Multi-Tiered Support Systems: Features & Considerations International School Psychology Association Conference July 10, 2012 Montreal, Quebec George Sugai University of Connecticut Center on Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports Center for Behavioral Education & Research

Purpose …describe general features, practices, & systems of Multi-Tiered Support Systems (MTSS) “What is MTSS?”

Improved & sustained academic & behavior outcomes for all students NEED Adoption of evidence-based practices RESPONSE Variable improvement in student outcomes CHALLENGE Improvement in implementation fidelity MTSS? Context

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

“Multi-Tiered Systems of Support”…. Whole-school, data-driven, prevention-based framework for improving learning outcomes for all students through layered continuum of evidence-based practices & systems

“Whole School” All students All staff members All families All school settings

Data-based Decision Making DATA used to….. 1. Specify/define need 2. Select right evidence- based solution 3. Monitor implementation fidelity 4. Monitor progress 5. Improve implementation RULE: Start w/ socially important questions. “Data Driven”

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

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Student Behavior OUTCOMES Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement Supporting Decision Making “Important Outcomes”

Common Vision/Values Common Language & Behaviors Common Experience Effective Organizations Quality Leadership

“Early Triangle” Walker, Knitzer, Reid, et al., CDC (Walker et al., 1995, p. 201) “Layered Continuum”

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

Universal Targeted Intensive All Some Few Continuum of Support for ALL Dec 7, 2007

Universal Targeted Intensive Continuum of Support for ALL “Theora” Dec 7, 2007 Science Soc Studies Reading Math Soc skills Basketball Spanish Label behavior…not people Music

Universal Targeted Intensive Continuum of Support: “Molcom” Dec 7, 2007 Prob Sol. Coop play Adult rel. Anger man. Attend. Peer interac Ind. play Align behavioral supports Self-assess

IMPLEMENTATION W/ FIDELITY CONTINUUM OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS CONTENT EXPERTISE & FLUENCY TEAM-BASED IMPLEMENTATION CONTINUOUS PROGRESS MONITORING UNIVERSAL SCREENING DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING & PROBLEM SOLVING RtI RtI: “Responsiveness-to-Intervention”

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

MTSS Integrated Continuum Mar Academic Continuum Behavior Continuum

Where are you in implementation process? Adapted from Fixsen & Blase, 2005 We think we know what we need, so we ordered 3 month free trial (evidence-based) EXPLORATION & ADOPTION Let’s make sure we’re ready to implement (capacity infrastructure) INSTALLATION Let’s give it a try & evaluate (demonstration) INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION That worked, let’s do it for real (investment) FULL IMPLEMENTATION Let’s make it our way of doing business (institutionalized use) SUSTAINABILITY & CONTINUOUS REGENERATION

SWPBS Implementation Blueprint

Algozzine, B., Wang, C., & Violette, A. S. (2011). Reexamining the relationship between academic achievement and social behavior. Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions, 13, Burke, M. D., Hagan-Burke, S., & Sugai, G. (2003). The efficacy of function-based interventions for students with learning disabilities who exhibit escape-maintained problem behavior: Preliminary results from a single case study. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 26, McIntosh, K., Chard, D. J., Boland, J. B., & Horner, R. H. (2006). Demonstration of combined efforts in school-wide academic and behavioral systems and incidence of reading and behavior challenges in early elementary grades. Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions, 8, McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., Chard, D. J., Dickey, C. R., and Braun, D. H. (2008). Reading skills and function of problem behavior in typical school settings. Journal of Special Education, 42, Nelson, J. R., Johnson, A., & Marchand-Martella, N. (1996). Effects of direct instruction, cooperative learning, and independent learning practices on the classroom behavior of students with behavioral disorders: A comparative analysis. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4, Wang, C., & Algozzine, B. (2011). Rethinking the relationship between reading and behavior in early elementary school. Journal of Educational Research, 104, Academic-Behavior Connection “Evidence-based”

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), Waasdorp, T. E., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (in press). The impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) on bullying and peer rejection: A randomized controlled effectiveness trial. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. RCT & Group Design PBIS Studies Reduced major disciplinary infractions Improvements in academic achievement Enhanced perception of organizational health & safety Improved school climate Reductions in teacher reported bullying behavior & peer rejection

Elementary Schools Mean & Median Major ODR/100 students/day 2004 to 2011 N = % reduction

Middle Schools Mean & Median ODR/100 students/day % reduction

High Schools Mean &Median ODR/100 students/day N = % reduction

2% 7% 91% 5% 12% 83% 7% 15% 78% 4% 10% 86% Most are responsive…but some need a bit more.

% of Students 9% 17% 22% 14% 33% 41% 25% 42% 39% 19% 44% 38% 17% 40% 39% 21% 75% 81% 83% 79% And we know who they are!

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

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Student Behavior OUTCOMES Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement Supporting Decision Making

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Student Behavior OUTCOMES Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement Supporting Decision Making Vincent, Randall, Cartledge, Tobin, & Swain-Bradway 2011 CULTURAL RELEVANCE CULTURAL VALIDITY CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE CULTURAL EQUITY

Culture is the extent to which a group of individuals engage in overt & verbal behavior reflecting shared behavioral learning histories, serving to differentiate the group from other groups, & predicting how individuals within the group act in specific setting conditions. That is, culture reflects a collection of common verbal & overt behaviors that are learned & maintained by a set of similar social & environmental contingencies (i.e., learning history). Emphasis is on applied settings with recognition that group membership is (a) flexible & dynamic, & (b) changed & shaped over time, across generations, & from one setting to another. Sugai, O’Keeffe, & Fallon, 2012, in press

Basic “Logic” SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Training + Coaching + Evaluation Cultural/Context Considerations Improve “Fit” Start w/ effective, efficient, relevant, & doable Prepare & support implementation Implementation Fidelity Maximum Student Outcomes

“Multi-Tiered Systems of Support”…. Whole-school, data-driven, prevention-based framework for improving learning outcomes for all students through layered continuum of evidence-based practices & systems

MTSS Universal Screening, Continuous Progress Monitoring, Continuum of Evidence-based Support, Implementation Fidelity, Team-Based Implementation, Data-based Decision Making, Outcome Oriented Behavior SWPBS/PBIS School-wide Discipline & Climate, Classroom Management, Function-based Support, Academics Instruction & Curriculum Literacy, Numeracy, Social Studies, Physical Sciences, History, Physical Education, Art, etc. Other Family Engagement, Community Participation, School Mental Health

Common Vision/Values Common Language & Behaviors Common Experience Effective Organizations Quality Leadership

Northeast PBIS Forum Cromwell, CT tba May 2013 Association for PBS San Diego, CA27-29 Mar 2013 Pac NW PBIS Eugene, OR27-29 Feb 2013 New England PBIS Norwood, MA2 Nov 2012 PBIS Leadership Chicago, IL18-19 Oct 2012 Upcoming Events