Student Experiences with the Instructional Skill-Building Learning Approach: An Alternative to Exclusion

Exclusionary discipline harms students, schools, and society at large. Students’ perceptions of prevention and countermeasures to this harm are imperative to improving equity in school discipline. This study examined eighth-grade students’ experiences in their middle school environments during implementation of the inclusive skill-building learning approach (ISLA). As part of ISLA implementation, school staff are supported in implementing preventative strategies and instructional responses in the face of behavior challenges. To inform future implementation efforts in these contexts, this paper examined how eighth-grade students experienced different aspects of the learning environment during the intervention year. A total of 22 students participated in focus groups and provided feedback on various elements of ISLA. Students’ experiences were analyzed using a theoretical thematic analysis, which revealed strong connections between teachers’ implementation of inclusive practices and relationship-building strategies and students’ sense of belonging and support in schools. Results are discussed in terms of the impact of student–teacher interactions, strategies to improve student outcomes, and considerations to improve ISLA implementation.