift the pervasive “assignment completion equals success” mindset, reinforcing the value of classroom engagement.