1. The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
In Partnership with the
Office of Special Education Programs
New Jersey Department of Education
School Year
Funded by IDEA -Part B
in participation with NJDOE OSEP and funded by IDEA funds - Part B (or C)

2. Why Tiered Intervention Systems?
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
Lohrmann & Martin (2006) New Jersey Positive Behavior Supports in Schools

3. Offers the best opportunity to improve culture, climate and conduct:
National Policy
Every Student Succeeds Act and IDEA
US DOE messaging on finding alternatives to suspension, eliminating disproportionality and promoting evidence-based practices
Compelling data-base demonstrating positive outcomes at all school levels
Guidance from NJ DOE
NJ Tiered System of Support -
Offers the best opportunity to improve culture, climate and conduct:
Clarity in procedures and expectations
Consistency in message
Continuity in intervention planning for students
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
in participation with NJDOE OSEP and funded by IDEA funds - Part B (or C)

4. How many students receive 6 or more office conduct referrals?
Benchmark: 5% or less of
the school enrollment
INDIVDIUAL STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM
for Significant Situations
Who, Why & How?
How many students receive
3-5 office conduct referrals?
Benchmark: 15% or less of
the school enrollment
I & RS to Address Emerging Issues
Who, Why & How?
How many students receive
1-2 office conduct referrals?
Benchmark: 20% or less of
the school enrollment
TEACHER ‘TRY FIRST’ STRATEGIES
Who, Why & How?
UNIVERSAL
CORE PREVENTION PRACTICES
Who, Why & How?
How many students receive
0 office conduct referrals?
Benchmark: 60% or greater of
the school enrollment
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

5. Core Prevention Practices = Decreases in OCRs n=15 NJ Middle Schools
Office Conduct Referrals
16.5%
Out of School Suspensions 9%
27%
52%
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

6. WHAT ARE THE PRACTICES?
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
Lohrmann & Martin (2006) New Jersey Positive Behavior Supports in Schools

7. Universal Intervention Tier Toolkit of Practices
Rapport Building Strategies
Environmental Cues
State expectations positively
Clearly defined routines and rituals
Visual cues and attention getting signals
Prompting
Instruction on Soc.-Emo. skills
Up front teaching
Teachable moments
Review when error patterns occur
Reinforcement
Use a 3:1 praise ratio
Link to incentives
Area Management
Active Supervision
Redirection and Error Correction
The Universal Tier is a collection of practices aimed at PREVENTING problem behavior from occurring
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

8. Shaping Positive Behaviors
HALSTED 5
Respect – Listen – Prepared – Responsible – Pride
Teach
Prevent
Praise
The students’ performance is here
The goal for student performance is here
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

9. UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF REINFORCEMENT IN SHAPING BEHAVIOR
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
Lohrmann & Martin (2006) New Jersey Positive Behavior Supports in Schools

10. Increasing Behaviors You Want to See More Often
Directly teach the behaviors you want Deliver a behavior specific praise statement Give a ticket to mark the moment Use incentives to increase motivation
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

11. Use Reinforcement If You Want to Increase a Behavior
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
ADD something to the situation that the student wants:
Attention
Activity
Power
REMOVE something from the situation the student does not want:
Work
Social demands
Compliance demands
John enters class and yells across the room. Everyone turns and looks. Some students say hello back. In front of the class, the teacher stops him and tells him he needs to enter quietly and on time.
In the future, is John more or less likely to enter class yelling hello? Why?
It is time to begin an independent assignment. Paul does not open his book or move to begin the work. The teacher comes over and prompts him to start. Paul rolls his eyes and sucks his teeth. The teacher goes to help another student then comes back and tells Paul he needs to get started and finish or he will get a zero for the assignment. Paul never starts the work, the teacher assigns him a detention.
In the future, is Paul more or less likely to do his work? Why?
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

12. Does Everyone Use a 3:1 Ratio?
3 Behavior Specific Praise Statements
To Every 1 Correction
Behavior specific praise: An explicit statement that provides the student with positive reinforcement for engaging in a desired behavior
“Thank you for entering quietly”
“I appreciate your getting started with your work”
“You did a great job walking away when she made those comments”
“You need to quiet down and get started with your work.”
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

13. Basic Principles of Using Reinforcement
Teach the Expectation: define and teach what you want the students to do
Differentiate: To address student specific skill needs
‘Praise Flood’: High frequency distribution of tickets for any new behavior, skill or routine you want students to follow
‘Spread Out’: Fade to variable-intermittent distribution as students demonstrate the skill / routine
‘Bounce Back’: Monitor data for error patterns, return to high frequency distribution when performance drops
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
in participation with NJDOE OSEP and funded by IDEA funds - Part B (or C)

