Overview of

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports

Idaho SWPBIS Training Institute

Objectives• Describe the rationale behind a

schoolwide approach to behavior support

• Outline the general and generic organization of the application of tiered behavioral supports

• Outline the organization and direction of this year’s Tier 1 training

Tier One Getting Started

• Overview, Schoolwide, Non-classroom, Data Decisions, Team Meetings, Team Planning

Expanding Implementation• Classroom, Escalation Cycle, Team Status Check,

Team Planning

Sustaining Efforts• Individual Student, Secondary-group, Team

Planning, Long-term Action Planning

Acknowledgements• Students, educators, administrators, school staff,

families• Community of researchers, system changers, staff

developers• Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Offices of

Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education

• State Department of Education (SDE), Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies (CSI&PS), Special Education Statewide Technical Assistance (SESTA), Project Schools, Northwest PBIS (NWPBIS)

Purpose:Examine the features of a proactive systemic approach to preventing and responding to schoolwide discipline problems

Generic Model• Schoolwide PBIS Team

• Represents school, meets regularly• Writes plan, trains school employees

• Coach• Facilitates meetings• Provides technical assistance to school• Links school to state

• State Leadership Team• Guides planning and development• Coordinates training• Comprises school teams/structure

SWPBIS Coaches• Establish a network of highly skilled

personnel who have:•Fluency with PBIS systems and practices•Capacity to deliver technical support•Capacity to sustain team efforts

• Follow-up training throughout the year includes:•Specialized topics•Communication and problem-solving

Roles & Responsibilities

• Please define the roles and responsibilities of:•administrator•coach•team

Positive School Climate

• Maximizes academic engagement and achievement

• Minimizes rates of rule violating behavior• Encourages acts of respectful and responsible

behavior• Organizes school functions to be more efficient,

effective, and relevant• Improves supports for students with disabilities

and those placed at risk of educational failure

The Learning EnvironmentPositive Environment Leads

to…Negative Environment Leads

to…Endorphins in bloodstream, which• Generate feeling of euphoria• Raise pain threshold• Stimulate the frontal lobe so

that the situation and learning objective are remembered

Cortisol in bloodstream, which• Raises anxiety level• Shuts down processing of low-

priority information (for example, the lesson objective)

• Focuses frontal lobe on the cause of the stress so that the situation is remembered, but not the learning objective

Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011

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Which comes first???

Academic problems often precede behavior problems

Behavior problems often precede academic problems

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Behavior and academic achievement are inextricably linked. A student’s academic success in school is directly related to the

student’s attention, engagement, and behavior. The higher the expectation for scholarly behaviors and the better the

supports for students experiencing difficulties, whether mild, moderate, or severe – the more

academic success can be achieved.

(Buffman, Mattos, Weber, 2008)

Creating Positive Learning Environments

Discuss the following questions1. Does everyone in our school agree on why we are here?2. Does everyone really believe we can make a difference for all kids?3. In terms of making a difference, do we have a common schoolwide vision?4. Are clear and specific schoolwide systems in place to make our vision a

reality?5. Are classroom plans in place that match the schoolwide systems?6. Are individual student support options in place?7. Do procedures in the office support the school, classroom, and individual

plans?8. Does every adult talk about these plans openly, regularly, and

systematically?9. Do we know, with measurable evidence, that the plans are making a

difference?10. If our plans are not making a difference, are we willing to try something

new?

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual InterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedHigh Intensity

Intensive, Individual InterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedIntense, durable procedures

Targeted Group InterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Targeted Group InterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Universal InterventionsAll studentsPreventive, proactive

Universal InterventionsAll settings, all studentsPreventive, proactive

Idaho’s Tiered Instructional and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS)

Framework

Level of Intensity of Response = Level of Intensity of

BehaviorAt the top of the pyramid, this is

individualized work. The good news is that if we have developed a solid,

positive foundation with the base of the pyramid, we will have more energy and

resources to work with this small, challenging group of individuals.

(Hierck, Coleman, Weber, p. 47, 2011)

Response to Intervention

Overview• Emphasis will be placed on the processes,

systems, and organizational structures that are needed to enable the accurate adoption, fluent use, and sustained application of these practices.

• Emphasis will be placed on the importance of data-based decision-making, evidence-based practices, and on-going staff development and support.

Model of Continuous Improvement

Plan

Do

Check

Act

Article Jigsaw ActivityGot it. I know, understand, and/or agree with this.

This is really important or interesting.

