Pilot Proposed to Reduce Classroom Disruption, Support Teacher Retention

Senator Emily Buss presented a request to pilot the Privileged Classroom (TPC) model statewide to reduce classroom disruption and teacher burnout.

Greg Strong, founder and lead researcher for TPC, described two decades of development and implementation in more than 4,500 classrooms. Strong characterized the model as shifting from punishment to privilege‑based incentives, saying it prevents disruptive responses by structuring classroom privileges and reinforcing belonging. He told the committee the model has shown reductions in referrals and teacher stress and estimated annual licensing/training costs of roughly $1,200 to $2,200 per school for online access.

Presenters requested pilot funding to develop an online training portal and provide annual school licenses so educators statewide could access training resources and implementation materials. Vice Chair McPherson and other members asked for concrete examples of classroom incentives; Strong and demonstrators described privileges such as structured relaxed work time, opportunities for extra credit or multiple test attempts, and classroom routines tied to consistent incentives rather than punitive responses.

What’s next: The pilot request was presented and discussed; committee members asked clarifying questions about classroom implementation and cost structure but did not record a funding vote in this hearing.