School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Defining Features & Outcomes George Sugai Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports University of Connecticut July 28,

Purpose Provide brief overview of SWPBS implementation Why? Features? Outcomes?

Why support SWPBS implementation? Increase effectiveness of academic programming Reduce incidence & prevalence of problem behavior Increase effectiveness & efficiency of existing behavioral interventions & supports Improve school, family, & community relations & functioning

Good Intentions: Competing, Inter-related National Goals Improve literacy, math, geography, science, etc. Make schools safe, caring, & focused on teaching & learning Improve student character & citizenship Eliminate bullying Prevent drug use Prepare for postsecondary education Provide a free & appropriate education for all Prepare viable workforce Affect rates of high risk, antisocial behavior Leave no child behind Etc….

What do we worry about? Overuse of “Get Tough” disciplinary practices Disconnect between academic & behavior instruction Low/non-data based decision making Too many competing initiative Overuse of outside expertise Overuse of “train-n-hope” professional development Short-term implementation & investment Adoption of non-evidence-based practices Inaccurate/incomplete implementation of best-practices Inequitable access to supports

Problem Statement: Achieving Durable & Accurate Implementation “We give schools strategies & systems for developing more positive, effective, & caring school & classroom climates, but implementation is not accurate, consistent, or durable. Schools & teams need more than training.”

SWPBS Response Emphasize prevention Teach & recognize what you want Build local capacity Focus on desired & measurable outcomes Invest in long term Emphasize accurate & efficient implementation Organize action planning & organization around outcomes Use information to guide decision making Invest in “all” to improve outcomes for individuals

Main Message! Successful Individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or school climates that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable (Zins & Ponti, 1990)

SWPBS implementers must avoid practices & systems that over-emphasize Getting Tough & Train-n-Hope

Disadvantages of Getting Tough Fosters environments of control Triggers & reinforces antisocial behavior Shifts accountability away from school Devalues child-adult relationship Weakens relationship between academic & social behavior programming

Instead of getting tough, a better way is to…. Directly & frequently teach & acknowledge what we want students & adults to display Consider function outcome, result, purpose, consequence

Function non-examples…. “Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.” “Phloem, I’m taking your book away because you obviously aren’t ready to learn.” “You want my attention?! I’ll show you attention,…let’s take a walk down to the office & have a little chat with the Principal.”

Train-n-Hope examples “Conduct 1-shot in-service for systems level problem” “Read shrink-wrapped 3-ring binder by Monday” “Sign up for that 3-week on-line course” “Watch & do what I do”

Instead of conducting train-n-hope staff development, a better way is to…

Lead w/ a team Emphasize prevention Adopt evidence-based practices Give high priority to 3-4 year commitment Decide w/ data Increase local capacity & expertise Implement with natural implementers Embed staff development w/in on-going routines Lead w/ a team Emphasize prevention Adopt evidence-based practices Give high priority to 3-4 year commitment Decide w/ data Increase local capacity & expertise Implement with natural implementers Embed staff development w/in on-going routines Adopt Systems Perspective

Guiding Principles If many students are making same mistake, consider changing system….not students Start by teaching, monitoring & rewarding…before increasing punishment

“Coordinated Social Emotional, & Academic Learning” Greenberg, et al. (2003) American Psychologist “The current impact of ‘school-based prevention and youth development programs’ is limited because of insufficient coordination with other components of school operations and inattention to implementation and evaluation factors necessary for strong program impact and sustainability” (p. 466). “School-based prevention and youth development interventions are most beneficial when they simultaneously enhance students’ personal and social success, as well as improve the quality of the environments in which students are educated” (p. 467)

School-based Prevention & Youth Development Programming Coordinated Social Emotional & Academic Learning Greenberg et al. (2003) Teach children social skills directly in real context “Foster respectful, supportive relations among students, school staff, & parents” Support & reinforce positive academic & social behavior through comprehensive systems Invest in multiyear, multicomponent programs Combine classroom & school- & community-wide efforts Precorrect & continue prevention efforts

Challenges Increase adoption & fidelity of implementation of individual behavioral interventions Prepare typical providers with behavioral technology Compete with multiple education initiatives –Safe/Drug Free, NCLB, Character Education, Literacy, Large Scale Assessment, IDEA, etc. Compete with contingencies that do not maintain behavioral principles in schools –Budget shortfalls, poorly trained personnel, lack of behavioral competence, etc.

2001 Surgeon General’s Report Number of assaults & other antisocial behavior are increasing Risk factors –Antisocial peer networks –Reinforced deviancy

2001 Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence: Recommendations Establish “intolerant attitude toward deviance” –Break up antisocial networks…change social context –Improve parent effectiveness Increase “commitment to school” –Increase academic success –Create positive school climates Teach & encourage individual skills & competence

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Student Behavior OUTCOMES Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement Supporting Decision Making What is SWPBS: 4 PBS?

