Cutting office referrals lets administrators turn attention away from discipline and toward instructional leadership. For example, one UBI school reported more than 5,100 office discipline referrals in a single year — that's 160 days worth of administrative time, UBI data shows.

The minimum school year is 180 days long.

Schools reach behavior goals by repeatedly teaching about and rewarding positive behavior, from following lunchroom rules — Park Elementary's lunchroom noise goal is monitored by a decibel meter disguised as a traffic light (red means it's too loud) — to being constructive in playground situations — "I feel bad when you call me stupid, please stop."

Kids might be rewarded with tickets, posted on a grid that when full brings, say, a pizza party. Some at Academy Park might receive play money, which is stuffed into classroom pinatas that children bust for rewards.

School behavior initiatives work on about 80 percent of the students, said Carol Anderson, a member of the UBI state support team and a specialist in emotional disturbance and mental health issues with the State Office of Education.

The remaining 20 percent are channeled into intensive programs that include daily tracking and, at Academy Park, academic testing, sometimes weekly. Several are found to be academically struggling, but get the help they need — sometimes, special education services — under the program. A couple of Academy Park students, once placed in the more targeted program, doubled their literacy skills.

"What we're wanting to show through our initiative is that . . . social behavior and academics are tied together to get the best student outcomes," Anderson said. "With No Child Left Behind . . . (some schools are) so wrapped up in the data that they forget: Unless you get them in their seats and paying attention, you're not going to get great academic outcomes."

Union's efforts have played well for ninth-grader Anthony Firkins, who says he used to end up in the principal's office "every other day.

"I just kept on not showing up to class, not doing the work in class, not doing what they told me," Firkins said. "But they always stayed on top of me, made me do the work."

Now, he's more than doubled his grade point average to a 2.0. He doesn't argue with teachers anymore. He's proud of his accomplishment, and received a most improved student award from his school.

"Everything's easier," Firkins said of his change.

As for high school?

"I think I can do it."

What kids are saying

Students at Granite District's Academy Park Elementary were surveyed about the Utah Behavior Initiatives program, which 95 percent said has helped them, school data show. Student remarks include:

"I have more friends."

"I get good grades instead of bad."

"I'm not as mad."

"The way I speak to myself is better."

"I have ways to control myself."

"I learned that emotional blackmail doesn't work."

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