1. Using the PBIS Framework to Prevent Bullying Behavior
Illinois School Mental Health Conference  June 26-27, 2012
Lisa Boyd, Resource Teacher, Sandburg Elementary, SPS186
Brian C. Meyer Operations Director, IL PBIS Network
Cindy Martsch, Internal Coach, Sandburg Elementary, SPS186

2. Session Outcomes Session Description:
This session will provide research, systems, and examples of implementing effective and sustaining bullying prevention within a school-wide system of multi-tiered supports. A systems framework, redefinition of the bullying construct, and explicit social skills instruction, will be emphasized to focus the social attention among students on building an appropriate and positive school climate.
By the end of the overview, you will be able to:
Define bullying behaviors
Identify ineffective practices in current bullying prevention programs
Identify core features of effective bullying prevention, and how they fit within the PBIS framework
Know the student routines and staff supports needed for effective bullying prevention.

3. First, is there a need for bullying prevention in your school or district? If so, how do we build the necessary systems to support bully prevention efforts?

4. The Logic: Why invest in Bullying Prevention?
The National School Safety Center (NSSC) called bullying the most enduring and underrated problem in U.S. schools.
(Beale, 2001)
Nearly 30 percent of students have reported being involved in bullying as either a perpetrator or a victim
(Cook, Williams, Guerra, & Kim, 2010; Nansel, et al., 2001; Swearer & Espelage, 2004)
Victims and perpetrators of bullying are more likely to skip and/or drop out of school.
(Berthold & Hoover, 2000; Neary & Joseph, 1994)
Victims and perpetrators of bullying are more likely to suffer from underachievement and sub-potential performance in employment settings.
(Carney & Merrell, 2001; NSSC, 1995)
84.6% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 40.1% reported being physically harassed and 18.8% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation
(GLSEN, 2009)
Students on the autism spectrum are more likely to be victimized than their non-disabled peers
(Little, 2002)
40-60% of students with intellectual disabilities report being bullied. But not at a level of intensity or chronicity that differs from typically developing adolescent
( Christensen, Fraynt, Neece & Baker, 2012)

5. Additional Research
Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here? School Psychology Review. 23(3)
Good, C. McIntosh, K., & Gietz, C. (2011). Integrating bullying prevention into school-wide positive behavior support. Teaching Exceptional Children. 44 (1)
Illinois PBIS Network (2010). Technical assistance brief: effective bulling prevention (BP) within a school-wide system of positive behavior interventions & supports. Retrieved from
Mayer, M.J. (2008). Fact Sheet #1: Overview of school violence prevention. Retrieved from Consortium to Prevent School Violence website
Ross, S., Horner, R., & Stiller, B. (2008). Bully prevention in positive behavior support in Elementary Schools/Middle Schools. OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Eugene, OR.
Sugai, G., & Horner, R. (2011). Reducing the effectiveness of bullying behavior in schools. OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports website. Eugene, OR.

6. Three Words…
Introduce yourself to your shoulder partner (name, organization, position). Name three words that you associate with bullying behaviors.

7. What is Bullying? What Does it Look Like?
“Bullying” is repeated aggression, harassment, threats or intimidation when one person has greater status or power than the another.
What Does it Look Like?
Physical aggression
Repeated acts of isolation
Name calling
Cyber bullying
Rumors
Threats
Comments about race, gender, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation
“Not stopping a repeated pattern of behavior that has been addressed”
- Carla Lasley, Principal Grant Middle School, Grant SD110

8. What Reinforces Bullying?
Bullying is behavior, not a trait, or diagnosis, or a person.
“Always with the ‘ing”
What rewards Bullying Behavior?
Likely many different rewards are effective
Most common are:
Attention from bystanders
Attention and reaction of “victim”
Self-delivered praise
Obtaining objects (food, clothing)
Bullying is seldom maintained by feedback from adults
It is important not to label students. Attention is a key reward from bullying.
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

9. Research Summary What DOES NOT Work Well:
Profiling approaches to identify potentially dangerous students don’t work and hurt innocent students
Zero tolerance policies do very little to prevent or reduce school violence
Repeated suspensions of students with behavior problems does little to change anti-social behaviors and often accelerates a negative cycle of school failure and delinquency
Primarily punitive disciplinary approaches that neither teach nor reinforce appropriate behavior are not very effective at changing student behavior
Stand alone curriculum does not sustain, and difficult to implement
Bullying groups/ Group counseling
Motivational Speakers, regardless of how funny we are, or the emotions we invoke
Bully posters/ Campaigns reinforce the anti-social behavior
Labeling students and attempting to punish can increase bullying
Peer mediation
Bullying labels and language/ Teaching students how NOT to bully

