Positive Behavior

Support:

Addressing the Behavior

of All Students

Alina Rodriguez, Curriculum Support Specialist

Division of Special Education

Clinical Behavioral Services

Topics of Discussion

Provide a comparison of RtI and PBS

Review Elements of PBS

PBS Team, Administrative Support

Faculty Commitment, Participation

Effective Discipline

Data Entry & Analysis

Expectations & Rules

Reward/Recognition Program

Lesson Plans for Teaching Behavior

Provide additional resources

What is RtI?

Multi-tiered

Problem solving approach • Committed leadership with well-defined roles

• Collaborative team processes

• Effective coaching and team facilitation

• Problem solving process approach consistently used

Evidence-based instruction/intervention • Behavioral and academic skills are learned and taught

• Written practices, policies, and implementation plans

• Use of “evidence-based” programs and practices

• Intensity and method of professional development aligned with expected responsibilities of trainees

• Coaching activities included in professional development in which implementation is the goal

What is RtI?

Increasing levels of intensity

• Recognizes that behavioral and academic skills are learned and taught

Decisions based on data

• Evaluation included effectiveness of interventions and fidelity of implementation

Progress monitoring

What is School-wide

Positive Behavior Support?

The application of evidence-based

strategies and systems to assist schools

to increase academic performance,

increase safety, decrease problem

behavior, and establish positive school

cultures.

Positive Behavior Support…

Aims to build effective environments in which positive behavior is more effective than problem behavior

Is a collaborative, assessment-based approach to developing effective interventions for problem behavior

Emphasizes the use of preventative, teaching, and reinforcement-based strategies to achieve meaningful and durable behavior and lifestyle outcomes

Tiers of PBS • Tier 1 – (Universal) Procedures and processes intended for all

students, staff, in specific settings and across campus

• Tier 1 & 2 – (Classroom) Processes and procedures that reflect school-wide expectations for student behavior coupled with pre-planned strategies applied within classrooms

• Tier 2 – (Supplemental) Processes and procedures designed to address behavioral issues of groups of students with similar behavior problems or behaviors that seem to occur for the same reasons (i.e. attention seeking, escape)

• Tier 3 – (Intensive) Processes and procedures reflect school-wide expectations for student behavior coupled with team-based strategies to address problematic behaviors of individual students

Tiered Model of School Supports & the Problem-Solving Process

ACADEMIC and BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS

Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized Interventions & Supports

The most intense (increased time, narrowed focus, reduced group size) instruction and intervention based

upon individual student need provided in addition to and aligned with Tier 1 & 2 academic and behavior instruction

and supports.

Tier 2: Targeted, Supplemental Interventions & Supports

More targeted instruction/intervention and supplemental support in addition to and aligned with the core academic

and behavior curriculum.

Tier 1: Core, Universal Instruction & Supports

General academic and behavior instruction and support provided to all students in all settings.

Florida’s State Transformation Team on RtI (Dec. 3, 2009)

For academics

or behavior, RtI

principles &

characteristics

are the same

across tiers.

Responding to

Behavior: Traditionally

Reactive/Consequence Strategies

Office referral, detention, suspensions, etc.

Used to try to teach the “right way”

May actually reinforce the behavior of concern

Individual counseling and therapy

Restrictive and segregated settings

Implement packaged programs

Traditional Discipline versus PBS

Traditional

Discipline:

Goal is to stop

undesirable behavior

through the use of

punishment

Focuses on the

student’s problem

behavior

Positive Behavior

Support:

Goal is to stop

undesirable behavior

by:

Replacing with a new

behavior or skill

Altering environments

Teaching appropriate

skills

Rewarding appropriate

behavior

What will PBS look like in our

school?

Data will be used to help track progress and identify areas to target for intervention

Discipline referral Processes & Procedures will be Consistent throughout the school

The school will develop and use school-wide Expectations & Rules in settings across campus to Teach students appropriate behavior

A Reward System will be used to encourage and model appropriate behavior and Effective Consequences will be developed and used to discourage inappropriate behavior.

Elements of School-wide PBS

PBS Team, Administrative Support

Faculty Commitment, Participation

Effective Discipline

Data Entry & Analysis

Expectations & Rules

Reward/Recognition Program

Lesson Plans for Teaching Behavior

Implementation Planning

Classroom PBS Systems

Evaluation

PBS Team

TEAM MEETS AT LEAST MONTHLY TO:

Assess the current behavior management practices

Examine patterns of behavior

Obtain staff commitment

Develop a school-wide plan

Obtain parental participation and input

Oversee, monitor, and evaluate all planned objectives and activities developed by team

School PBS Team Tasks

Develop the School-Wide PBS action plan

Monitor behavior data

Hold regular team meetings (at least monthly)

Maintain communication with staff and coach

Evaluate progress

Report outcomes to Coach/Facilitator & District Coordinator

Participation from Administration

Administrators should actively communicate

their commitment to the process

Administrator should be familiar with

school’s current data and reporting system

Efforts regarding “change” have potential to

fade without administrative support

If a principal is not committed to the change

process, it is unwise to move forward in the

process

Buy-In: We’re in it for the long haul

Staff and administrator commitment is

essential for success

Work towards maintaining 80% buy-in

Emphasize that PBS is a 3-5 year process:

PBS is not a pre-packaged plan and is often a

philosophical shift for staff, expect some initial

resistance

Rewards and incentives for staff often help maintain

and boost staff participation

It Is an Ongoing Process

Faculty buy-in is NOT a one shot deal, it needs to be

ongoing and a continuous process

Just like a good marriage, diet plan….

