Evidence-based Practices: A Technical Assistance Perspective Lou Danielson, Chair Brian Cobb, Susan Sanchez, Kathleen Lane, Rob Horner

What is School-wide Positive Behavior Support?  School-wide PBS is: A systems approach for establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment for all students.  Evidence-based features of SW-PBS Prevention Define and teach positive social expectations Acknowledge positive behavior Arrange consistent consequences for problem behavior On-going collection and use of data for decision-making Continuum of intensive, individual intervention supports. Implementation of the systems that support effective practices

Current Status  Implementation of School-wide PBS as of July 1, 2007 : 6073 Schools across 38 states Pre-K Preschool K-6 Elementary 6-9 Middle 9-12 High School Alt/JJ Alternative

Technical Assistance Approach  2 Year model of TA, with emphasis on local capacity building (coaching, training)  “Readiness” criteria (school, district, state)  Curriculum (process): pbismanual.uoecs.org (manual)  Process measures Research Quality (SET); Self-Assessment (TIC)  Outcome measures Office discipline referrals (ODR) Literacy and academic scores (DIBELS, State Tests)

Lessons Learned in Providing Technical Assistance  Practices  Systems  Implementation Process  Sustainability

Defining a “Practice”  A “practice” is a procedure, or set of procedures, designed for use in a specific context, by individuals with certain skills/features, to produce specific outcomes for specific individuals.  Operationally defined procedures  Target population/ Context  Implementer Characteristics  Defined outcomes

Are these “practices?”  Whole Language Reading Instruction  Positive reinforcement  Inclusion  IDEA  Discrete trial training  Generalization  Positive behavior support  Functional analysis  Applied behavior analysis

Are these “practices?”  Whole Language Reading Instruction  Positive reinforcement  Inclusion  IDEA  Discrete trial training  Generalization  Positive behavior support  Functional analysis  Applied behavior analysis

Disseminating Evidence-based Practices  Evidence-based is not enough In addition to the features of the practice: define what outcomes, when/where used, by whom, with what target populations, at what fidelity? The innovative practice needs to not only be evidence- based, but dramatically easier and better than what is already being used. The practice should be defined conceptually as well as procedurally, to allow guidance for adaptation.

Systems  Implementing practices without sustaining systems is ineffective and inefficient. What are “readiness” criteria needed for successful implementation? What are policies, personnel requirements, timelines, funding, data systems needed?  Importance of focusing on systems at the beginning of TA process.

Implementation Process  Never stop doing what already works.  Implement the smallest change that produces the largest effect (in multiple iterations).  Never introduce something new without indicating what you will stop doing to free up the time/resources for the new innovation  Design implementation to encourage local adaptation  Formalize the assessment and development of “contextual fit”

Implementation Process  Build implementation processes at multiple levels  School, district, and state level…  Depth of implementation (primary, secondary, tertiary)  Adjust implementation process as scale of implementation increases.

Practices Systems

School District State

Implementation Process  Use “process” measures AND “outcome” measures.  Make the measures both of research-quality… AND have self-assessment measures that are easy/inexpensive.  Provide direct support at the site of student involvement  Coaches at school

Sustainability  TA should start with emphasis on sustainability  Don’t invest in TA of practices/systems that will last less than 10 years.  Continuous regeneration Implement  Evaluate  Adapt  Using Data for Active Decision-making