School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Features, Practices, & Outcomes

1. School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Features, Practices, & Outcomes George Sugai & Rob Horner OSEP Center on PBIS University of Connecticut March 30, 2009 www.pbis.org www.cber.org www.swis.org George.sugai@uconn.edu www.pbismaryland.org

2. Challenge

3. PURPOSE Provide brief overview of features, practices & systems of positive school culture for EVERYONE in school

4. 5. COMPETING INITIATIVES • SW discipline • Class management • Social skills programs • Character education • Bully proofing • Life skills • Anger management • HIV/AID education • Conflict management • Drug-free • Parent engagement • School spirit • Violence prevention • Dropout prevention • Relaxation room • Afterschool peer support • School based mental health clinic…… Our Challenges……. 2 • 3. NEGATIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE • Bullying & harassment • 447 teacher abs yr • Staff/parents unsafe SWPBS is framework for…. • 1.REACTIVE MANAGEMENT • 5100 ref/yr • Marcus 14 days det. • 5. COMPETING INITIATIVES • SW discipline • Class manage • Social skills program • 2. POOR ACHIEVEMENT • 25% 3rd at grade • >50% 9th 2+ “F” • 4. INEFFECTIVE SPED • 25% on IEPS • EBD sent to Alt school • Tasha spends day w/ nurse

5. “159 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.

6. 5,100 referrals = 76,500 min @15 min = 1,275 hrs = 159 days @ 8 hrs

7. BIG IDEA Successful individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or school climates that are effective, efficient, relevant, durable, & scalable (Zins & Ponti, 1990)

8. 2 Worries & Ineffective Responses to Problem Behavior • Get Tough (practices) • Train-&-Hope (systems)

9. 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!”

10. 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

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

12. 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!

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. VIOLENCE PREVENTION • Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence (2001) • Coordinated Social Emotional & Learning (Greenberg et al., 2003) • Center for Study & Prevention of Violence (2006) • White House Conference on School Violence (2006) • Positive, predictable school-wide climate • High rates of academic & social success • Formal social skills instruction • Positive active supervision & reinforcement • Positive adult role models • Multi-component, multi-year school-family-community effort

17. Integrated Elements Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement OUTCOMES 15 Supporting Decision Making Supporting Staff Behavior DATA SYSTEMS PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

18. www.pbis.org Horner, R., & Sugai, G. (2007). Is school-wide positive behavior support an evidence-based practice? OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support. www.pbis.org click “Research” “Evidence Base”

19. 90-School StudyHorner et al., in press • Schools that receive technical assistance from typical support personnel implement SWPBS with fidelity • Fidelity SWPBS is associated with • Low levels of ODR • .29/100/day v. national mean .34 • Improved perception of safety of the school • reduced risk factor • Increased proportion of 3rd graders who meet state reading standard.

20. Project Target: Preliminary FindingsBradshaw & Leaf, in press • PBIS (21 v. 16) schools reached & sustained high fidelity • PBIS increased all aspects of organizational health • Positive effects/trends for student outcomes • Fewer students with 1 or more ODRs (majors + minors) • Fewer ODRs (majors + minors) • Fewer ODRs for truancy • Fewer suspensions • Increasing trend in % of students scoring in advanced & proficient range of state achievement test

21. Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT FEW ~5% Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior ~15% SOME Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings 23 ALL ~80% of Students

22. 24 K Response to Intervention RtI

23. RTI Continuum of Support for ALL Few Some All Dec 7, 2007

24. Effective Academic Instruction Effective Behavioral Interventions POSITIVE, PREVENTIVE SCHOOL CULTURE (SWPBS) = Continuous & Efficient Data-based Decision Making Systems for Durable & Accurate Implementation

25. 17 SWPBS Practices School-wide Classroom • Smallest # • Evidence-based • Biggest, durable effect Family Non-classroom Student

26. 18 School-wide • Leadership team • Behavior purpose statement • Set of positive expectations & behaviors • Procedures for teaching SW & classroom-wide expected behavior • Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior • Continuum of procedures for discouraging rule violations • Procedures for on-going data-based monitoring & evaluation

27. Non-classroom • Positive expectations & routines taught & encouraged • Active supervision by all staff • Scan, move, interact • Precorrections & reminders • Positive reinforcement

28. Classroom • All school-wide • Maximum structure & predictability in routines & environment • Positively stated expectations posted, taught, reviewed, prompted, & supervised. • Maximum engagement through high rates of opportunities to respond, delivery of evidence-based instructional curriculum & practices • Continuum of strategies to acknowledge displays of appropriate behavior, including contingent & specific praise, group contingencies, behavior contracts, token economies • Continuum of strategies for responding to inappropriate behavior, including specific, contingent, brief corrections for academic & social behavior errors, differential reinforcement of other behavior, planned ignoring, response cost, & timeout.

29. Individual Student • Behavioral competence at school & district levels • Function-based behavior support planning • Team- & data-based decision making • Comprehensive person-centered planning & wraparound processes • Targeted social skills & self-management instruction • Individualized instructional & curricular accommodations

30. Family • Continuum of positive behavior support for all families • Frequent, regular positive contacts, communications, & acknowledgements • Formal & active participation & involvement as equal partner • Access to system of integrated school & community resources

31. Worry #2:“Train & Hope”

34. Referrals by Problem Behavior

35. Referrals per Location

36. Referrals per Student

37. Referrals by Time of Day

38. Team GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS • Readiness agreements, prioritization, & investments • 3-4 year implementation commitment • Local capacity for training, coordination, coaching, & evaluation • Systems for implementation integrity Agreements Data-based Action Plan Evaluation Implementation

39. Working Smarter Are outcomes measurable?

40. Sample Teaming Matrix Are outcomes measurable?

41. Redesign Learning & Teaching Environment School Rules NO Food NO Weapons NO Backpacks NO Drugs/Smoking NO Bullying

42. Saying & doing it “Positively!” Keep off the grass!

43. Few positive SW expectations defined, taught, & encouraged

44. Employee Entrance at Tulsa Downtown Doubletree

45. It's The Westwood Way!

46. It's The Westwood Way! Magnets

48. Reviewing Strive for Five • Be respectful. • Be safe. • Work peacefully. • Strive for excellence. • Follow directions. McCormick Elem. MD 2003

49. LC: Expected behaviors are visible throughout Middle School

50. LC: Expected behaviors are visible