I don’t understand this, or this does not make sense to me.

Reduced number of ODRs means:

• Returned instructional time• Improved academic outcomes• Reduced number of students

receiving highest level of service

21

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

Tota

l Offic

e D

isci

plin

e R

efer

rals

95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99School Years

Kennedy Middle School

Example:

What does a reduction of 850 ODRs and 25 suspensions mean?

Savings in Administrative Time

Savings in Student Instructional Time

•ODR = 15 minutes per event•Suspension = 45 minutes per event•13,875 minutes•231 hours•29, 8-hour days

•ODR = 45 minutes per event•Suspension = 216 minutes per event•43,650 minutes•728 hours•121, 6-hour school days

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Idaho Elementary SchoolCost Benefit Worksheet

Student Time Regained:

6840 minutes114 hours

14 days

Administrator Time Regained:

2280 minutes38 hours

5 days

Ineffective Responses to Problem Behavior

•“GET TOUGH!” (practices)•“Train and Hope” (systems)

“GET TOUGH!”•Clamp down and increase monitoring•Re-re-review rules•Extend continuum and consistency of consequences•Establish “bottom line”

“GET TOUGH!”Negative Side Effects:• Fosters environments of control.• Triggers and reinforces antisocial

behavior.• Shifts accountability away from school.• Devalues child-adult relationship.• Weakens relationships between academic

and social behavior programming.

Brainstorm your “GET TOUGH” practices.

Reactive Responses are Predictable

When we experience aversive situations, we select interventions that produce immediate relief and:• Remove students• Remove ourselves• Modify physical environments• Assign responsibility for change to students

and/or others

When behavior doesn’t improve, we “Get Tougher!”

•Zero tolerance policies•Increased surveillance•Increased suspension and expulsion•In-service training by expert•Alternative programming

A predictable, systemic response, but…

based on the erroneous assumption that students:

•Are inherently “bad”•Will learn more appropriate behavior through increased use of “aversives”•Will be better tomorrow

Science of behavior has taught us that students:•Are NOT born with “bad behaviors”•Do NOT learn when presented contingent aversive consequences

DO learn better ways of behaving by being taught directly and receiving positive feedback

Consequence is NOT synonymous with punishment

Discipline Punishment • Is student focused• Shows students what they

have done wrong• Clarifies ownership of the

problem• Facilitates problem solving• Seeks resolution and leaves

dignity intact

• Is adult oriented• Requires judgment• Imposes power• Arouses anger and resentment• Invites more conflict

(Hierch, Coleman, & Weber, 2011)

“Train and Hope” Approach

1. React to identified problem2. Select and add practice3. Hire expert to train practice4. Expect and hope for implementation5. Wait for new problem

Positive Behavior Support

PBS is a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behavior with all students.

“EBS” = “PBS” = “PBIS”

What Does PBIS Look Like?Tier 1

• >80% of students can tell you what is expected of them and give behavioral example because they have been taught, actively supervised, practiced, and acknowledged

• Positive adult-to-student interactions exceed behavior• Function-based behavior support is foundation for

addressing problem behavior• Data and team-based action planning and implementation

are operating• Administrators are active participants• Full continuum of behavior support is available to all

students

What Does PBIS Look Like?Tier 2 & 3

• Team-based coordination and problem-solving occurs• Local specialized behavioral capacity is built• Function-based behavior support planning occurs• Person-centered, contextually, and culturally relevant

supports are provided• District/regional behavioral capacity is built• Supports are instructionally oriented• SWPBIS practices and systems are linked• School-based comprehensive supports are

implemented

PBIS is NOT:•A specific practice or curriculum, but rather a general framework to preventing problem behavior.•Limited to any particular group of students, but rather for all students.•New, but rather is based on a long history of behavioral practices and effective instructional design strategies.

What is PBIS?

What is SWPBIS?A systems approach for establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for school to be

effective learning environments for all students.

