Vermont Positive Behavior Supports Bringing out the BEST in all of us.

1. Vermont Positive Behavior SupportsBringing out the BEST in all of us.

2. PBS Implementation Coaches Rae Ann Knopf, State-wide Coordinator Richard Boltax, BEST Co-coordinator Sherry Schoenberg, BEST Co-coordinator Ken Kramberg, BEST consultant Ruth Hamilton, BEST consultant Carol Randall, DOE Education Consultant Lisa Mazzitelli, DOE Education Consultant

3. Behavioral Expectations Be present Engage Support each other Team solutions and ideas

4. So What is PBS? Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is a proactive, school-wide, systems approach to improving social and academic competence for all students.

5. Big Idea Educational leaders must strive to lead and support development of sustainable and positive school climates The goal is to establish school communities that support adoption and sustained use of evidenced-based practices (Zins & Ponte, 1990)

8. Why PBS? Do the math . . .

9. Positive School Climates . . . Maximize academic engagement & achievement Minimize rates of rule violating behavior Encourage respectful & responsible acts Facilitate more efficient, effective & relevant school functioning Improve supports for students with disabilities & greater risk of educational failure

10. Examples�.

11. Instructional Time Lost 1400 referrals = 21,000 min@15 mins= 350 hrs= 44 teaching days 59 administrative days 131 instructional days for students

12. Ineffective Responses to Problem Behavior Get Tough (practices) Train-&-Hope (systems) Old toolsOld tools

13. Immediate & seductive solution�.�Get Tough!� Clamp down & increase monitoring Re-re-re-review rules Extend continuum & consistency of consequences Establish �bottom line� ...Predictable, reactive individual response

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 Zero tolerance policies � punitive, Increased surveillance � remove ourselves, Increased suspension & expulsion � remove student, In-service training by expert & Alternative programming � shifts responsibility, �..Predictable systems response! Zero tolerance policies � punitive, Increased surveillance � remove ourselves, Increased suspension & expulsion � remove student, In-service training by expert & Alternative programming � shifts responsibility, �..Predictable systems response!

15. Based on Erroneous assumption that student� Is inherently �bad� Will learn more appropriate behavior through increased use of �aversives� Will be better tomorrow��.

16. �Train & Hope�

17. When a student Doesn�t know how to read � what do we do? WE TEACH. Doesn�t know how to add � what do we do? WE TEACH. Doesn�t know how to swim � what do we do? WE TEACH. Doesn�t know how to drive � what do we do? WE TEACH. When a student doesn�t know how to behave � what do we do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18. Research on behavior has taught us that people�. �� can learn better ways of behaving by being taught directly & receiving positive feedback�. . . . . Especially when function is considered - Sugai and Horner, 2003

19. What PBS does - PBS identifies a set of science-based behavior support practices that are proactive, instructive and inclusive. PBS integrates academic and behavioral success. PBS brings school teams, parents and communities together to design and implement a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for teaching, encouraging, reinforcing, and generalizing social and behavioral competence. PBS ? EBS ? PBIS Core principle - make the smallest environmental change necessary in order to facilitate the greatest positive change in behavior. School-wide positive behavior supports leads to effective behavior support which leads to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.School-wide positive behavior supports leads to effective behavior support which leads to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

20. Transforming Practices Reactive Proactive (Focus on Prevention) Punitive Instructive (Teach and recognize appropriate skills) Exclusionary Inclusionary (Keep students in school and in class)

21. Implementing and Sustaining School-wide Positive Behavior Supports is School teams coming together to � Create a common purpose Define 3-5 positively stated behavioral expectations Develop systems for teaching, encouraging, and reinforcing expectations Develop systems for discouraging negative behaviors Develop function based systems for supporting students and responding to behavior patterns

22. DEFINE expectations for behavior TEACH the expected behavior REVIEW expectations regularly MONITOR performance of expected behaviors RECOGNIZE individuals when expected behaviors are demonstrated CORRECT individuals when expected behaviors are not demonstrated Teaching Behavioral Expectations: An Instructional Approach

23. Public Health & Disease PreventionKutash et al., 2006; Larson, 1994 Tertiary (FEW) Reduce complications, intensity, severity of current cases Secondary (SOME) Reduce current cases of problem behavior Primary (ALL) Reduce new cases of problem behavior

24. Activity Turn to the person next to you at your table and take turns teaching each other the triangle. Try to cover the key concepts in two minutes or less.