Implementation Levels Student Classroom School State District

Leadership Team Funding VisibilityPolitical Support TrainingCoaching Evaluation Active Coordination Local School Teams/Demonstrations PBS Systems Implementation Logic

Organizational Features Common Vision Common Language Common Experience ORGANIZATION MEMBERS

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

Behavioral Capacity Priority & Status Data-based Decision Making Communications Administrator Representation Team

Enhanced PBS Implementation Logic

Team Composition Administrator Grade/Department Representation Specialized Support –Special Educator, Counselor, School Psychologist, Social Worker, etc. Support Staff –Office, Supervisory, Custodial, Bus, Security, etc. Parent Community –Mental Health, Business Student Start with Team that “Works.”

FRMS Team Assistant Principal Grade level reps Counselor Parent Classified staff Special education resource teacher

Initiative, Project, Committee PurposeOutcomeTarget Group Staff Involved SIP/SID/e tc Attendance Committee Character Education Safety Committee School Spirit Committee Discipline Committee DARE Committee EBS Work Group Working Smarter

Initiative, Committee PurposeOutcomeTarget Group Staff Involved SIP/SID Attendance Committee Increase attendance Increase % of students attending daily All studentsEric, Ellen, Marlee Goal #2 Character Education Improve character All studentsMarlee, J.S., Ellen Goal #3 Safety Committee Improve safetyPredictable response to threat/crisis Dangerous students Has not metGoal #3 School Spirit Committee Enhance school spirit Improve moraleAll studentsHas not met Discipline Committee Improve behaviorDecrease office referrals Bullies, antisocial students, repeat offenders Ellen, Eric, Marlee, Otis Goal #3 DARE Committee Prevent drug useHigh/at-risk drug users Don EBS Work GroupImplement 3-tier model Decrease office referrals, increase attendance, enhance academic engagement, improve grades All studentsEric, Ellen, Marlee, Otis, Emma Goal #2 Goal #3 Sample Teaming Matrix

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

3-4 Year Commitment Top 3 School- Wide Initiatives Coaching & Facilitation Dedicated Resources & Time Administrative Participation 3-Tiered Prevention Logic Agreements & Supports

Self-Assessment Efficient Systems of Data Management Team-based Decision Making Evidence- Based Practices Multiple Systems Existing Discipline Data Data-based Action Plan

Non-classroom Setting Systems Classroom Setting Systems Individual Student Systems School-wide Systems School-wide Positive Behavior Support Systems Start here

1.Common purpose & approach to discipline 2.Clear set of positive expectations & behaviors 3. Procedures for teaching expected behavior 4.Continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior 5. Continuum of procedures for discouraging inappropriate behavior 6. Procedures for on-going monitoring & evaluation School-wide Systems

Classroom-wide positive expectations taught & encouraged Teaching classroom routines & cues taught & encouraged Ratio of 6-8 positive to 1 negative adult- student interaction Active supervision Redirections for minor, infrequent behavior errors Frequent pre-corrections for chronic errors Effective academic instruction & curriculum Classroom Setting Systems

Positive expectations & routines taught & encouraged Active supervision by all staff –Scan, move, interact Pre-corrections & reminders Positive reinforcement Non-classroom Setting Systems School Environment

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 Individual Student Systems

Are “Rewards” Dangerous? “…our research team has conducted a series of reviews and analysis of (the reward) literature; our conclusion is that there is no inherent negative property of reward. Our analyses indicate that the argument against the use of rewards is an overgeneralization based on a narrow set of circumstances.” –Cameron, 2002 Cameron & Pierce, 1994, 2002 Cameron, Banko & Pierce, 2001

Team Managed Staff Acknowledgements Continuous Monitoring Staff Training & Support Administrator Participation Effective Practices Implementation

Relevant & Measurable Indicators Team-based Decision Making & Planning Continuous Monitoring Regular Review Effective Visual Displays Efficient Input, Storage, & Retrieval Evaluation

Concluding “Big Ideas” 1.Link effective practices to host environment 2.Invest in intensifying continuum of behavior support 3.Teach & encourage expected behavior to reduce problem behavior 4.Link individual to school-wide behavior support 5.Use data to guide behavior support decisions

Discovery Education “Discovery is no solution to the problems of education. The individual cannot be expected to rediscover more than a very small part of the facts and principles that have already been discovered by others. To stop teaching in order that the student may learn for himself is to abandon education as a medium for transmission of the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of a culture” (Skinner, 1965, p 101).

Have a great summer & school year!