10. Research Summary: Common Elements of an Ineffective Bullying Prevention Effort:
Problem #1: Many bullying prevention programs focus on only the bully and the victim
Ignores the role of the bystander
not enough attention on ALL kids
Problem #2: Inadvertent “teaching of bullying” with possible contraindicated practices
Labeling behavior as bullying rather than being disrespectful; peer mediation; certain “counseling” groups; anti-bullying posters or pledges, etc.
Problem #3: Blame the bully
Labeling kids
Over-emphasis on student ‘responsibility’ for change
Problem #4: Ignore role of “bystanders”
Fails to address the social attention given by bystanders that reinforces the bullying behavior (cheering, gathering, watching)
Problem #5: Initial effects gained without sustained impact
Non-data based decisions & interventions, generic intervention responses,
Do not scale, sustain, and/or generalize – most gone 2 years after implementation
Problem #6: Expensive effort
This information is found in Chapter 8 of Bullying Prevention Curriculum on national website and explained in detail there. Any current curriculum that schools are using…..coaches should compare to these problem areas.
The focus should be on teaching how to show respect.

11. Core Elements of an Effective Bullying Prevention Effort:
Bullying prevention that is efficient and “fits” WITHIN existing behavior support efforts
Bullying PREVENTION; not just remediation
Early intervention. Teach pro-social school-wide expectations. Address multiple levels of the student’s ecology (school, peer, family)
Bullying prevention within a SYSTEMS APPROACH that help to make the program sustainable.
Tiered Supports. Consistent reinforcement. Data-based decision making.

12. Bullying Prevention starts here
School-Wide Systems for Student Success: A Response to Intervention (RtI) Model
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
Tier 3/Tertiary Interventions %
Individual students
Assessment-based
High intensity
1-5% Tier 3/Tertiary Interventions
Individual students
Assessment-based
Intense, durable procedures
Tier 2/Secondary Interventions %
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
Small group interventions
Some individualizing
5-15% Tier 2/Secondary Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
Small group interventions
Some individualizing
Tier 1/Universal Interventions %
All students
Preventive, proactive
80-90% Tier 1/Universal Interventions
All settings, all students-SYSTEMIC
Preventive, proactive
Data, Systems, Practices
Faculty implementation
Student use of BP
Decision rules for Tier 2/3 supports
Bullying Prevention starts here
Illinois PBIS Network, Revised May 15, Adapted from “What is school-wide PBS?” OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Accessed at 12

13. Six Features of PBIS that Contribute to Effective Application of Bullying Prevention:
The use of evidence based instructional principles to teach expected behaviors to all students. (Behavioral lesson plans from Matrix)
The monitoring and acknowledgement of students for engaging in appropriate behavior. (Three tiers of acknowledgements: high- frequency, intermittent, long term)
Specific instruction and pre-correction to prevent bullying behavior from being rewarded by victims or bystanders. (Direct instruction of school-wide expectations)
The correction of problem behaviors using a consistently administered continuum of consequences. (T-Chart)
The collection and use of information about student behavior to evaluate and guide decision making. (Data)
The establishment of a team that develops, implements, and manages. (Universal Team)

14. A strong foundation for installing Bulling Prevention
Fully Implementing IL PBIS Schools Have Fewer ODRs related to Bullying Behavior
Disrespect
Harassment
Fighting
Aggression
A strong foundation for installing Bulling Prevention

15. Average ODRs for ‘Bullying’ Behaviors Comparison of Fully & Partially Implementing IL PBIS Schools
43% Difference

16. A three part approach to school-wide Bullying Prevention
Establish a whole-school social culture where positive behavior is “expected” and rewards for bullying are NOT provided.
Provide training and support for adults to (a) train, (b) precorrect, and (c) provide consequences for bullying
Provide direct, individualized support for students who engage in “bullying” or “victim” behaviors.

