Supporting Rural Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders on the School Bus With Behavior Contingency Contracts

Riding the school bus can be an especially challenging time of the school day for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Behavior contingency contracts are an effective, evidence-based intervention that can be used to support students in less structured settings. In rural school settings, where long bus routes are common, behavior contracts can be particularly valuable. This article provides an overview of the use of behavior contingency contracts to support students in one less structured setting: the school bus. Steps to implementing a contingency contract, guidelines for implementation, and a sample contract are discussed.