School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Getting Started

1. School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Getting Started George Sugai & MD PBIS Team OSEP Center on PBIS Center for Behavioral Education & Research University of Connecticut July 10, 2007 www.pbis.org www.swis.org George.sugai@uconn.edu

2. www.pbis.org

3. pbismaryland.org

5. TOP FOUR 2005 Lack of financial support (since 2000) Overcrowded schools Lack of discipline & control Drug use #1 SPOT >2000 lack of financial support 1991-2000 drug use <1991 lack of discipline Rose, L. C., & Gallup. A. M. (2005). 37th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll of the public’s attitudes toward the public schools. Kappan, September, 41-59.

6. Competing, Inter-related National Goals • Improve literacy, math, geography, science, etc. • Make schools safe, caring, & focused on teaching & learning • Improve student character & citizenship • Alternatives to suspension • Responsiveness to Intervention • Eliminate bullying • Prevent drug use • School-based mental health • Social & emotional well-being • Prepare for postsecondary education • Provide a free & appropriate education for all • Prepare viable workforce • Truancy/attendance • Leave no child behind • Etc….

8. PURPOSE Enhance capacity of school teams to provide the best behavioral supports for all students…...

9. MAIN TRAINING OBJECTIVES • Establish leadership team • Establish staff agreements • Build working knowledge of SW-PBS practices & systems • Develop individualized action plan for SW-PBS for upcoming year • Data: Discipline Data, EBS Self-Assessment Survey, Team Implementation Checklist • Presentation for school

10. Getting to these objectives • Rationale, context, & features • Implementation practices, structures, & processes • Outcomes & examples • Brief activities & team action planning

11. SW-PBS Logic! Successful individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or school climates that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable (Zins & Ponti, 1990)

12. Context Matters!

13. “141 Days!” Intermediate/senior high school with 880 students reported over 5,100 office discipline referrals in one academic year. Nearly 2/3 of students have received at least one office discipline referral.

14. 5,100 referrals = 76,500 min @15 min = 1,275 hrs = 159 days @ 8 hrs

15. “Da place ta be” During 4th period, in-school detention room has so many students that the overflow is sent to the counselor’s office. Most students have been assigned for being in the hallways after the late bell.

16. “Would you eat there?” Cafeteria staff indicate that food is being thrown on the floor, creating a safety hazard.

17. “Not me” Middle school principal must teach classes when teachers are absent, because substitute teachers refuse to work in a school that is unsafe & lacks discipline.

18. “Class from Hell” Ms. Taken says 3rd period is her “class from hell.” It takes 10 minutes to get classes started. Half students usually leave classroom before period is over. Ms. Taken calls dean of students to her class at least once per week.

19. “Cliques” During Advisory Class, the “sportsters” sit in the back of the room, & “goths” sit at the front. Most class activities result in out of seat, yelling arguments between the two groups.

20. “You said, what?” In two high schools, students cited & fined $113 for using profanity

21. “Four corners” Three rival gangs are competing for “four corners.” Teachers actively avoid the area. Because of daily conflicts, vice principal has moved her desk to four corners.

22. “Not my job” School counselor spends nearly 15% of his day “counseling” staff members who feel helpless & defenseless in their classrooms because of a lack of discipline & support.

23. “FTD” On 1st day of school, a teacher found “floral” arrangement on his desk. “Welcome to the neighborhood” was written on the card.

24. Secondary Features • Social culture is important in high school • Student-student interactions as important • Problem behaviors are different • Tardy & truancy • Work completion • Insubordination & disrespect. • Student-student aggression & harassment • 10th grade is “tipping point” • Adults make a difference through • Being models • Defining clear expectations • Arranging for academic success.

25. Messages • Successful Individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or schools that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable • Learning & teaching environments must be redesigned to increase the likelihood of behavioral & academic success

26. 2 Worries & Ineffective Responses to Problem Behavior • Get Tough (practices) • Train-&-Hope (systems)

27. Worry #1“Teaching” by Getting Tough Runyon: “I hate this f____ing school, & you’re a dumbf_____.” Teacher: “That is disrespectful language. I’m sending you to the office so you’ll learn never to say those words again….starting now!”

28. Immediate & seductive solution….”Get Tough!” • Clamp down & increase monitoring • Re-re-re-review rules • Extend continuum & consistency of consequences • Establish “bottom line” ...Predictable individual response

29. Reactive responses are predictable…. When we experience aversive situation, we want select interventions that produce immediate relief • Remove student • Remove ourselves • Modify physical environment • Assign responsibility for change to student &/or others

30. When behavior doesn’t improve, we “Get Tougher!” • Zero tolerance policies • Increased surveillance • Increased suspension & expulsion • In-service training by expert • Alternative programming …..Predictable systems response!

31. Erroneous assumption that student… • Is inherently “bad” • Will learn more appropriate behavior through increased use of “aversives” • Will be better tomorrow…….

32. But….false sense of safety/security! • Fosters environments of control • Triggers & reinforces antisocial behavior • Shifts accountability away from school • Devalues child-adult relationship • Weakens relationship between academic & social behavior programming

33. 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 & receiving positive feedback

34. Worry #2:“Train & Hope”

35. Development “Map” • 2+ years of team training • Annual “booster” events • Coaching/facilitator support @ school & district levels • Regular self-assessment & evaluation data • Develoment of local/district leadership teams • State/region & Center on PBIS for coordination & TA

36. Role of “Coaching” • Liaison between school teams & PBS leadership team • Local facilitation of process • Local resource for data-based decision making

37. Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement 4 PBS Elements OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Supporting Staff Behavior DATA SYSTEMS PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

38. Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT ~5% Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior ~15% Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings ~80% of Students

39. http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.eduKutash, K., Duchnowski, A. J., & Lynn, N. (2006). School-based mental health: An empirical guide for decision makers.Tampa, FL: University of South Florida. Louis De la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Child & Family Studies, Research & Training Center for Children’s Mental Health.http://cfs.fmhi.usf.eduDuchnowski, A. J., Kutash, K., & Romney, S., (2006). Voices from the field: A blueprint for schools to increase involvement of families who have children with emotional disturbances. Tamp, FL: University of South Florida, The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies.

40. 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 Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% 80-90% 80-90%

41. Another Message STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Good Teaching Behavior Management Increasing District & State Competency and Capacity Investing in Outcomes, Data, Practices, and Systems

42. Team GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: “Getting Started” CO PBS Agreements FCPS Data-based Action Plan Evaluation Implementation

43. Team-led Process Non-Teaching Family Behavioral Capacity Priority & Status Representation Specialized Support Administrator Team Community Data-based Decision Making Administrator Student Teaching Communications Start with Team that “Works.”

44. Working Smarter

45. Sample Teaming Matrix

46. Team GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS Agreements Data-based Action Plan Evaluation Implementation

47. 3-4 Year Commitment Top 3 School- Wide Initiatives 3-Tiered Prevention Logic Agreements & Supports Coaching & Facilitation Administrative Participation Dedicated Resources & Time

48. Team GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS Agreements Data-based Action Plan Evaluation Implementation

49. Self-Assessment Efficient Systems of Data Management Existing Discipline Data Data-based Action Plan Team-based Decision Making Multiple Systems Evidence- Based Practices SWIS