17. Implementing Bullying Prevention: 3 Phases for Students
Step 1: Teach Respect School-wide
Step 2: Build consensus for preventing bullying
Step 3: Select a stop signal
Step 4: Orient then Train all students in four skills/routines (Stop, Bystander Stop, Stopping, Recruiting Help)
Exploration
Installation
Implementation

18. Students: Step 1 Teach Respect to All Students
Should be initially taught as part of beginning of the year kick-off.
Students should be able to identify between respectful and disrespectful behavior student to student, student to adult, and adult to student
Note: teach what respect is, not what bullying is
Tier 1 team monitors school-wide data monthly, acknowledges strengths, and coordinates re-teaching of school-wide expectations as necessary
On SWIS you can look at 1) physical aggression, 2) fighting, and 3) bullying/harassment ODRs to see patterns in data.
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

19. Students: Step 2 Building Consensus
Collect student climate survey data
Is relational aggression perceived as a problem?
Hold student Forums for MS/HS
Different formats possible
Share results with whole student-body
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

20. Students: Step 2 Building Consensus
Student Climate Survey
In your school:
DISAGREE…………AGREE
1. You feel safe
2. Other students treat you respectfully?
3. You treat other students respectfully?
4. Adults treat you respectfully?
5. You treat adults in your school respectfully
In the past week:
6. Has anyone treated you disrespectfully?
7. Have you asked someone to “stop?”
8. Has anyone asked you to “stop?”
9. Have you seen someone else treated disrespectfully?
Use this survey for pre and post data. In the curriculum, there is also a staff perception survey available on

21. Students: Step 2 Building Consensus
Student Forum (MS/HS)
Design:
8-10 students selected for leadership/contribution
60-90 min
Introduction and Logic:
School should be a safe and welcoming place.
Disrespectful behavior is maintained if (a) it results in attention from students, and (b) is not addressed by adults.
Content of discussion:
1. Is disrespectful behavior a problem? What is the impact of disrespectful behavior on ability of others to succeed in school.
2. Disrespectful behavior typically keeps happening because it results in attention from peers.
3. We need common (school-wide) routines for:
A) Stop Routine (What would be an acceptable word/gesture to indicate “stop?”)
If someone is disrespectful toward you
If you encounter someone being disrespectful toward others (bystander)
Cyberspace
B) Stopping Routine (what should someone do when asked to “stop?”)
C) Recruiting help routing (what is the appropriate way to get help or report a problem?)
4. What would be best way to introduce/train these routines? .

22. Students: Step 3 Selecting a Stop signal
“Stop” signal selected
For MS/HS: Use data and input from Student Forum to develop socially acceptable and effective “stop” signal
Example:
If someone is directing problem behavior to you, ask them to “stop.”
Gesture and word
Review how the stop signal should look and sound
Firm hand signal
Clear voice
Review how the stop signal should not look

23. Example “Stop Signal”
If someone is directing problem behavior to you, ask them them to “stop.”
Gesture and word
Review how the stop signal should look and sound
Firm hand signal
Clear voice

24. Students: Step 4 Student Orientation and Skill Training
Format:
Conduct a 30 min training in each classroom
Logic: Everyone should treat everyone else with respect
Everyone should avoid rewarding disrespectful behavior
Tips:
Teach all students to remove the rewards that sustain bullying
Do NOT use the label “bullying” with students. Rather, teach how to respond if someone is not respectful.
Learning requires a respectful setting.
Discussion:
Given school-wide expectations, what does it mean to be respectful?
Provide examples of being respectful in class, on playground, in cafeteria
What does it look like if someone is NOT respectful?
Provide examples
Note: do not have students demonstrate disrespectful behavior.
What should you do?
If you experience someone doing these behaviors to you?
If you see someone else in these situations?
If someone tells YOU that your behavior is disrespectful?

25. Students: Step 4 Teach Student Skills, Practice
Five Student Skills to Demonstrate and Practice (in groups of three, students should practice each skill at least 3-5 times)
School-wide behavioral expectation: Understanding respect, know what it means to be “respectful”
Stop Routine: when faced with disrespectful behavior
Bystander Stop Routine: when observing disrespectful behavior
Stopping Routine: if someone tells you to “stop”
Recruiting Help Routine: to recruit adult help if you feel unsafe.

26. Stop Routine If you encounter behavior that is NOT respectful
Stop Walk Talk
Say and Show
“STOP”
Walk Away
Talk to an Adult

27. Bystander Stop Routine
Remember: Even if all you do is “watch” a bad situation, you are providing attention that rewards disrespectful behavior.
If you see someone else being treated disrespectfully:
Say and show “stop” to the person being disrespectful
Offer to take the other person away for a little bit.
If they do not want to go, that is okay…just walk away.

