As the government has enacted more strict legislation and taken a watchdog approach to school accountability, science-based educational practices are now more commonly used in the classroom. This means that whatever practices are put into use in education must have been proven by research. This is not only true of teaching techniques but also of tactics to deal with student discipline. There have been many positive results of this new requirement on both sides of the educational fence when these proven practices are put into use. The main struggle for teachers has been in learning how to understand the research end of the spectrum and put it into practical use in the classroom.
One of the successful programs that has come out of scientifically based practices has been PBS, or positive behavioral support. This program utilizes clear-cut expectations for children behavior in the classroom and gives everyone on the same page when dealing with student discipline. Students not only have to deal with consequences for their actions but also to learn why their actions were inappropriate. There has been increased training for teachers in these effective practices and many schools have seen excellent results along with reductions in problem behaviors.
Curriculum and instruction have benefited greatly in many areas, especially in math as more practical techniques have been found and implemented. One of the areas of education that has benefited the most is special education, which is a virtual gold mine of research-based practices. As educators become more familiar with scientific-based methods and how to use them, education will continue to benefit in the future.