14. When Using Reinforcement:
Be CONCRETE
Tell and show students what behaviors you are looking for
Be DELIBERATE
Intentionally look for reasons to handout tickets
Use behavior specific praise to acknowledge what the student did
Be MEMORABLE
Make eye contact
Use a supporting / encouraging tone
Connect with the student on a personal level
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

15. Class-wide Example of Using Reinforcement to Shape Behavior
Teach the skill and set a goal
Teacher reviews strategies for homework completion and talks about why homework is important
She sets a 90% class completion goal
Use high frequency –predictable reinforcement
Week 1 until criteria is met:
The teacher gives out a ticket to every student who turns in their homework every time homework is due
The teacher reviews the homework completion percentage and determines when the 90% criteria is met
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

16. Class-wide Example of Using Reinforcement to Shape Behavior
Transition to an intermittent-variable schedule
Once criteria is met, the teacher reduces the distribution of tickets to a predetermined schedule (e.g., every other assignment).
The teacher monitors the home work completion percentage to ensure that students maintain the 90% criteria
If the performance drops, she would return to a predictable reinforcement schedule
Students with 3 or more missed assignments need an additional intervention
If performance is maintained, the teacher begins to use a spontaneous approach varying the days, frequency and the students receiving the tickets
The teacher monitors the homework completion percentage to ensure that students maintain the 90% criteria
If the performance drops, she would return to a predictable schedule
Students with 3 or more missed assignments move on to a secondary tier intervention
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

17. Class-wide Example of Using Reinforcement to Shape Behavior
Provide boosters when performance drops
Ongoing, the teacher monitors the homework completion percentage to ensure that students maintain the 90% criteria
If the performance drops, she would return to a predictable schedule
Students with 3 or more missed assignments need an additional intervention
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

18. Minimizing Reinforcement When Redirecting a Behavior
All of our responses are reinforcing
When problem behavior occurs, often what happens is we inadvertently deliver either (or both):
Positive reinforcement by attending to the student
Negative reinforcement because we remove the student from the situation
(remember, both of these INCREASE the likelihood that behavior will occur in future)
Because of this the rule of thumb is: less is more
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

19. Minimizing Reinforcement When Redirecting a Behavior
Provide a CUE
RESTATE the expectation to the class
PRAISE other students performing the expectation
SCAN for a response
PRAISE Cooperation
If no response then,
DECIDE whether to address now or address later
If now, ENGAGE other students in the routine, a task, or activity
Speak to the student PRIVATELY
OFFER options or ask the student to generate options
Provide THINK time
PRAISE cooperation
If the student does not respond and the behavior is interfering with the routine refer to your office conduct referral procedures
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

20. Reinforcement Walk Away Points
Praise and tickets are an instructional tool to shape positive behavior
Use a 3:1 praise/ticket ratio
Use lots of praise to shape a new behavior or routine
Minimize your response to a problem behavior to avoid reinforcing an unwanted behavior
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

21. Resources on Tiered Intervention Systems
National Policy: Every Student Succeeds Act and IDEA
US DOE TA Center on PBIS:
Northeast Regional PBIS Network:
New Jersey Tiered System of Support
NJ PBSIS
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B
in participation with NJDOE OSEP and funded by IDEA funds - Part B (or C)

22. Resource Documents & Tool Kits
Supporting and Responding to Behavior: Evidence Based Classroom Management Strategies that Work
ReThink Discipline Resource Guide
Addressing the Root Causes of Disparities in Education
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B

23. In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B 2016 - 2017
Further Reading
Web resource:
Akin-Little, K. A., Eckert, T. L., Lovett, B. J., & Little, S. G. (2004). Extrinsic reinforcement in the classroom: Bribery or best practice. School Psychology Review, 33,
Burnett, P. C. (2001). Elementary students' preferences for teacher praise. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 36(1),
Daly, E. J., Martens, B. K., Barnett, D., Witt, J. C., & Olson, S. C. (2007). Varying intervention delivery in response to intervention: Confronting and resolving challenges with measurement, instruction, and intensity. School Psychology Review, 36,
Hawkins, S. M., & Heflin, L. J. (2011). Increasing secondary teachers’ behavior-specific praise using a video self-modeling and visual performance feedback intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions,13(2) 97–108.
Kern, L. & Clemens, N. H. (2007). Antecedent strategies to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 44,
Partin, T. C. M., Robertson, R. E., Maggin, D. M., Oliver, R. M., & Wehby, J. H. (2010). Using teacher praise and opportunities to respond to promote appropriate student behavior. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 54, 172–178.
In partnership with NJDOE OSEP funded by IDEA -Part B