School-wide Positive Behavior Support Renee Bradley, Ph.D. U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs

Goals Present an approach to behavior support in schools that weds Educational, Behavioral and Mental Health practices. Provide a brief overview of how this approach is being implemented Provide a brief summary of implementation outcomes.

School-wide Positive Behavior Support Socially Important Outcomes Academic gains Social competence Safety Research-validated Practices Systems that support these practices Active use of data for decision-making

School-wide PBS School-wide PBS consists of a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behavior.

Academic Achievement, and Safety SW-Positive Behavior Support Social Competence, Academic Achievement, and Safety OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Information Supporting Staff Behavior SYSTEMS PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL-WIDE 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

Practices and Systems for School-wide Behavior Support Define expectations Teach expectations Monitor expected behavior Acknowledge expected behavior Correct behavioral errors (continuum of consequences) Use information for decision-making Systems Admin Leadership Team-based implementation Defined commitment Allocation of FTE Budgeted support Development of decision-driven information system Formal policies

Linking Mental Health and Behavior Support Efforts Areas of Direct Compatibility Prevention Assessment-driven individual intervention Comprehensive support Areas to Develop Implementing systems as well as practices. Implementing at a policy-relevant scale Efficiency Use of information (data) for on-going decision-making

Linking Mental Health and Behavior Support Efforts Prevention Invest in all students before problems develop. What are the critical features of schools that prevent, and limit the impact of, problem behavior on academic and social outcomes?

Linking Mental Health and Behavior Support Efforts Assessment-driven support Behavioral, Medical, Social Comprehensive Support Community Family Medical/Bio-medical Interventions Behavioral Social/Counseling

States Implementing School-Wide Behavior Support

4% (5) 9% (6) 87% (10)

Is Implementation Related to Reduction in Problem Behavior?

08% 05% 10% 14% 78% 85% Without PBIS N=38 With PBIS N=31

Partial Full Partial Full Middle 15 (no) 7 (yes) Elementary 38 (no) 31 (yes)

Is Implementation of School-wide PBS related to improved academic achievement? If there are changes in school-wide behavior support practices, are there improvements in state achievement test scores?

Pre Post Pre Post

Mental Health Outcomes Does School-wide PBS fit within a comprehensive mental health model of prevention and intervention? Changes in “risk factors” Improvement in anti-social behavior, crime, alcohol and drug use. Changes in “protective factors”

Risk and Protective Factor Comparison t = -2.17 (37) p < .036 t = 2.31 (37) p < .026

A&D = Alcohol and Drug; ABS = Anti-social Behavior Scale

Impact of Office Discipline Referral Reduction Elementary Schools 76 schools with ODR information 29,851 students If all w/o full PBIS (@.73), 39,469 referrals If all w/ PBIS (@.399), 21,466 referrals ________ Savings 18,003 referrals PBIS data State of Illinois

Elementary School Administrative & Instructional Savings (76 schools)? If an ODR consumes an average of 15 min of administrative time, 18,003 referrals = 270,045 min saved 4,500 hours saved 562 8 hr days saved If an ODR consumes an average of 45 minutes of student time, 18,003 referrals = 810,135 min saved 13,502 hrs saved 2,250 6-hr days saved PBIS data State of Illinois

Summary of Research Results Investing in SW-PBS results in: Change in school discipline systems Team Checklist, SET, EBS Survey (experimental) Reduction in problem behavior SWIS ODR data, suspensions, expulsions (almost experimental) Improved academic performance Standardized scores (descriptive) Savings in staff and student time (descriptive) Improved effectiveness of individual interventions Illinois wraparound analysis. (descriptive) Improved perception of school safety, mental health Risk factors and protective factors (descriptive)

Areas for future collaboration Systems to sustain effective practices Implementing systems with practices Implementation at policy-relevant scale Implementation of innovation at scale involves different approaches than initial demonstrations Efficiency Cost analysis Time Use of information (data) for on-going decision-making Swis.org