What describes gradually increasing responses when behavior persists?

• A. High-impact consequences
• B. Escalating consequences
• C. Educational contracts
• D. Restorative discipline

Answer: (B)

Escalating consequences describe progressively stronger responses when a behavior persists. This approach sets a clear sequence so students know that continuing misbehavior will lead to higher levels of intervention, such as starting with a warning and moving to time-out or loss of privileges if it continues. The goal is to deter ongoing behavior by linking persistence to increasingly impactful consequences while staying fair and predictable. High-impact consequences jump to severe penalties without the gradual buildup, educational contracts are about agreeing on expected behavior, and restorative discipline focuses on repairing harm and relationships rather than escalating punishment.