1. Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports & Response-to-Intervention
George Sugai
OSEP Center on PBIS
Center for Behavioral Education & Research
University of Connecticut
June

2. PURPOSE
Examination of current SWPBS data practices, systems, & outcomes in context of “responsiveness-to-intervention”
Keynote overview: All
Follow-up: Administrators, coordinators, coaches, trainers, evaluators
Coaching: Administrators, coordinators, coaches, trainers, evaluators
Brief History & Rationale
PBIS Foundations
RtI
Data

3. Problem Statement
“We give schools strategies & systems for improving practice & outcomes, but implementation is not accurate, consistent, or durable, & desired outcomes aren’t realized. School personnel & teams need more than exposure, practice, & enthusiasm.”

4. Brief PBIS History & Rationale

5. Context Matters!
Examples
Individual Student
vs.
School-wide

6. Reiko
Assessments indicate that Reiko performs in average to above average range in most academic areas. However, in last 4 weeks her teacher has noticed Reiko’s frequent talking & asking & answering questions without raising her hand has become an annoying problem to other students & to teacher.
What would you do?

7. Kiyoshi What would you do?
Kiyoshi is a highly competent student, but has long history of antisocial behavior. He is quick to anger, & minor events quickly escalate to major confrontations. He has few friends, & most of his conflicts occur with peers in hallways & cafeteria & on bus. In last 2 months, he has been given 8 days of in school detention & 6 days of out of school suspension. In a recent event, he broke glasses of another student.
What would you do?

8. Mitch
Mitch displays a number of stereotypic (e.g., light filtering with his fingers, head rolling) & self-injurious behaviors (e.g., face slapping, arm biting), & his communications are limited to a verbal vocabulary of about 25 words. When his usual routines are changed or items are not in their usual places, his rates of stereotypic & self-injurious behavior increase quickly.
What would you do?

9. Rachel What would you do?
Rachel dresses in black every day, rarely interacts with teachers or other students, & writes & distributes poems & stories about witchcraft, alien nations, gundams, & other science fiction topics. When approached or confronted by teachers, she pulls hood of her black sweatshirt or coat over her head & walks away. Mystified by Rachel’s behavior, teachers usually shake their heads & let her walk away. Recently, Rachel carefully wrapped a dead squirrel in black cloth & placed it on her desk. Other students became frightened when she began talking to it.
What would you do?

10. Fortunately, we have a science that guides us to…
ASSESS these situations
Develop behavior intervention PLANS based on our assessment
MONITOR student progress & make enhancements
All in ways that can be culturally & contextually APPROPRIATE
Context Matters!
Crone & Horner, 2003; Horner, Sugai, & Anderson, 2007

11. “159 Days”
Intermediate/senior high school with 880 students reported over 5,100 office discipline referrals in one academic year. Nearly 2/3 of students have received at least one office discipline referral.
Reiko is in this school!

12. 5,100 referrals =
76,500 min =
1,275 hrs =
159 8 hrs

13. Kiyoshi is in this school!
“Da place to be”
During 4th period, in-school detention room has so many students that the overflow is sent to the counselor’s office. Most students have been assigned for being in the hallways after the late bell.
Kiyoshi is in this school!

14. “Cliques”
During Advisory Class, the “sportsters” sit in the back of the room, & “goths” sit at the front. Most class activities result in out of seat, yelling arguments between the two groups.
Mitch is in this school!

15. Rachel is in this school!
“4 Corners”
Three rival gangs are competing for “four corners.” Teachers actively avoid the area. Because of daily conflicts, vice principal has moved her desk to four corners.
Rachel is in this school!

