Integrating Family & Community into All Three Tiers

1. Integrating Family & Community into All Three Tiers Karen Elfner Childs Kimberli Breen Florida's PBS:RtIB Project Technical Assistance Director University of South Florida IL-PBIS Network Lou Cavallo Superintendent of Schools Forest Park School District

2. 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.

3. Call for Family Involvement 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

4. Family Involvement has been associated with… 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

5. Assumptions 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

6. Vision for PBS in the Community Shared goals Shared contributions + Shared accountability = Partnership

7. Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • 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 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% 80-90% 80-90%

8. Identify the needs ofthese students To meet standards. = Tiered Model for Students: To provide instruction& interventions 8

9. To meaningfullyengage with parentsacross all Tiers Identify the needs ofthese parents = Tiered Model for Families: To develop differentiated outreach 9

10. Family/Community Involvement Based on the Level of Support Students’ Need Tier 1: Universal/Core Tier 2: Supplemental/Targeted Group Tier 3: Individual/Intensive Support

11. Extent of Family Involvement 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.

12. Involving Families – Tier 1 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

13. Involving Community - Tier 1 • Community Forums/Focus Groups • Discuss major shared concerns • Brainstorm solutions • Develop action plan to connect school and community • Extend school expectations into community • Library • After school program (Boys & Girls Club, YMCA) • Swimming pool • Scouting • Community sports

14. Involving Families - Tier 2 Extending Tier 2 strategies into the home Social skill group applications at home e.g share with parents the action steps teaching how to “disagree appropriately” Communication Establish good 2-way communication Daily progress reports (school home) Home reports? Multiple methods Written Phone Face/face Celebrate and address problems 14

15. Tier 2 Community Support • 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

16. Involving Families – Tier 3 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 16

17. Tier 3 Community Support • Wraparound support • Health services • Welfare services • Mental health services • Vocational services • Educational services • Etc…

18. Based on Level of Support Families’ Need 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)

19. For SOME Families • 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

20. For Families Needing a Unique Approach 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

21. Involving Family/Community:An RTI/PBS Approach 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

22. Types & Examples of Family/Community Data • Outcome data • # of families/community participated in events • Scores on satisfaction surveys • 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

23. 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

24. 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.)

25. Summary of Responses 91 surveys returned 64 returned with “Yes” responses 27 with “No” responses

26. 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

27. 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)

28. Summary of Responses 91 surveys returned 64 returned with “Yes” responses 27 with “No” responses There are over 1,000 schools

29. “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

30. What actions are being taken to increase partnerships?Enhanced Phases of Implementation See hand-out

31. 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.?

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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.