Degree Date

2-26-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Laura Wangsness Willemsen

Abstract

In an effort to support student achievement and decrease disruptive behaviors, many schools have implemented the Positive Behavior and Supports and Intervention (PBIS) framework. Two critical aspects of this framework are cultural inclusion and family engagement, which are used to promote equitable and responsive practices and policies. However, research on the effectiveness of PBIS in diverse schools focuses primarily on what schools do and fails to examine the perspective and experiences of parents. This is especially true for the Somali diaspora in Minnesota, the state with the largest Somali population in the United States. This qualitative study examined the experiences and perspectives of Somali families and their conceptualization of their role in the behavior process through PBIS. I interviewed seven Somali parents and one aunt whose children attend the same PBIS school. This dissertation was intended to offer strategies for having Somali parents engage in PBIS while underscoring the necessity and value of their input and engagement in the PBIS process. Using a qualitative case study, I identified four major themes and a surprising, yet powerful, subtheme. These themes included: (1) Somali Parents' Aspirations for Engagement in Education, (2) Challenges and Supports to Understanding PBIS for Somali Parents, (3) Enhancing Parental Engagement: The Need for More School Support, and (4) Acknowledging Successes with Cultural Inclusion & Addressing Present Gaps. Findings have the potential to show that Somali families value teachers’ and schools' roles in their children’s lives and express a commitment to their parental involvement in their children's behavior at school and home. However, most participants stated that the school needs to be more straightforward with parents about their roles and how they can be involved in the PBIS process, especially for parents new to the country. With the addition of the sub theme of Belonging the four main themes are further underscored with an emphasis on the importance of parents feeling a part of the school community and feeling heard. The findings of this study could lead to changes in how schools focus on family engagement and cultural inclusion when implementing PBIS with such recommendations for practice and procedures as professional development opportunities for staff to build effective and collaborative partnerships with parents, parent mentors for parents new to PBIS, parent support groups, and more community guest speakers. Each recommendation is provided with an emphasis on the family engagement and cultural inclusion components of PBIS and with the main goal of promoting students' success. Through an understanding of Somali families' experience and perspective on PBIS in schools, the administration will develop a heightened awareness of the necessity for a more clarified involvement of Somali families in the behavior process to promote their presence and increase understanding of their roles as well as creating more effective parent- teacher relationships.

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