Beginning to Embed CR in Your Universal System Michelle Belnavis Wisconsin RtI Center Kent Smith Wisconsin RtI Center belnavism@wisconsinrticenter.org @MichelleBelnav2 (Twitter) smithk@wisconsinpbisnetwork.org @Kent1915 (Twitter)

Agenda Introductions and “Things to know” Necessity of Identity work Places where Universal system can create barriers and examples Getting Started and Resources

Things to Know Identity work is critical The available resources helps build CR Systems, are not CR guides Use with coaches to guide the work. Too overwhelming for whole team. When looking at data, preface the risk ratio conversation with National to state to district to building to show how systems have been built; not a racist building thing. Risk ratio identifies SOMETHING is going on but is not diagnostic. Dig deeper.

May be easier to start with gender or poverty, but teams should not “hang out” there having addressed those. Poverty and race will come up. Skiba study (Race is not neutral) isolated race in terms of poverty and found race is a much bigger predictor of success than poverty. Systems and practices are of equal importance and to be effective both areas must be addressed.

Turn and Talk Thinking about these things, what concerns do you have about your current systems starting to use this resource?

Identity Development Identity development work must be systemic This work will not occur or sustain unless staff are provided support regarding when and how it can best happen

Identity Development Practitioners Practitioners must examine and understand: How and why they perceive the world the way they do Their own comfort level with issues of race, ethnicity, and educational and social disparities The background from which they develop and apply their expectations, procedures, routines, and practices The purpose of their expectations, procedures, and practices

It is imperative that staff examine their beliefs about what is “normal,” “appropriate,” or “acceptable” behavior. These notions are culturally defined and can vary greatly from person to person, thus providing the basis for disproportionate correction.

We see the world not as it is, but as we are… These men both did ground breaking work. They died on the same day. They had different backgrounds, both faced struggles, both by any measure were successful at the time of their deaths. Who are they? Why is it that we know one of them on sight and the other we don’t? Derrick Bell and Steve Jobs We pay attention to those things familiar to us and that resonate with us. Technology is a daily presence, but how many people know what critical race theory is? CRT is no less important than technology, but the things we know are the things we see. It is imperative that staff examine their beliefs about what is “normal,” “appropriate,” or “acceptable” behavior. These notions are culturally defined and can vary greatly from person to person, thus providing the basis for disproportionate correction.

Identity Development Student & Family and School & Community Student and Family Identity: Student and family backgrounds, cultures, and values Students understanding their own identity School and Community Identity: People of the community; their beliefs, values, and expectations Shared experiences that shape the behaviors of community members The school’s place in the community: Source of pride? Source of conflict? Connections between the school and community agencies/organizations Visibility of the school at community events School and/or district teams should use student and system data along with community feedback to guide decision-making.

SWPBIS Cultural Responsiveness Teams are encouraged to: Complete the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), found at www.pbisapps.org Identify areas of priority from the TFI Refer to related resources (see end slides) Develop an action plan Consider use of Culturally Responsive SWPBIS Self Assessment for progress monitoring

Technical & Adaptive Change Technical Change Supports actual practices or instruction, involve learning and implementing new strategies or tools. Adaptive Change Requires changes in values, beliefs, roles, relationships, & approaches to work. Essential components Steps in the process Intervention tools How can PBIS help our school reach more students? How can we be more responsive to the students we serve? These two types of change may occur in sequence or simultaneously. In general, research on change in educator attitudes and behaviors indicates that adaptive change may be more likely to occur after technical change, as a result of experiencing successes and seeing the potential for equitable outcomes through using effective strategies (Guskey, 1986). Changes you SEE Changes you FEEL Helfetz and Lusky, 2002

Places to Start Looking Organized by the TFI Team Composition Team Operating Procedures Behavioral Expectations Teaching Expectations Problem Behavior Definitions Discipline Policies Professional Development Classroom Procedures Feedback and Acknowledgement Faculty Involvement Student/Family/Community Involvement Discipline Data Data-based Decision Making Fidelity Data Annual Evaluation

Validate – Affirm – Build – Bridge To make legitimate that which the institution (academia) and mainstream has made illegitimate. Build – Making the connections between the home culture and language with the school culture and language through instructional strategy and activity. Affirm – To make positive that which the institution (academia) and mainstream media has made negative. Bridge – Giving opportunities for situational appropriateness or the utilization of the appropriate cultural or linguistic behavior. All of the previous strategies should be aimed at VABBing with stakeholders. We want to: Validate and Affirm concerns And Build and Bridge to the purpose of implementation

Problem Behavior Definitions

Behavior Definitions Research indicates that subjective behaviors more often result in disproportionate discipline for students of color (e.g., defiance, disrespect) McIntosh, Girvan, Horner, & Smolkowski, 2014 Skiba et al., 2011

Engagement Defined Engaged Stakeholders demonstrate ownership through: Investment in Purpose Commitment to Common Goal/Vision Active and Continued Participation Interactive Communication Internal/External and two way

Discipline Data

Turn and Talk Of the concepts highlighted, what parts do you think would be easily received in your building or district? What will be the most difficult? How can you begin to address the difficult pieces?

How to… Teams may use the CR Field guide and other tools either before initial SWPBIS implementation to build cultural responsiveness into systems from the beginning or after initial SWPBIS implementation to enhance equity of existing systems. To use this resource, we suggest the following steps:

Step 1 Complete the TFI. Teams can first complete the SWPBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI; available at www.pbisapps.org), a fidelity of implementation measure for SWPBIS. This measure allows teams to rate their implementation of the critical features of SWPBIS and identify next steps for implementation.

Step 2 Use the TFI. After completing the TFI, teams can use the companion guide and/or other resources to assess and improve the cultural responsiveness of their SWPBIS systems. Teams may choose to: (a) review resources available, (b) consult items from the TFI that are in place (to build on strengths), or (c) assess items where the TFI indicates need for improvement or other information indicates the need for enhanced cultural responsiveness.

Step 3 Create an action plan. Use the information from the TFI and this resource to develop a detailed action plan for implementing core components of cultural responsiveness within SWPBIS.

Getting Started Establish the need in local terms – mismatch between mission and outcome Begin Identity Development work Move into the CR specific development

Turn and Talk When considering the “Getting Started” information, where is the biggest challenge going to come from? How can you begin to neutralize those challenges?

PBIS Disproportionality Resources BCRS Training in Wisconsin CR Classroom Modules DTAN Offerings Equity in PBIS website from OSEP PBIS Technical Assistance Center Data Guidebook Policy review Guide CR Companion to TFI Implicit Bias material WI Risk Ratio Tool

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