School-wide Positive Behavior Supports: Implications for Special Educators Tim Lewis, Ph.D. University of Missouri OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Intervention & Supports pbis.org

The Challenge Students with the most challenging academic and social behavior problems need pro-active comprehensive and consistent systems of support School-wide discipline systems are typically unclear and inconsistently implemented – absence of a “social behavior curriculum” Educators often lack specialized skills to address severe problem behavior and learning challenges Pressure on schools to incorporate national and state initiatives such as Values Education, Anti-Bullying, Safe Schools and achieving “adequate yearly progress.” Many often have clearly defined outcomes without structures to reach or a framework for deciding what should be implemented when, for whom, and to what degree

Behavior Challenges Common school response to problem behavior = “punishment” of misbehavior and assumptions about appropriate behavior and/or seek out alternative placements

The Danger…. “ Punishing ” problem behaviors (without a proactive support system) is associated with increases in (a) aggression, (b) vandalism, (c) truancy, and (d) dropping out. (Mayer, 1995, Mayer & Sulzar-Azaroff, 1991, Skiba & Peterson, 1999)

The Good News… Research reviews indicate that the most effective responses to school violence are (Elliot, Hamburg, & Williams, 1998;Gottfredson, 1997; Lipsey, 1991, 1992; Tolan & Guerra, 1994): Social Skills Training Academic Restructuring Behavioral Interventions

Toward a Solution The answer is not the invention of new solutions, but the enhancement of the school’s organizational capacity to: Accurately adopt and efficiently sustain their use of research-validated practices Provide a Seamless continuum of behavioral and academic support for all students Be part of a district wide system of behavior support Increased focus, teacher training, community training, and funding for early intervention

School-wide Positive Behavior Support SW-PBS is a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behavior OSEP Center on PBIS

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Decision Making Supporting Student Behavior Positive Behavior Support OUTCOMES Social Competence & Academic Achievement

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

Universal Strategies: School-Wide Essential Features Statement of purpose Clearly define expected behaviors (Rules) Procedures for teaching & practicing expected behaviors Procedures for encouraging expected behaviors Procedures for discouraging problem behaviors Procedures for record-keeping and decision making (swis.org) Family Awareness and Involvement

I am….All SettingsClassroomHallwaysCafeteriaBathroomsPlaygroundAssemblies SafeKeep bodies calm in line Report any problems Ask permission to leave any setting  Maintain personal space  Walk  Stay to the right on stairs  Banisters are for hands Walk Push in chairs Place trash in trash can  Wash hands with soap and water  Keep water in the sink  One person per stall  Use equipment for intended purpose  Wood chips are for the ground  Participate in school approved games only  Stay in approved areas  Keep body to self Walk Enter and exit gym in an orderly manner Respect ful Treat others the way you want to be treated Be an active listener Follow adult direction(s) Use polite language Help keep the school orderly  Be honest  Take care of yourself  Walk quietly so others can continue learning  Eat only your food  Use a peaceful voice  Allow for privacy of others  Clean up after self Line up at first signal Invite others who want to join in Enter and exit building peacefully Share materials Use polite language  Be an active listener  Applaud appropriately to show appreciation A Learner Be an active participant Give full effort Be a team player Do your job Be a risk taker Be prepared Make good choices  Return to class promptly Use proper manners Leave when adult excuses Follow bathroom procedures Return to class promptly Be a problem solver Learn new games and activities Raise your hand to share Keep comments and questions on topic Benton Elementary

Universal Strategies: Nonclassroom Settings Identify Setting Specific Behaviors Develop Teaching Strategies Develop Practice Opportunities and Consequences Assess the Physical Characteristics Establish Setting Routines Identify Needed Support Structures Data collection strategies

Universal Strategies: Classroom Use of school-wide expectations/rules Effective Classroom Management –Behavior management –Instructional management –Environmental management Support for teachers who deal with students who display high rates of problem behavior

Why build strong universal systems of support? We can’t “make” students learn or behave We can create environments to increase the likelihood students learn and behave Environments that increase the likelihood are guided by a core curriculum and implemented with consistency and fidelity across all learning environments

Outcomes of Universal Supports

Alton High School Average Referrals per Day

Group Cost Benefit Office Referral Reduction Across 12 PBIS schools= 5,606 If one Office Referral=15 minutes of administrator time, then 5,606 x 15= 84,090 minutes hours or 233 days of administrator time recovered and reinvested.

Group Cost Benefit Office Referral Reduction Across 12 PBIS Schools = 5,606 If students miss 45 minutes of instruction for each Office Referral, 5,606 X 45= 252,270 minutes hours or 700 days of instructional time recovered!!!!!