Evidence-based features of SWPBIS:

• Prevention• Define and teach positive social expectations.• Acknowledge positive behavior• Arrange consistent consequences for problem

behavior• On-going collection and use of data for decision

making• Continuum of intensive, individual interventions

supports• Implementation of the systems that support

effective practices

The Impact of SWPBIS:

Reductions: Improvements:Students:•Office referrals•Suspensions and expulsions•Referrals to Special EducationFaculty and Staff:•Faculty absenteeism

Students:•Student engagement•Academic performance•Family involvementFaculty and Staff:•Consistency across faculty•Classroom management•Faculty retention•Substitute performance/perception•Ratings of faculty “effectiveness

SWPBIS as Prescribed• SWPBIS team drives implementation of

practices• Team uses student and staff input to

inform the development of high efficiency systems of support for evidence-based practices

• Team collects and analyzes data• Team meets monthly to move process

forward

SWPBIS as Prescribed•Monthly meetings (while developing first tier)

•Program development•Impact and implementation

•After first tier of support is established:•Development of advanced tier interventions•Identification of non-responders•Monitor student progress and advanced tier implementation

The challenge is increasing schools’ capacity to:

• Respond effectively, efficiently, and relevantly to a range of problem behaviors observed in schools

• Adopt, fit, integrate, and sustain research-based behavior practices

• Give priority to an unified prevention agenda

• Engage in team-based problem-solving

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Classroom

Non-classroom Individual Student

School-wide

Adapted from Horner (2009) Cal. State Fullerton, 2009

Schoolwide and Classroom-wide Systems

1. Identify a common purpose and approach to discipline

2. Define a clear set of positive expectations and behaviors

3. Implement procedures for teaching expected behavior

4. Differentiate supports from a continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior

5. Differentiate supports from a continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior

6. Implement procedures for on-going monitoring and evaluation

Effective Classroom Management Systems

• Teach and encourage classroom-wide positive expectations

• Teach and encourage classroom routines and cues

• Use a ratio of 5 positives to 1 negative adult-student interaction

• Supervise actively• Redirect the minor, infrequent behavior errors• Precorrect chronic errors frequently• Increase student engagement through active

participation strategies

Specific Setting Systems• Teach and encourage positive

expectations and routines• Supervise actively

o All staff: scan, move, interact• Precorrect• Provide positive reinforcement

Individual Student Systems• Support behavioral competence at school and

district levels• Tailor function-based behavior support planning• Use team and data-based decision making• Utilize comprehensive person-centered planning

and wraparound processes• Deliver secondary social skills and self-

management instruction• Implement individualized instructional and

curricular accommodations

PBIS Features

Science of Human

Behavior

Local Contextand Culture Prevention

Logic forAll

Evidence-Based

Practices

SystemsChange andDurability Natural

Implementers

Prevention is…• Decreasing development of new problem

behaviors• Preventing increased severity of existing problem

behaviors• Eliminating triggers and maintenance of problem

behaviors• Teaching, monitoring, and acknowledging

prosocial behavior• Using a 3-tiered prevention logic that defines a

continuum of support• Designing schoolwide systems for student success

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Prevention Logic for All

Walker et al., 1996

Decrease development of new problem

behaviors

Prevent worsening of existing problem

behaviors

Redesign learning & teaching

environments to

eliminate triggers & maintainer

s of problem

behaviors

Teach, monitor, &

acknowledge pro-social

behavior

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual InterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedHigh Intensity

Intensive, Individual InterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedIntense, durable procedures

Targeted Group InterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Targeted Group InterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Universal InterventionsAll studentsPreventive, proactive

Universal InterventionsAll settings, all studentsPreventive, proactive

Idaho’s Tiered Instructional and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS)

Framework

Audit of Current PracticesTIER 3

List Individualized/Intensive practices provided to a few students for support

TIER 2List Strategic/Targeted practices

provided to some students for support

TIER 1List Core practices provided to all students

and intended to support most

Active Administrative Participation• Actively participate as a member of the

leadership team• Establishes PBIS initiative as one of the

top three improvement plan priorities• Commits to and invests in a 2-3 year

implementation effort

Emphasizes Data-based Evaluation•Conduct self-assessment and action planning•Evaluate self-improvement continuously•Identify strengths and needs•Plan and implement strategic dissemination

Implementation Challenges• Multiple, overlapping, and competing initiatives• Overemphasis on conceptualization, structure,

and process• Under-emphasis on data-based decision making• Failure to build competence for accurate and

sustained implementation• Reluctance to eliminate practices and systems

that are not effective, efficient, and relevant• Low rates of regular positive acknowledgements

and celebrations

Brainstorm potential challenges and suggest effective strategies.

Challenges Suggested Strategy

At the end of this year you should feel like…

1. There is room for improvement but we have the basics in place and have a basis for identifying non-responders.

2. We are teaching desired behaviors to all student in all settings.

3. For the most part, our teachers support implementation (80%).

4. Our system for supporting the behavior of students is sustainable.