16. Emphasis on punishment
1980s SW Discipline Problem
Reactive
Non-constructive
Emphasis on punishment
Poor implementation fidelity
Limited effects
“Drowning Frogs”
“Green to Yellow to Red” Cards
“Full to partial to limited” privileges

17. “Big Ideas” from Early Years
Teach & recognize behavior directly, school-wide
Colvin & Sugai (1992)
Focus adult behavior in team-based SW action planning
Colvin, Kame’enui, & Sugai (1993)
Consider ALL as foundation for some by establishing local behavioral expertise
Sugai & Horner (1994)
Integrate evidence-based practices in 3-tiered prevention logic
Walker, Horner, Sugai, Bullis, Sprague, Bricker, & Kaufman (1996)

18. “Early Triangle” (p. 201) Walker, Knitzer, Reid, et al., CDC

19. 23 ALL SOME FEW Tertiary Prevention: Specialized CONTINUUM OF
Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
CONTINUUM OF
SCHOOL-WIDE
INSTRUCTIONAL &
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT
FEW
~5%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
~15%
SOME
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings 23
ALL
~80% of Students

20. Prevention Logic for All
Biglan, 1995; Mayer, 1995; Walker et al., 1996
Decrease development of new problem behaviors
Prevent worsening & reduce intensity of existing problem behaviors
Eliminate triggers & maintainers of problem behaviors
Teach, monitor, & acknowledge prosocial behavior
Redesign of teaching environments…not students

21. SWPBS (aka PBIS/RtI) is
for enhancing adoption & implementation of
Continuum of evidence-based interventions to achieve
Academically & behaviorally important outcomes for
All students
Framework

22. Changing Adult Behavior1.
“Change is slow, difficult, gradual process for teachers 2.
“Teachers need to receive regular feedback on student learning outcomes” 3.
“Continued support & follow-up are necessary after initial training”
Guskey, 1986, p. 59

23. Supporting Social Competence &
Integrated
Elements
Supporting Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
OUTCOMES 15
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
DATA
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior

24. Continuum of Support for ALL23
Continuum of Support for ALL
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
Few
Some
NOTICE GREEN GOES IS FOR “ALL”
All
Dec 7, 2007

25. Continuum of Support for ALL “Theora”
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
Math
Science
Spanish
Reading
NOTICE GREEN GOES IS FOR “ALL”
Soc skills
Soc Studies
Basketball
Label behavior…not people
Dec 7, 2007

26. Continuum of Support for ALL:
“Molcom”
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
Anger man.
Prob Sol.
Ind. play
Adult rel.
Self-assess
NOTICE GREEN GOES IS FOR “ALL”
Baker, 2005 JPBI
Attend.
Coop play
Peer interac
Label behavior…not people
Dec 7, 2007

27. “Response-to-Intervention”

28. Need for better Implementation Fidelity Comprehensive screening
Data-based decision making
Early & timely decision making
Comprehensive screening
Support for non-responders
Implementation Fidelity
Instructional accountability & justification
Assessment-instruction alignment
Resource & time use

29. RtI IMPLEMENTATION W/ FIDELITY CONTINUUM OF EVIDENCE-BASED CONTINUOUS
INTERVENTIONS
CONTENT EXPERTISE & FLUENCY
TEAM-BASED
IMPLEMENTATION
CONTINUOUS
PROGRESS MONITORING
UNIVERSAL SCREENING
DATA-BASED
DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING
RtI

30. EARLY INFLUENCES CBM Precision Teaching Early Screening & Intervention
Prereferral Interventions
Teacher Assistance Teaming
Diagnostic Prescriptive Teaching
Behavioral & Instructional Consultation
Applied Behavior Analysis
Precision Teaching

