14% Fewer Referrals, 6% Fewer Absences: How Beaufort County Built a Consistent K–8 Behavior System

District and school leaders across the country are wrestling with the same set of challenges: rising student mental health needs, frequent office discipline referrals, and instructional time lost to suspensions. Beaufort County Schools in eastern North Carolina was no different, but instead of treating behavior as a discipline issue, they named what they were seeing as a skill deficit, just like reading.

This shift in mindset drove a districtwide approach to behavior instruction that is already showing powerful impact: a 14% decrease in total office discipline referrals and a 6% decrease in student absences year over year.

In this blog, we’ll walk through how Beaufort County:

• Defined the problem as a pro‑social skill gap, not a character flaw
• Chose an evidence-based solution that fit their MTSS vision
• Structured implementation so that behavior became part of the schedule — not an “extra”
• Used data and recognition to build momentum across schools

The Challenge: A Growing Skill Gap in Pro‑Social Behaviors

In Beaufort County’s K–8 schools, leaders were seeing more students arrive without the core pro‑social skills needed to be successful in class, on the playground, or in group work. As Elizabeth Jones, Exceptional Children Support Coordinator, put it:

“We have to explicitly teach this just like we are explicitly teaching reading skills to children. That is the bottom line. It is a skill deficit that [students] have.”

At the same time, the district was facing:

• Increasing mental health needs
• Rising office discipline referrals
• Frequent suspensions and lost instructional time

Without a unified life skills or character program, staff were piecing together materials from multiple sources. Each school — and often each classroom — was doing something different. Leaders knew they needed:

• One coherent K–8 behavior system aligned to MTSS
• A solution that could support Tiers 1, 2, and 3
• Enough flexibility for principals to fit behavior instruction into existing schedules

The Solution: A Districtwide Partnership with CharacterStrong

Beaufort County partnered with CharacterStrong to bring an evidence-based, multi‑tiered behavior and life skills solution to their K–8 schools. Rather than jumping immediately to full scale, leaders started with a two‑school pilot, including an EC resource setting, to learn what implementation structures would work best in their context.

After seeing early success, the district:

• Expanded implementation of Tiers 1, 2, and 3 across K–8
• Committed to a two‑year adoption (2024–2026)
• Set clear expectations that teachers, instructional assistants, counselors, and administrators would all participate

District leaders also leaned on the CharacterStrong platform’s analytics to support fidelity. They tracked usage data and celebrated high‑implementing schools and teachers during monthly meetings — making implementation visible, normal, and recognized.

“We went all in with CharacterStrong in Beaufort County… our schools have access to and are using all tiers and resources. We love getting out to support the schools and seeing Character Strong in action!”
— Emily Bland, Student Behavior Coordinator, Beaufort County Schools

Making Behavior Instruction Part of the Schedule

One of Beaufort County’s biggest breakthroughs was treating behavior and life skills instruction as scheduled learning time, not something that only happened when a crisis occurred or when extra minutes appeared.

Schools used a variety of models to make this possible:

1. The “Encore Model”

At one school, CharacterStrong became an “Encore” or special area class, prioritized even over STEM. Students attended CharacterStrong as they would art, music, or PE, signaling that pro‑social skills are essential, not optional.

As Elizabeth Jones explained:

“In order for these children to work cooperatively and agree in STEM to build a rocket ship, they must have these pro‑social skills.”

2. Rotating Instructional Assistants

Other buildings used rotating instructional assistants to deliver lessons, ensuring every classroom received consistent Tier 1 instruction without overloading any single teacher.

3. Counselor / Teacher Hybrid Model

In some schools, counselors led the core CharacterStrong lessons while classroom teachers reinforced skills throughout the week with:

• Calm‑down strategies
• Whole‑class regulation practices
• Short skill‑building and regulation videos

Together, these structures created a coherent, K–8 system where students experienced common language, expectations, and strategies across classrooms and buildings.

Early Results: Fewer Referrals, Fewer Absences, Stronger Climate

Within the first year of implementation, Beaufort County saw measurable progress:

• 14% decrease in total office discipline referrals (year over year)
• 6% decrease in student absences (year over year)

Just as importantly, staff reported:

• Strong buy‑in from teachers, assistants, and counselors
• A more positive school climate
• A shift in how adults talk about behavior — from “won’t” to “hasn’t learned yet”

Behavior is now addressed as a teachable skill within a coherent K–8 system, supported by clear structures and shared tools rather than one‑off programs.

What This Means for District and School Leaders

Beaufort County’s experience highlights several key lessons for other districts:

• Name the problem accurately. Treating behavior as a skill deficit, unlocks new solutions and reduces stigma for students.
• Build coherence, not just programs. A common curriculum and shared language across K–8 matters more than any single lesson.
• Plan for Tier 1, 2, and 3 from the start. Students need universal, targeted, and intensive supports that connect, not three separate systems.
• Schedule the learning. When behavior instruction is in the master schedule, it actually happens, and students benefit.
• Use data to recognize, not just monitor. Celebrating high‑implementing schools and staff helps sustain momentum and communicates that this work is a priority.

See How CharacterStrong Can Support Your K–8 Behavior System

If your schools are seeing rising behavior and mental health needs, and you’re ready to move from pieced‑together programs to a coherent K–8 system, CharacterStrong can help.

We partner with districts to:

• Align Tier 1, 2, and 3 behavior supports with your MTSS vision
• Provide practical, age‑appropriate lessons and resources for K–8
• Support implementation with analytics, coaching, and turnkey tools

Want to see what this could look like in your district?
Request a quote with our team to explore a K–8 behavior system that fits your schedules, staff, and goals.