28. Stopping Routine
Eventually, every student will be told to stop. When this happens, they should do the following things
Stop what you are doing
Take a deep breath
Go about your day (“no big deal”)
These steps should be followed even when you don’t agree with the “stop” message.

29. Recruiting Help Routine:
Walk Away: Sometimes, even when students tell others to “stop”, problem behavior will continue. When this happens, students are to "walk away" from the problem behavior.
Remember that walking away removes the attention for problem behavior
Encourage students to support one another when they use the appropriate Stop  Walk  Talk response
Talk: If a behavior continues after a student walks away, the student should talk to an adult.

30. For Faculty/Staff: Core Features of an Effective Bullying Prevention Effort
Agreement on logic/need for bullying prevention effort
Strategy for teaching students core skills
Strategy for follow-up and consistency in responding
Clear data collection and data use process
Advanced support options
Plan for effective implementation of bullying prevention.

31. Implementing Bullying Prevention: 4 Phases for STAFF
Step 1: Review and monitor data
Step 2: Train Tier 1 team
Step 3: Faculty orientation; logic; response procedures
Step 4: Stop signal agreement
Step 5: Build lesson plans; teach; schedule boosters
Step 6: Use and review data; build coaching capacity
Exploration
Installation
Implementation
Full Implementation

32. Staff: Step 1 Review and Monitor Data
ODR Data
SWIS: harassment/bullying, fighting, physical aggression
Student climate survey
Faculty/family reports
Make sure school is maintaining any reports from faculty or family members about bullying
Have there been reports from parents or staff that bullying is occurring?
Use SWIS ODR data on: 1) Physical aggression, 2) Bullying/Harassment, and 3) Fighting
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

33. Staff: Step 2 Train Tier 1 team
Tier 1 team is trained in BP-PBIS bullying prevention strategies.
Read and Analyze BP-PBIS Curriculum.
Consider current PBIS system in place and its capacity to effectively integrate BP within the system.
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

34. Staff: Step 3 Faculty Orientation; Logic; Response Procedures
Faculty can define logic for BP-PBIS
Common “stop” signal adopted for whole school
Faculty can teach “student training” skills
Faculty reward/recognize student use of BP “stop” routine
Faculty manage “student reporting” routine
Faculty can deliver “booster training”
Faculty can deliver “pre-corrects”
Faculty collect and use data for decision making

35. Staff: Step 3 Faculty Response Procedure
When any problem behavior is reported, adults follow a specific response sequence:
Ensure the student’s safety.
Is the bullying still happening?
Is the reporting child at risk?
What does the student need to feel safe?
What is the severity of the situation
Determine if “stop” response was used
If “stop” used provide praise, and connect with perpetrator
If “stop” response was not used, practice the Stop-Walk-Talk routine with the student reporting a problem.
Determine if “stop” response was followed
If “stop” not followed, practice how to stop when asked.

36. Staff: Step 3 Faculty Response Procedure (con’t)
Faculty Response Procedure for when students “talk”
When a Student reports disrespectful behavior:
"Did you tell ______ to stop?"
If yes: "How did ____ respond?”
If no: Practice the 3 step response (stop-walk-talk).
"Did you walk away?"
If no: Practice the 3 step response.
“Okay, I will take it from here.”

37. Staff: Step 4 Stop Signal Agreement
Stop signal is agreed upon
For MS/HS: Stop signal is agreed upon after student forum

38. Staff: Step 5 Implementation
Build Lesson Plans
Teach to All students; Inform families
Reteach with Booster Schedule

39. Staff: Step 5 Build your BP curriculum and teaching plans
Use National PBIS Center’s BP-PBIS Curriculum:
Ross, S., Horner, R., & Stiller, B. (2008). Bully prevention in positive behavior support in Elementary Schools/Middle Schools. OSEP Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Eugene, OR. Available at:
MS/HS: National PBIS Center’s Expect Respect curriculum
Current draft is in research phase, anticipated availability Sept 2012
Develop your own behavioral lesson plans
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

40. Staff: Step 5 Teach BP-PBIS to All Students; Inform Families
Teach School-wide behavioral expectation:
Understanding what respect is and is not
Teach all three stop routines, plus recruiting help routine
Practice with all students, in groups of three (initiator, target of problem behavior, bystander):
Students should practice each of three routines at least 5 times, for a total of 15 times per student.
Develop and implement plan for informing all families of logic, expectations, intervention, and outcomes
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

41. Staff: Step 5 Schedule and conduct “boosters”
Build in “booster” training events
Week One: In-class follow up/reminder.
Identify situations where “stop” worked
Identify situations where “stop” did NOT work.
Two months after initial student training, hold a brief review of Stop-Walk-Talk routine.
Select examples that are like three problem events that been reported.
Four months after initial student training, consider holding another brief review of Stop-Walk-Talk routine.