Self-contained Special Education Building - St. Louis Enrollment % free and reduced lunch Ages 13 and up Programs Serves 8 component districts Physically Impaired Autism Language Impaired Hearing Impaired Multiple/ Severe Disabilities Emotional/ Behavioral Disorder

Self Contained School Supported by PBS Coach Prior to implementing school-wide system, Identified 33 students (17%) with chronic behavior teachers felt would require intensive individualized plans

Reported Results Reduction in inappropriate behavior (verbal aggression, sleeping in class, off task, disruption) Increased prosocial behaviors and task completion Post universal systems, only 5 students (2%) required intensive individualized support plans

Prevention & Supports For Identified and At-risk Students Social Behavior

Mental Health Outcomes Does School-wide PBS fit within a comprehensive mental health model of prevention and intervention? Minimizing and reducing “risk factors” by building “protective factors”

Risk and Protective Factor Comparison t = (37) p <.036t = 2.31 (37) p <.026 Partial N=21 Full N=18 Partial N=21 Full N=18

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

Impact on Moving Students to More Restrictive Settings Columbia Public Schools Elementary Schools who implement SW-PBS referred students to alternative/special school at lower rates compared to schools who were not implementing SW-PBS (r = , p < 0.01) Elementary Schools who implemented SW-PBS have less recidivism to alternative settings once students returned to home-school

Prevention & Supports For Identified and At-risk Students Achievement

Small Group and Individual Interventions Supporting Students At-Risk and those with Disabilities Within Their Home School

Important Themes Part of a continuum – must link to school- wide PBS system Efficient and effective way to identify students Assessment = simple sort Intervention matched to presenting problem but not highly individualized

Small Group/Targeted Assessment Focus is on sorting student for service, not “diagnosis and placement.” Social-Behavioral Concerns –Social skills –Self-management Academic Concerns –Peer Tutors –Check in –Homework club Emotional Concerns –Adult mentors

SSRS-T Social Skills Non PBSPBS Pre Mean72.8 (56-86)78.3 (70-84) Post Mean80 (61-103)90 (77-125) P Value.11.04* SSRS-T Problem Behavior Non PBSPBS Pre Mean123.6 ( )124.8 ( ) Post Mean121.4 ( )124.7 ( ) P Value * Significance at the.05 P Value Table 1. Pre- and Posttest Scores for Subjects on Dependent Variable (SSRS-T)

Individual Support Plans When small group not sufficient When problem intense and chronic Driven by Functional Behavioral Assessment Linked to school-wide system

Does Implementation of PBIS improve individual interventions? Illinois “profile” analysis. –Assessment of intervention effectiveness Very Low, Low, Med, High, Very High –School-wide –Individual Intervention

N=223 N=169 N=38 N=17 t = (335) p<.0001t = 2.30 (27) p <.03 Partial N=169 Full N=223 Partial N=17 Full N=38

Individual PBS Success requires: 1.Individual(s) with expertise in FBA-PBS 2.Fluency with a clear process among all staff including their role 3.A basic understanding of the Applied Behavior Analysis = Behavior is functionally related to the teaching environment

Academic Challenges Common school response to academic challenges = send to specialists to “be fixed”

Academic SystemsBehavioral Systems 1-5% 5-10% 80-90% 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

Response to Intervention

Consistent “core” curriculum implemented school- wide (research-based) Core instruction follows effective instructional practices ( NWREL.org ) Core instruction implemented with fidelity Consistent, prioritized, and protected time allocated to instruction Data decision rules to identify a) those at high risk and b) “non-responders” in a timely manner Universal Supports: Core Instruction

Targeted Supports Part of a continuum – must link to core curriculum Efficient and effective way to identify students (Curriculum Based Measures; DIBELS) through FREQUENT monitoring Intervention matched to presenting problem but not highly individualized In addition to core curriculum

Targeted Supports Intensify Instruction Increase academic engaged time Small group / one:one Increased opportunities to respond Supplemental curriculum Alter Instructional Environment Rules & routines Attention signal Ratio of positive / negative statements Efficient transitions Active supervision

Individual/Intensive When small group/targeted not sufficient When data indicate high risk* Linked to core curriculum / outcomes *limited data beyond literacy

Individual/ Intensive Targeted assessment (Curriculum Based Measures; DIBELS) Instruction targets remediation and/or accommodation Environment provides multiple and sustained engagement opportunities Monitor outcomes and make necessary adjustments (progress monitoring) In addition to core curriculum

Implications & Conclusion

Implications For Educators Concerned with Children and Youth At-risk and Those with Disabilities Prevention/early intervention Schools w/PBS refer less to alternative school (CPS) Continuum of Behavioral Supports (prevention – effective individual interventions) Generalization – building environments to increase the likelihood IEP still individualized, behavioral objectives mapped to school-wide expectations

Implications For Educators Concerned with Children and Youth At-risk and Those with Disabilities Build similar SW-PBS systems to facilitate transition from self-contained settings back to home school Build capacity in schools to support students with academic and social concerns –Technical assistance directing best practice v. simple compliance Blend education and related initiatives –Safe Schools / Achievement / Mental Health

On school reform… Kauffman states “…attempts to reform education will make little difference until reformers understand that schools must exist as much for teachers as for student. Put another way, schools will be successful in nurturing the intellectual, social, and moral development of children only to the extent that they also nurture such development of teachers.” (1993, p. 7).

School-wide Positive Behavior Supports: Implications for Special Educators Tim Lewis, Ph.D. University of Missouri OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Intervention & Supports pbis.org