Need to get faculty support for ALL critical elements

prior to implementation

Present everything to your faculty as a draft

waiting for their input

More likely to get faculty support and implement

with fidelity

Consider an election process

Office vs. Teacher-Managed

A clear distinction must exist between

problem behaviors that are teacher/staff

managed versus problem behaviors that

are office-managed or crisis

Office-Managed Incidents

Defined: Discipline incidents that must be handled by the

administration. These may include but are not

limited to: physical fights, property damage, drugs,

weapons, tobacco, etc.

Teacher-Managed Incidents

Defined: Discipline incidents that can be handled by the classroom

teacher and usually do not warrant a discipline referral to

the office*. These may include but are not limited to:

tardiness to class, lack of classroom material, incomplete

classroom assignments, gum chewing, etc.

* These incidences are still tracked but the

consequence is delivered by the teacher in the classroom

Emergency or Crisis Incidents

Defined: Discipline incidents that require immediate response from administration and/or crisis response team. These incidences may cause short-term change to a school’s Positive Behavior Support Plan and may include: Bomb Threats, Weapons Alerts, Intruder, Fire Evacuations, etc.

*These incidents do not necessarily result in an ODR

Purpose: Maintain order and safety during emergency situations

*Each school is urged to consult their district and school policies for emergency/crisis incidents

Office Discipline Referral (ODR) Forms

In formatting the referral form, you must make sure to answer the following questions: Who What When Why Where

Clarity on the referral form takes the guess work out of the data entry person’s job

Data will be more reliable and accurate as judgment calls are minimized

Characteristics of a Referral Form

•Student’s Name

•Date

•Time of Incident

•Student’s Teacher (optional)

•Student’s Grade Level

•Referring Staff

•Location of Incident

•Problem Behavior

•Possible Motivation

•Others Involved

•Administrative Decision

•Other Comments (BRIEF

Narrative)

The following categories need to be included on the form:

The Discipline Referral Process

Should Include: A System for Notifying:

Staff involved with the discipline of a particular student

Parents to avoid inconsistencies

The system should not rely entirely on the student’s ability and/or willingness to inform parents of problems

Students to remind them of their responsibilities if the intervention will not be administered immediately

2nd Step (Same behavior)

Complete Tracking form

Intervention

Behavior ceases. No further action

Write Referral (Attach teacher tracking forms if applicable.) Send the student with the referral to Room 1.

4th Step (Same behavior) Seek Assistance from PBS Team

Behavior ceases. No further action

a) Copy of referral and/or letter sent to the parent b) School retains copies c) Copy of referral to (how given to teacher?) teacher for files (when?…time frame?)

Administration determines course of action or consequences

Behavior ceases. No further action

3rd Step (Same behavior)

Complete Tracking form Intervention Contact Parent

Verbal Warning. Restate Expectation/rule

NO

YES

DISCIPLINE FLOW CHART

Data Entry procedures followed:

Data Clerk enters daily into Terms

Use the Existing Database

Where behaviors are occurring (i.e., setting)

What types of behaviors are occurring

What types of consequences are delivered to discipline students

When problem behaviors occur most frequently

How many discipline referrals, suspensions, and/or expulsions occurred last school year

How many faculty are absent daily

Other (loss of instruction time, absences, ESE referrals, etc.)

Designing Solutions

If many students are making the same

mistake, it is typically the system that

needs to change, NOT the students

Teach, monitor and reward before

relying on punishment

Why Haven’t Traditional “Punishments”

Been Effective?

Not related to the function of the behavior!

If a student tries to avoid a task by

disrupting and the teacher sends him to the

office or to time out, then:

The behavior has served it’s function

The task has been avoided, and

The student will see no need to change

Is Suspension Working?

Suspension is a strong indicator a student will drop out of school (Achilles, et al, 2007; Cassidy & Jackson, 2005)

Suspension does not appear to be a deterrent for future misconduct (Achilles, et al, 2007; Anderson & Kincaid, 2005; Costenbader & Markson, 1997; Bacon, 1990)

OSS is often used to provide relief to teachers, and doesn’t address

the issues that led to misbehavior (Morrison & Skiba, 2001)

Students removed by suspension are often those who need to be in school (academics) (Christle et al., 2004)

Suspension is most frequently doled out to minority students, low SES and those served by special education (Achilles, et al, 2007)

Guidelines for

Identifying Expectations

Identify behaviors expected of all students and staff in all settings

Select 3 to 5 behaviors

State expectations in positive terms

Select expectations that are general enough to be applicable in multiple settings, but specific enough to be of assistance in generating rules for targeted settings

How Are Expectations

and Rules Similar?