42. Scott Ross, University of Oregon
Staff: Step 6 (Full Implementation) Use and review data; build coaching and training capacity
Monitor fidelity and impact (Tier 1 monthly team meeting):
Whole building data: SWIS/ODR’s
Process data:
Data before and after initial implementation, then boosters
Student Climate Survey (as needed)
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

43. Staff: Step 6 con’t Coaching and Training Capacity Developed
What help is needed from district?
BP outcomes included as part of PBIS district level report
Who will provide orientation & training for:
Those staff/students entering after beginning of year?
Playground, cafeteria, bus, hallway staff?
What materials and protocols will need to be developed?
Integration into existing PBIS materials; not separate initiative
Impact on district policy?
Scott Ross, University of Oregon

44. Results

45. Research Example Good, McIntosh, Poirier, (2011)
After initial implementation of SWPBS in the school year, a middle school of 500 students in Canada embedded BP-PBS during the school year. 
Out of school suspensions dropped approximately 65% after implementing SWPBS;
After implementing BP-PBS, office discipline referrals for the school year for bullying decreased by approximately 41%.

46. Number of ODRs for bullying behavior per month pre- and post-implementation of the BP-PBS program

47. Pilot Study in Elementary School in Oregon
Ten minute observations were conducted on three students as selected by the principal, along with a composite peer during lunch recess to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
Results indicated a significant reduction in problem behavior after the intervention was delivered (55-69% reduction).
In addition, other students on the playground were significantly more likely to respond appropriately when they were bullied.

48. 72% Number of Incidents of Bullying Behavior 3.14 1.88 .88 48
Baseline
Acquisition
Full BP-PBS Implementation
Rob
School 1
Number of Incidents of Bullying Behavior
Bruce
Cindy
School 2
Scott
Anne
School 3
Ken
72% 48
3.14
1.88
.88
School Days

49. 22% decrease 21% increase 49 BP-PBS, Scott Ross
Recipients of bullying said “stop” 30% of the time (a 28% increase from baseline),
helped the victim “walk” away 13% of the time (a 10% increase),
delivered a positive response 8% of the time (an 11% decrease),
delivered a negative response 15% of the time (a 19% decrease),
and delivered no response 34% of the time (a 9% decrease).
Bystanders of bullying said “stop” 22% of the time (a 21% increase),
helped the victim “walk” away 13% of the time (an 11% increase),
delivered a positive response 17% of the time (a 22% decrease),
delivered a negative response 8% of the time (a 10% decrease),
and delivered no response 41% of the time (a 1% increase). 49
BP-PBS, Scott Ross

50. District-wide Effort Reduces Bullying Behavior Across Middle Schools
Matthews and Wauconda Middle Schools, SD 118 are using the PBIS framework to address bullying prevention (BP) with promising results.
BP implementation started in January Comparing Jan.-Mar to the same time period in 2012, ODRs for bullying related behaviors decreased by 73% at Matthews and by 22% at Wauconda. Matthews in particular has seen a reduction in ODRs per 100 students per day for bullying related behaviors, from 0.25 in Sep to 0.07 in Mar
The district is continuing with its BP plan by expanding to elementary schools next year.

51. Wauconda Middle Schools’ ODRs for Bullying Related Behaviors
# ODRs for Bullying Behaviors

52. BP Resources
Illinois PBIS Network’s Bullying Prevention Webpage:
Curriculum: 
Bullying Prevention in PBIS for Elementary Schools: National Center on PBIS, 2008
Bulling Prevention in PBIS for Middle Schools: National Center on PBIS, 2008.
BP Planning Guide
Surveys, Assessment Tools, and Guides: 
Student Climate Survey
Staff BP Implementation Survey
BP Planning Guide *
Technical Assistance Brief:
Effective Bulling Prevention (BP) within a School-wide System of Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS): Illinois PBIS Network, Dec 2010.