1. School-wide Positive Behavior Supports
Tim Lewis, Ph.D.
University of Missouri
OSEP Center on Positive
Behavioral Intervention & Supports

2. The Challenge
Students with the most challenging behaviors in school need pro-active comprehensive and consistent systems of support
School-wide discipline systems are typically unclear and inconsistently implemented
Educators often lack specialized skills to address severe problem behavior
Pressure on schools to incorporate national and state initiatives such as Values Education, Anti-Bullying efforts, and Safe Schools. Many often have clear defined outcomes but fail to provide structures to reach outcomes or a framework for deciding what should be implemented when, for whom, and to what degree

3. Typical responses to students
Increase monitoring for future problem behavior
Re-review rules & sanctions
Extend continuum of aversive consequences
Improve consistency of use of punishments
Establish “bottom line”
Zero tolerance policies
Security guards, student uniforms, metal detectors, video cameras
Suspension/expulsion
Exclusionary options (e.g., alternative programs)

4. 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)

5. 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

6. Contributing Factors Home Community School Disability
Poverty- Language
Parent/Child interactions
Community
School
Disability
Stress that these are “contributing” NOT casual factors -- no absolutes, always exceptions. Point of discussing is to understand a) why “traditional” interventions fail to work and b) how student learning history impacts student behavior in school

7. 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

8. School-wide Positive Behavior Support
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

9. PBS is not...
Not specific practice or curriculum…it’s a general approach to preventing problem behavior
Not limited to any particular group of students…it’s for all students
Not new…its based on long history of behavioral practices & effective instructional design & strategies

10. 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
INSTRUCTIONAL &
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

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

12. School-wide Positive Behavioral Support
Incorporate best practice in professional development and system change (teams)
Emphasizes the use of assessment information to guide intervention and management decisions
Focus on the use of a continuum of behavioral supports
Focus on increasing the contextual fit between problem context and what we know works
Focus on establishing school environments that support long term success of effective practices {3-5 years}
Stress:
Teams
Use of data
Sustained practices
Effective practices--admin support, job embedded PD, building critical mass of staff fluent in skills, learning community/culture of learning more about PBS
Assessment--data driven decision making
continuum--all kids, tough kids who need more practice, toughest kids “heavy hitters” “frequent flyers”. Support for everyone!
Long term success--takes commitment, leadership (administrators and team)

13. School-wide Positive Behavioral Support
Expectations for student behavior are defined by a building based team with all staff input
Effective behavioral support is implemented consistently by staff and administration
Appropriate student behavior is taught
Positive behaviors are publicly acknowledged
Problem behaviors have clear consequences
Student behavior is monitored and staff receive regular feedback
Effective Behavioral Support strategies are implemented at the school-wide, specific setting, classroom, and individual student level
Effective Behavioral Support strategies are designed to meet the needs of all students
Stress:
Teach & practice
Acknowledge success
ALL students
consistent implementation--”critical mass”
public acknowledgement--more than “catch them being good”
staff receive feedback--keeping staff informed, celebrate success,
Possible Activities
1. Time for teams to talk amongst themselves.
2. “What are they currently doing from lists above?”
3. Form to complete--What are the driving forces? What are the Restraining Forces (hurdles) to overcome? in your building/district

14. Themes Focus on positive proactive programming
Emphasis on clearly defined working structures
Teacher/school takes ownership of student learning & behavioral challenges
Problem behavior = learning error
Clearly defined working structures = work with observable “changeable” behaviors -- can’t change FAS, MR etc -- work with the behaviors presented not trying to “fix” child

15. 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

16. Benton I am…. All Settings Classroom Hallways Cafeteria Bathrooms
Playground
Assemblies
Safe
Keep 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
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
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
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
Be a problem solver
Learn new games and activities
Raise your hand to share
Keep comments and questions on topic

17. Universal Strategies: Non- Classroom 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

18. Universal Strategies: Classroom
Needed at the classroom level...
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

19. Small Group and Individual Interventions

20. Small Group / Targeted
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

21. Small Group / Targeted Practices
Social Skill Training
Self-Management
Mentors/Check-in
Peer tutoring / Peer Network
Academic support

22. Individual Students
Part of a continuum: Must link to school-wide PBS system
Quick supportive response to teacher
Plans based on a Functional Behavior Assessment
Clear process in place
Behavioral expertise available
All in school understand basic logic of FBA and PBS

23. Summary Investing in SW-PBS results in:
Change in school discipline systems creates an environment that promotes appropriate behavior
Reduction in problem behavior resulting in less staff time dealing with problems, more student time in the classroom
Improved perception of school safety, mental health
Improved academic performance
Improved social behavior performance
Less recidivism to more restrictive placements
Improved effectiveness and acceptability of individual interventions

26. District Coordinator Professional Development
Coordinate professional development opportunities for current teams
Assist with training of new teams
Coordinate coaches training
Work with teams/coaches on development of resource bank (materials, examples, updates of website, etc.)
Communication
Coordinate communication across district
Attend principal and assistant principal meetings to provide PBS updates and to listen to school concerns/questions
Prepare quarterly & annual reports on progress of the district initiative for leadership team
Develop district PBS handbook
Coordination
Prepare leadership team agenda
Maintain file of building meeting minutes, coach logs, and other data sources from school teams
Meet with district coaches to problem solve
Develop connections between PBS initiative and district school improvement plan
Develop linkages to external agencies and PBS (e.g., mental health)
Explore funding opportunities to expand & support initiative

27. Coaches Connect point between school teams and the district initiative
Provide technical assistance to school teams
Not intended to “lead” team, rather, serve as an additional resource
Access materials
Share examples from other schools
Updates from the district

28. School Teams
Principal or Deputy Principal + representatives of the school
Commit to on-going training
Develop/Draft essential components of school-wide system
Two-way Communication with colleagues

29. 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).