Using Data for Positive Behavior Change Addressing the Behavior of All Students Georgia Association of Educational Leaders 34 th Annual Summer Conference July 15, 2008

What is Behavior? ANYTHING we SAY or DO: –Focus on what is observable rather than intentions HOW WE REACT to our environment Behaviors are LEARNED and continue because they serve a PURPOSE or FUNCTION We engage in behaviors because we have learned that a DESIRED OUTCOME occurs

Basic Behavior Principles Must know why behavior is occurring to develop an effective intervention plan When you understand what is happening at your school and why it is happening, you will be able to change how things work to increase appropriate behavior and decrease inappropriate behavior

Traditional Discipline versus PBS Traditional DisciplinePositive Behavior Support Goal is to stop undesirable behavior through the use of punishment Focuses on the student’s problem behavior Goal is to stop undesirable behavior by: Replacing with a new behavior or skill Altering environments Teaching appropriate skills Rewarding appropriate behavior

Does the Traditional Approach Work? In one school year, 13 year-old Jason received 87 Office Discipline Referrals (ODR) A high school with 880 students reported over 5,100 ODR’s in one academic year A middle school principal must teach classes when teachers are absent because substitute teachers refuse to work in the school A middle school counselor spends nearly 15% of his day “counseling” staff members who feel helpless in their classrooms

Time Cost of a Discipline Referral (45 minutes per incident) 1000 Referrals per year Administrator Time500 hours Teacher Time250 hours Student Time750 hours Totals1500 hours lost!

“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.” If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.” “If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we… …teach? …punish?” “Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?” (Herner, 1998)

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) A process…not a curriculum − Individualized to the unique features of your school − Emphasis on continuous, data-based improvement − Focus on efficiency, effectiveness & relevance An instructional approach –Focuses on teaching social behavior like academic skills –Acknowledges and encourages appropriate social development –Teaches, models, reinforces, reteaches, practices, precorrects, reinforces….

PBS is… a school-wide approach to discipline a proactive approach –a way to encourage positive behavior and –a way to stop misbehavior before it starts individualized to the unique features of each school a team based approach to problem solving data based decision making

PBS and RtI Quality curriculum and instruction Data used for decision making Evidence based interventions Progress monitoring Interventions at different levels to meet individual students’ needs

“The academic deficits of these students thus may be exacerbated by the lack of effective academic instruction they receive, which in turn is due in part to their disruptive classroom behavior.” ~Sutherland, Wehby & Yoder, 2002~

Good teaching is one of our best behavior management tools that includes: –Active engagement –Positive reinforcement Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools

Teach social skills in the same way you would academic skills –Tell/model/explain –Guided practice –Monitor & assess –Give positive feedback –Adjust & enhance

From This Morning Think of a coach or a music teacher, they monitor and give immediate feedback in a constructive manner. The same should be true of behavior and academics.

If we carefully attend to instruction we may find that: Students learn more and problem behavior is reduced

If your horse dies, DISMOUNT If your intervention doesn't work, stop doing it! DO NOT 1. Stay on the horse. 2. Switch riders. 3. Move the horse to a new location. 4. Buy a stronger whip.

5. Tighten the cinch. 6. Try a new bit or bridle. 7. Say things like: "We've always ridden our horses this way." 8. Visit other sites where they ride dead horses in different ways. 9. Complain about the state of horses nowadays. 10. Blame the breeding

It is Not Just About Behavior Redesign & support teaching & learning environments that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable Outcome-based Data-guided decision making Evidence-based practices Systems support for accurate & sustained implementation

What will PBS look like in your school? Data will be used to help track progress and identify areas to target for intervention Discipline referral Processes & Procedures will be consistent throughout the school The school will develop and use school-wide Expectations & Rules in settings across campus to teach students appropriate behavior A Reward System will be used to encourage and model appropriate behavior and Effective Consequences will be developed and used to discourage inappropriate behavior

The PBS Team Approximately 6-8 participants form the PBS team Representative of all faculty on campus At least one administrator serves on the team The team assists the school in implementing and maintaining PBS efforts The team meets monthly to go over data and plan PBS activities and action plans The team shares discipline data with staff and asks for staff input on PBS efforts

Implementing Successful PBS in Schools Struggling with AYP Experiences in the state of Florida found the following difficulties with schools implementing PBS that were also struggling academically –Administration that had little interest in implementing –Did not have stable administration –Did not have active buy-in from the faculty –Cannot get faculty to buy into being part of the team

How Will the DATA Make a Difference? Easy to read and interpret (graphs) –Discipline data are reviewed monthly by the PBS Team and shared with staff Helps to quickly identify problem areas in need of change –Working smarter, not harder Helps to identify what is working well –Celebrate success Lets you know if interventions are working

Positive Behavior Support of Georgia Georgia Dept. of Education Strategic Plan Collaboration & support from USF State PBS Leadership Team State PBS Action Plan Collaboration with the State Personnel Development Grant Graduation/Dropout Prevention Project Summer training 2008 Monthly support through coaches network and assistance to schools through data review

Summer 2008 PBS Training Implementation system-wide in 2 systems: Lee County and Emanuel County 2 GNETS Programs 4 Alternative Schools Elementary, Middle and High Schools from: Baldwin, Carroll, Catoosa, Decatur, Madison, Meriwether, Murray, Muscogee, Richmond

How do we sign up? February/March PBS Forum for interested schools Applications on the GaDOE website in February/March Contact Positive Behavior Support Unit for more information

Contact Information and Resources Georgia’s Positive Behavior Support Ginny O’Connell, Program Manager and State PBS Coordinator Phone: (404) Fax: (404) Online Behavior Training Tutorial Online tutorial: OSEP Center on PBIS National Website: