Integrating Family & Community into All Three Tiers

Karen Elfner Childs Kimberli Breen Florida's PBS:RtIB Project Technical Assistance DirectorUniversity of South Florida IL-PBIS Network

Lou CavalloSuperintendent of SchoolsForest Park School District

Integrating Family & Community into All Three Tiers

• This session will focus on how school, family and community partnerships can be integral parts of all data, systems and practices utilized at the building, district and state-levels. Examples of tools and processes implemented at these levels will be shared.

Positive behavior support has been defined as a collaborative endeavor that includes all relevant stakeholders, including especially families.

(Hieneman, Childs & Sergay, 2006; Koegel, Koegel, & Dunlap, 1996; Lucyshn, Dunlap, & Albin, 2002)

“Facilitates the inclusion of and respect for the values and priorities of families and all team members.” APBS Standards of Practice

Leadership Team –range of stakeholders (special education, regular education, families, mental health, administration). School-wide PBS Implementer’s Blueprint

• Higher grades, test scores, graduation rates• Better school attendance• Increased motivation, self-esteem• Lower rates of suspension• Decreased use of drugs and alcohol• Fewer instances of violent behavior

Henderson & Mapp (2002) – A New Generation of Evidence

• Many problems at school reflect broader community issues

• Engaging the community will improve the effectiveness and outcomes of PBS

• Students who need more intensive levels of support are often supported by systems other than the educational system

Shared goalsShared contributions

+ Shared accountability= Partnership

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

Tiered Model for Students:To meet standards.Identify the needs of

these students

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To provide instruction& interventions

Tiered Model for Families:To meaningfully

engage with parentsacross all Tiers

Identify the needs ofthese parents

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To develop differentiated outreach

• Tier 1: Universal/Core

• Tier 2: Supplemental/Targeted Group

• Tier 3: Individual/Intensive Support

• Awareness: Families are familiar with PBS goals and activities at the school.

• Involvement: Families take part in planning and implementation.

• Extension: Families use PBS strategies to address behavior at home.

• Provide PBS information– Open house, registration, brochures

• Survey parents– Behaviors of concern, needs

• Share PBS principles and strategies– Video in office, skits at half-time, PTA mtgs

• Provide parent education– Extending PBS expectations into home

• Saturday workshops with families– Expectations taught at home– Positive strategies for homework– Avoiding power struggles

Community Forums/Focus GroupsDiscuss major shared concerns

Brainstorm solutions

Develop action plan to connect school and community

Extend school expectations into communityLibrary

After school program (Boys & Girls Club, YMCA)

Swimming pool

Scouting

Community sports

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Extending Tier 2 strategies into the homeSocial skill group applications at home

e.g share with parents the action steps teaching how to “disagree appropriately”

CommunicationEstablish good 2-way communicationDaily progress reports (school home)Home reports?Multiple methodsWrittenPhoneFace/faceCelebrate and address problems

• Supports from community agencies and organizations for students at-risk

• Mentoring and academic supports from community organizations

• Partnership with local agencies “expertise”–Substance abuse prevention–Suicide prevention–Bully-prevention–Juvenile welfare–Mental Health Agencies

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Include family members in all steps of assessment and plan development process

Define behaviors broadly to be relevant in home and school

Develop behavior support strategies that can be adapted at both home and school

Work together to obtain/modify materials

Help parents understand PBS and how to use it in the home

• Wraparound support–Health services–Welfare services–Mental health services–Vocational services–Educational services–Etc…

• Tier 1: Universal/Core (what we do for all families)

• Tier 2: Supplemental/Targeted Group (what we do to supplement for some families)

• Tier 3: Individual/Intensive Support (what we do to engage with those with the most unique needs)

• Connect families with each other• Offer families education and training• Reach families in places/events where families go

(church, community centers, etc.)• Recruit family members to serve on advisory

groups• Create/share a family resource guide to navigate

systems• Identify the resources/information parents desire

to assist their child

• Identify family strengths and needs• Build on the strengths• Repair relationship between youth, family &

school• Employ a family advocate/liaison to facilitate• Personalized, regular contact• On-going, solution oriented problem solving• Persistence – Continuity - Consistency

• Continuum of Support Practices

• Emphasis on “Foundation Supports” and investment in prevention.

• Emphasis on the organizational systems needed to implement practices with fidelity and durability.

• Collection and use of data for decision-making

Types & Examples of Family/Community Data

1) Outcome data• # of families/community participated in

events• Scores on satisfaction surveys

2) Process data• # of surveys returned• # of positive post-cards sent home• # of businesses with expectations posted• Listing of all programs/interventions that

exist for family & community at all 3 tiers

Outcome Data is Used:

• To identify youth/families/sections of community in need of support & to identify appropriate interventions

• For on-going progress-monitoring of response to intervention

• To transition, change or stop interventions

Family Participation Survey Process

• To gather names & contact information of family members (non staff) who participate in PBIS-related planning at the district and/or school level.

• Family members were sent letters asking about their interest in various statewide planning events (i.e., Statewide Leadership Team, conferences, focus groups, mailing lists, etc.)

Summary of Responses

• 91 surveys returned

• 64 returned with “Yes” responses

• 27 with “No” responses

Options for Family Participation

• State Leadership Team participation– 4 standing members

• Trainings/Conferences– 8 family team-members at Summer

Leadership Conference

• Family Networking Meetings– 6 family members participated &

completed surveys for feedback on mtgs./conference• Using that data now for Winter Conference

Process Data is Used:• To determine if interventions are being

used, being used consistently and being used with fidelity

• To monitor the effectiveness of the intervention itself (in aggregate, what % of families/community members responded to the intervention)

• To make decisions regarding the continuum of interventions/supports (what to keep doing, stop doing, do more of)

Summary of Responses

• 91 surveys returned

• 64 returned with “Yes” responses

• 27 with “No” responses

There are over 1,000 schools

“My son doesn’t behave at school…why would I bring him

back here at night?!”

Quote from mother while participating in PBIS Statewide

Family Networking Meeting

What actions are being taken to increase partnerships?

Enhanced Phases of Implementation

See hand-out

Reflect on Data Practices

• Collection– What is collected, from who, when and why?

• Use– Is this data useful, is it accurate, who sees it

(when and how often)?

• Prioritization– Is data on partnerships valued, is it collected

and used in same way as other data?– Is it present and used at building- & district-

level leadership team mtgs.?

A little about Forest Park District 91:

• Urban Fringe district just west of the city of Chicago

• 5 schools – 2 primary, 2 intermediate, 1 Middle School

• Very Diverse: 49% Black, 22.5% White, 12.5% Hispanic, 16% Other.

• 36% Low income

District-Wide PBIS Implementation

• Started with Middle school to build momentum since there was a negative perception in the community about the Middle School

• Beginning to include parents on PBIS teams in the schools

• Communicate PBIS objectives and successes to parents at all opportunities

• PBIS Objectives included in District Strategic Plan

• Behavioral (SWIS) data reported to the board twice a year

Community-wide PBIS Implementation

• Initiated by a discussion of how best to use prevention grant funds by the police department

• Community-wide Leadership team consists of Village hall, police department, park district, community center, parents, library, and schools.

• Goal is to have same expectations, strategies, and “common language” for youth throughout the community.

• Open dialogue between agencies centered around positive solutions and intervention instead of negative consequences.