Transforming Complexity into Practical Action

1. Transforming Complexity into Practical Action Rob Horner University of Oregon www.pbis.org

2. The Challenge • Intense Accountability focused on Student Outcomes • Multiple and Evolving Initiatives • Complex Federal and State Regulations

3. Development of Science to Practice Efforts • David Tilly/ Hill Walker • Identification of basic principles of behavior • Development of evidence-based practices • Development of implementation technology

4. The current technology of Implementation • 94-142 and IDEA • Focus on Access to Education • Access to services • NCLB and RTI • Focus on Outcomes • Implementation of Effective Practices

5. © Dean Fixsen, Karen Blase, Robert Horner, George Sugai, 2008 Implementation • An effective intervention is one thing • Implementation of an effective intervention is a very different thing • Dean Fixsen

6. Sobering Observation © Dean Fixsen, Karen Blase, Robert Horner, George Sugai, 2008 "All organizations [and systems] are designed, intentionally or unwittingly, to achieve precisely the results they get."R. Spencer Darling (Business Expert)

7. Unintended Effects • Our systems are organized to meet administrative requirements, not student outcomes • Conflicting programs • Conflicting funding streams • Redundancy • Lack of coordination across programs • Inconsistent rules about program access • Extreme complexity and fiscal inefficiency

8. Our education system has grown up through a process of “disjointed incrementalism” (Reynolds, 1988) Gifted K-12 Education SPED Title I Migrant At-Risk ELL

9. Proposed Solution Define Problem • Combine Response to Intervention with Conventional Problem Solving Model Develop Plan Data Used for Evaluation Implement

10. Define Problem Data Used for Evaluation Develop Plan Implement

11. Lessons Learned from PBIS • Never stop doing what works • Focus on the smallest changes that will produce the largest effects on valued outcomes • Make any initiative adapt to your school culture • Never introduce something new without simultaneously defining what you will stop doing to create the resources for the new effort.

12. Lessons Learned • Invest in initiatives that will be implemented with high fidelity and maintained for at least 10 years. • Braid Initiatives by • Focusing first on outcomes • Implementing practices not programs. • Achieve fidelity through comprehensive implementation • Provide instruction on content • Provide opportunities for demonstration • Provide opportunities for practice • Provide coaching in performance context. • Implement the policies that will support effect practice

13. Lessons Learned • Implement innovations with active coaching

14. 10% 5% 0% 30% 20% 0% 60% 60% 5% 95% 95% 95% Joyce & Showers, 2002

15. Lessons Learned • Implement practices with basic policies and systems needed for high fidelity and sustainability

16. Discipline Foundation Policy: LAUSD • School-Wide Positive Behavior Support • NUMBER: BUL-3638.0 • ISSUER: DonnalynJaque-Antón, Executive Officer, Educational Services • DATE: March 27, 2007 • POLICY: • Every student, pre-school through adult, has the right to be educated in a safe, • respectful and welcoming environment. Every educator has the right to teach in an • atmosphere free from disruption and obstacles that impede learning. This will be • achieved through the adoption and implementation of a consistent school-wide positive behavior support and discipline plan for every school in LAUSD. • All school level discipline plans will be consistent with the Culture of Discipline: Guiding Principles for the School Community (Attachment A) and Culture of Discipline: Student Expectations (Attachment B). This will include: teaching school rules and social-emotional skills; reinforcing appropriate student behavior; using effective classroom management and positive behavior support strategies by providing early intervention for misconduct and appropriate use of consequences.

17. Lessons Learned • Avoid competing initiatives

18. Efficient Systems of Support • “The typical school operates 14 different prevention activities concurrently, and the typical activity is implemented with poor quality.” • Gottfredson, Gottfredson, Czeh, Cantor, Crosse & Hantman, 2000

19. Working Smarter • Eliminate all initiatives that do NOT have a defined purpose and outcome measure. • 2. Combine initiatives that have the same outcome measure and same target group • 3. Combine initiatives that have 75% of the same staff • 4. Eliminate initiatives that are not tied to School Improvement Goals.

20. Sample Team Matrix

21. One Example • Bully Proofing

22. Lessons Learned • Organize for comprehensive implementation

23. Visibility Political Support Funding Leadership Team Active Coordination Training Coaching Behavioral Expertise Evaluation Local Demonstration Schools

24. Lessons Learned • Administrators are critical to effective and durable implementation • Gallop poll • Jennifer Doolittle

25. “What the Worlds Greatest Managers Do Differently” -- Buckingham & Coffman 2002, GallupInterviews with 1 million workers, 80,000 managers, in 400 companies. • Create working environments where employees: • 1. Know what is expected • 2. Have the materials and equipment to do the job correctly • 3. Receive recognition each week for good work. • 4. Have a supervisor who cares, and pays attention • 5. Receive encouragement to contribute and improve • 6. Can identify a person at work who is a “best friend.” • 7. Feel the mission of the organization makes them feel like their jobs are important • 8. See the people around them committed to doing a good job • 9. Feel like they are learning new things (getting better) • 10. Have the opportunity to do their job well.

26. Summary • School building administrators are essential for organizational change • We get the outcomes our systems are designed to produce. If we don’t like the outcome, then change the system. • Invest in capacity for high fidelity implementation of a small number of core initiatives.