31. Phonemic Segmentation Fluency
K-1 (same):
Phonemic Segmentation Fluency
17 months
Kindergarten to first (same kids)

32. Responsiveness to Intervention
Etc.
Literacy & Writing
Numeracy & Sciences
SWPBS
Specials
Social Sciences

33. Implementation Framework

34. RCT & Group Design PBIS Studies
Bradshaw, C.P., Koth, C.W., Thornton, L.A., & Leaf, P.J. (2009). Altering school climate through school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Findings from a group-randomized effectiveness trial. Prevention Science, 10(2), Bradshaw, C.P., Koth, C.W., Bevans, K.B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P.J. (2008). The impact of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, Bradshaw, C.P., Reinke, W. M., Brown, L. D., Bevans, K.B., & Leaf, P.J. (2008). Implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in elementary schools: Observations from a randomized trial. Education & Treatment of Children, 31, Horner, R., Sugai, G., Smolkowski, K., Eber, L., Nakasato, J., Todd, A., & Esperanza, J., (2009). A randomized, wait-list controlled effectiveness trial assessing school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C. M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for school-wide positive behavior support. Focus on Exceptionality, 42(8), 1-14.
Reduced major disciplinary infractions
Improvements in academic achievement
Enhanced perception of organizational health & safety
Improved school climate
Reductions in teacher reported bullying behavior

35. Maximum Student Benefits
“Making a turn”
IMPLEMENTATION
Effective
Not Effective
PRACTICE
Maximum Student Benefits
Fixsen & Blase, 2009

36. Detrich, Keyworth, & States (2007). J. Evid.-based Prac. in Sch.
Start w/
What Works
Focus on Fidelity
Research to Practice is dependent on good research.
Detrich, Keyworth, & States (2007). J. Evid.-based Prac. in Sch.

37. SWPBS Implementation Blueprint

38. Supporting Social Competence &
Integrated
Elements
Supporting Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
OUTCOMES 15
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
DATA
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior

39. Biggest, durable effect17
SWPBS
Practices
School-wide
Classroom
Family
Non-classroom
Smallest #
Evidence-based
Biggest, durable effect
Student

40. EVIDENCE- BASED INTERVENTION PRACTICES
SCHOOL-WIDE
1. Leadership team
Behavior purpose statement
Set of positive expectations & behaviors
Procedures for teaching SW & classroom-wide expected behavior
Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior
Continuum of procedures for discouraging rule violations
Procedures for on-going data-based monitoring & evaluation
EVIDENCE- BASED INTERVENTION PRACTICES
CLASSROOM
All school-wide
Maximum structure & predictability in routines & environment
Positively stated expectations posted, taught, reviewed, prompted, & supervised.
Maximum engagement through high rates of opportunities to respond, delivery of evidence- based instructional curriculum & practices
Continuum of strategies to acknowledge displays of appropriate behavior.
Continuum of strategies for responding to inappropriate behavior.
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT
Behavioral competence at school & district levels
Function-based behavior support planning
Team- & data-based decision making
Comprehensive person-centered planning & wraparound processes
Targeted social skills & self-management instruction
Individualized instructional & curricular accommodations
NONCLASSROOM
Positive expectations & routines taught & encouraged
Active supervision by all staff (Scan, move, interact)
Precorrections & reminders
Positive reinforcement
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Continuum of positive behavior support for all families
Frequent, regular positive contacts, communications, & acknowledgements
Formal & active participation & involvement as equal partner
Access to system of integrated school & community resources

41. Responsiveness to Intervention
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
Intensive, Individual Interventions
Individual Students
Assessment-based
High Intensity
Intensive, Individual Interventions
Individual Students
Assessment-based
Intense, durable procedures
1-5%
1-5%
Targeted Group Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
5-10%
5-10%
Targeted Group Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
Universal Interventions
All students
Preventive, proactive
80-90%
Universal Interventions
All settings, all students
Preventive, proactive
80-90%
Circa 1996

42. ESTABLISHING CONTINUUM of SWPBS
TERTIARY PREVENTION
TERTIARY PREVENTION
Function-based support
Wraparound
Person-centered planning
~5%
~15%
SECONDARY PREVENTION
Check in/out
Targeted social skills instruction
Peer-based supports
Social skills club
SECONDARY PREVENTION
PRIMARY PREVENTION
Teach SW expectations
Proactive SW discipline
Positive reinforcement
Effective instruction
Parent engagement
PRIMARY PREVENTION
~80% of Students