25. Six Components of SW Discipline (SW-BSP) Statement of purpose (Common approach to discipline) Clearly defined expected behavior Procedures for teaching expected behavior Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior Continuum of procedures for discouraging problem behaviors Procedures for record-keeping & decision making

26. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps.

27. One of the most important steps is to establish or identify an existing group of individuals who can lead the establishment of a school-wide PBS approach. This team must be made of school staff who are respected, have effective communication skills and means, and can influence school policy, organization, and operations. An important factor in effective leadership teaming is ensuring that members of the team agree on how they will conduct business (e.g., agenda, problem solving, voting, etc.). The Conducting Leadership Team Meetings Checklist (see Appendix.1) can be used to assess for and establish agreements about how team meetings will be conducted. One of the most important steps is to establish or identify an existing group of individuals who can lead the establishment of a school-wide PBS approach. This team must be made of school staff who are respected, have effective communication skills and means, and can influence school policy, organization, and operations. An important factor in effective leadership teaming is ensuring that members of the team agree on how they will conduct business (e.g., agenda, problem solving, voting, etc.). The Conducting Leadership Team Meetings Checklist (see Appendix.1) can be used to assess for and establish agreements about how team meetings will be conducted.

28. Secure SW Agreements & Supports Agreements At least 80% of staff Prioritizing use of data-base for informed decision making (e.g., EBS Staff Survey, ODR�s) 3-4 year commitment Proactive instructional approach Supports Administrative leadership Prioritized resources Materials, personnel On-going coaching Time

29. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps.

30. 4 Elements of Data-based Decision Making Use data to answer questions and verify outcomes Describe in measurable terms Specify realistic & achievable criterion for success Identify priorities for action High quality data from clear definitions, processes, & implementation (e.g., sw behavior support) Efficient data storage & manipulation system (e.g., SWIS) Process for using data to make decisions & take action

32. Kinds of Data Office discipline reports Out of classroom referrals Behavioral incidents Attendance Suspension/Detention Special education referrals Observations Self-assessments � PBS Surveys, Youth Risk Behavior Surveys

33. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps.

34. In collecting data, making decisions, implementing systems � consider all environments � classroom, non-classroom, individual students, home, community and school-wide environments/influences. In collecting data, making decisions, implementing systems � consider all environments � classroom, non-classroom, individual students, home, community and school-wide environments/influences.

40. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps. SAY: In general, the implementation of a school-wide PBS approach at the school level is built around five main implementation steps.

41. After PBS Implementation � the middle school above reduced office discipline referrals by 64% A 64% reduction of 1324 referrals recaptures � 26 � 8 hour days of teaching time 35 � 8 hour days of administrative time 70 � 8 hour days of student instruction How is PBS changing the culture of your school?How is PBS changing the culture of your school?

42. Is the social and behavioral climate/culture of the school affecting academic outcomes for students?Is the social and behavioral climate/culture of the school affecting academic outcomes for students?

43. Are the systems in place that you thought were in place?Are the systems in place that you thought were in place?

44. Are you able to sustain the implementation over time?Are you able to sustain the implementation over time?

45. What should I expect to see/hear in a PBS school? SW-PBS (primary) >80% of students can tell you what is expected of them & give behavioral example because they have been taught, actively supervised, practiced, & acknowledged. Positive adult-to-student interactions exceed negative Function based behavior support is foundation for addressing problem behavior. Data- & team-based action planning & implementation are operating. Administrators are active participants. Full continuum of behavior support is available to all students Secondary & Tertiary Team-based coordination & problem solving Local specialized behavioral capacity Function-based behavior support planning Person-centered, contextually & culturally relevant District/regional behavioral capacity Instructionally oriented Linked to SW-PBS practices & systems School-based comprehensive supports

46. What�s the Status in Vermont? State-wide Leadership Team � 34 members Training of External Implementation Coaches � 6 state-wide coaches, 3 district coaches Established priority for Act 230 spending 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 spending Training and Implementation in Schools Over 900 educators & mental health personnel � introductory training 34 schools engaged in implementing SW-PBS

47. Vermont Data

48. How to find out more - Nationally - www.pbis.org www.apbs.org www.pbssurveys.org In Vermont � rae.knopf@state.vt.us Richard.boltax@state.vt.us sherscho@sover.net

49. Activity What further questions do you need answered to better understand any aspect of PBS? Post them on the flipchart and note common themes. Someone from the management team will record questions and organize into common themes for the whole group � this information can be used to differentiate the training and provide targeted technical assistance to teams.Someone from the management team will record questions and organize into common themes for the whole group � this information can be used to differentiate the training and provide targeted technical assistance to teams.