Both should be limited in number (3-5)

Both should be positively stated

Both should be aligned with the school’s

mission statement & policies

Both should clarify criteria for successful

performance

How Rules are Different

Rules describe specific behaviors:

Observable

Measurable

Rules may apply to a limited number

of settings

Rules clarify the SW-Expectations for

specific settings

Keeping it Out There

Tickets/Tokens with the school-wide expectations typed on them

Posters - written and graphic cues in the setting where the behaviors are expected

Agendas/Planning Book Covers

School Marquee

39

Why Develop a

School-Wide Reward System?

Rewards are effective when:

used to build new skills or sustain desired

skills

used with contingent delivery of rewards for

specific behavior

gradually faded over time

• Akin-Little, Eckert, Lovett, Little, 2004

Why Develop a

School-Wide Reward System?

The immediate reward (ticket/token) acts as a teaching

tool for desired behavior

Focuses staff & student attention on desired behaviors

The immediate reward is a bridge to long-term reward

The immediate reward increases likelihood of repeating

the desired behavior

Fosters a positive school climate

Reduces the need for engaging in time-consuming disciplinary

measures

Access to long-term reward increases the power of the

immediate reinforcer

What is Behavior?

ANYTHING we SAY or DO:

Focus on what is observable rather than intentions

HOW WE REACT to our environment

Behaviors are LEARNED and continue because

they serve a PURPOSE or FUNCTION

We engage in behaviors because we have learned

that a DESIRED OUTCOME occurs

Importance of

Basic Behavior Principles

Must know why behavior is occurring to develop an effective intervention plan

When you understand what is happening at your school and why it is happening, your team will be able to change how things work (the system) to increase appropriate behavior and decrease inappropriate behavior

Top Behavior Principles

1) Understand the function (WHY) of behavior

2) Understanding comes from observation of ABCs

3) Antecedents precede and increase the likelihood of behavior (PREVENTION STRATEGIES)

4) Behavior tends to be repeated or discontinued because of the consequences/outcomes

5) Consequences should be consistent and immediate

6) Modeling can strengthen or weaken behavior

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”

“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we…

…teach? …punish?”

“Why can’t we finish the last sentence as

automatically as we do the others?”

(Herner, 1998)

Once you have developed expectations and rules, it is not enough to just post words on the walls of the school…

YOU MUST TEACH THEM

CONSISTENTLY ACROSS CAMPUS!

My School’s

Expectations… 1. Be Safe

2. Be Responsible

3. Be Respectful

Why Develop a

System for Teaching Behavior?

Behaviors are prerequisites for academics

Procedures and routines create structure

Repetition is key to learning new skills: For a child to learn something new, it needs to be

repeated on average of 8 times

For a child to unlearn an old behavior and replace with a new behavior, the new behavior must be repeated on average 28 times (Harry Wong)

Why Develop a

System for Teaching Behavior?

We must assume: Students will require different curricula,

instructional modalities, etc… to learn appropriate behavior

We need to teach expectations/rules and appropriate behaviors as effectively as we teach academic skills

How Do We Teach Behavior?

Introductory Events:

Teaching school expectations and rules

On-going Direct Instruction:

Social skills programs (LEAPS, Character Ed., etc…)

Embedding in Curricula

Academics

Refresher Trainings

Keeping it Out There:

School pledges, songs, cheers

Daily announcements

LEAPS Behavior Curriculum

198 Social and Emotional Development Lesson Plans Multi-Modal Assessments

Group Assessments Tiered Benchmarks

Individual and Group Monitoring and Modalities Automated Reporting for Fidelity and Progress

For more information about Leaps or to schedule an online demonstration,

please call (877) 775-5327 or visit www.goleaps.com

Register now for additional webinars in the Changing Behaviors Educational Webinar Series: www.behaviorwebinar.com

The 411 on Behavioral RTI – What, When, Where and Why Behavioral Response to Intervention: Tier 1 – Yes, Your Teachers Can!

Behavioral Response to Intervention: Tiers 2 & 3 – Making Interventions Matter

Additional Resources

Directors: Rob Horner & George Sugai

USF: Don Kincaid, Heather George, & Glen Dunlap

Click Here…

Click Here…

Click Here…

Teacher

“I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the

decisive element in the classroom. It is my

personal approach that created the climate. It is

my daily mood that makes the weather. As a

teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a

child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of

torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can

humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it

is my response that decides whether a crisis will be

escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or

dehumanized.”

Dr. Haim Ginott

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QUESTIONS?

Contact Information

Robin J. Morrison, Instructional Supervisor and District PBS Coordinator

Division of Special Education

Phone: 305-995-1806

Email: rmorrison@dadeschools.net

Florida PBS Project

Website: http://flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu

OSEP Center on PBIS

Website: http://www.pbis.org