Using Information for Behavior Support Decision-Making Taken from Rob Horner, Anne Todd, & George Sugai

Big Messages about PBIS Traditional approaches to punishment and exclusion are ineffective when used alone. Traditional approaches to punishment and exclusion are ineffective when used alone. Behavior support needs to occur at the “whole-school” level Behavior support needs to occur at the “whole-school” level Teaching is the most powerful behavior support strategy available Teaching is the most powerful behavior support strategy available On-going use of information for decision- making is a key feature of successful school- wide discipline systems. On-going use of information for decision- making is a key feature of successful school- wide discipline systems.

Effective Behavior Support Effective Behavior Support is a set of strategies and systems to increase the capacity of schools to (a) reduce school disruption, and (b) educate students with problem behaviors Effective Behavior Support is a set of strategies and systems to increase the capacity of schools to (a) reduce school disruption, and (b) educate students with problem behaviors Research-validated practices Research-validated practices Supportive administrative systems Supportive administrative systems Use of information for problem solving Use of information for problem solving

SYSTEMS PRACTICES INFORMATION Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Decision Making Supporting Student Behavior Effective Behavior Support

Why Collect Discipline Information? Decision making Decision making Professional Accountability Professional Accountability Decisions made with data (information) are more likely to be (a) implemented, and (b) effective Decisions made with data (information) are more likely to be (a) implemented, and (b) effective

Key features of data systems that work. The data are accurate The data are accurate The data are very easy to collect (1% of staff time) The data are very easy to collect (1% of staff time) Data are used for decision-making Data are used for decision-making The data must be available when decisions need to be made (weekly?) The data must be available when decisions need to be made (weekly?) Difference between data needs at a school building versus data needs for a district Difference between data needs at a school building versus data needs for a district The people who collect the data must see the information used for decision-making. The people who collect the data must see the information used for decision-making.

What data to collect for decision- making? USE WHAT YOU HAVE USE WHAT YOU HAVE Office Discipline Referrals/Detentions Office Discipline Referrals/Detentions Measure of overall environment. Referrals are affected by (a) student behavior, (b) staff behavior, (c) administrative context Measure of overall environment. Referrals are affected by (a) student behavior, (b) staff behavior, (c) administrative context An under-estimate of what is really happening An under-estimate of what is really happening Office Referrals per Day per Month Office Referrals per Day per Month Attendance Attendance Suspensions/Expulsions Suspensions/Expulsions Vandalism Vandalism

Office Discipline Referral Processes/Form Coherent system in place to collect office discipline referral data Coherent system in place to collect office discipline referral data Faculty and staff agree on categories Faculty and staff agree on categories Faculty and staff agree on process Faculty and staff agree on process Office Discipline Referral Form includes needed information Office Discipline Referral Form includes needed information Name, date, time Name, date, time Staff Staff Problem Behavior, maintaining function Problem Behavior, maintaining function Location Location

When Should Data be Collected? Continuously Continuously Data collection should be an embedded part of the school cycle not something “extra” Data collection should be an embedded part of the school cycle not something “extra” Data should be summarized prior to meetings of decision-makers (e.g. weekly) Data should be summarized prior to meetings of decision-makers (e.g. weekly) Data will be inaccurate and irrelevant unless the people who collect and summarize it see the data used for decision-making. Data will be inaccurate and irrelevant unless the people who collect and summarize it see the data used for decision-making.

Organizing Data for “Information” Counts are good, but not always useful Counts are good, but not always useful To compare across months use “average office discipline referrals per day per month” To compare across months use “average office discipline referrals per day per month”

Using Data for On-Going Problem Solving Start with the decisions not the data Start with the decisions not the data Use data in “decision layers” Use data in “decision layers” Is there a problem? (overall rate of ODR) Is there a problem? (overall rate of ODR) Localize the problem Localize the problem (location, problem behavior, students, time of day) (location, problem behavior, students, time of day) Get specific Get specific Don’t drown in the data Don’t drown in the data It’s “OK” to be doing well It’s “OK” to be doing well Be efficient Be efficient

Is there a problem? Office Referrals per Day per Month Office Referrals per Day per Month Attendance Attendance Faculty Reports Faculty Reports

Interpreting Office Referral Data: Is there a problem? Absolute level (depending on size of school) Absolute level (depending on size of school) Middle Schools (>5 per day) Middle Schools (>5 per day) Elementary Schools (>1.5-2 per day) Elementary Schools (>1.5-2 per day) Trends Trends Peaks before breaks? Peaks before breaks? Gradual increasing trend across year? Gradual increasing trend across year? Compare levels to last year Compare levels to last year Improvement? Improvement?

Is There a Problem? #1 Maintain - Modify - Terminate

Is There a Problem? #2 Maintain - Modify - Terminate

Is There a Problem? #3 Maintain - Modify - Terminate

Is There a Problem? #4 Maintain - Modify - Terminate

What systems are problematic? Referrals by problem behavior? Referrals by problem behavior? What problem behaviors are most common? What problem behaviors are most common? Referrals by location? Referrals by location? Are there specific problem locations? Are there specific problem locations? Referrals by student? Referrals by student? Are there many students receiving referrals or only a small number of students with many referrals? Are there many students receiving referrals or only a small number of students with many referrals? Referrals by time of day? Referrals by time of day? Are there specific times when problems occur? Are there specific times when problems occur?

Referrals by Problem Behavior

Referrals per Location

Referrals per Student

Referrals by Time of Day

Designing Solutions If many students are making the same mistake it typically is the system that needs to change not the students. If many students are making the same mistake it typically is the system that needs to change not the students. Teach, monitor and reward before relying on punishment. Teach, monitor and reward before relying on punishment.

Choices in “other reports” other reportsother reports 1. Custom Report 2. Custom Graph 3. Referrals by Staff 4. Suspension/Expulsion Report 5. Ethnicity Reports (we are going to explain in depth) 5.1 School Ethnicity Report 6. Individual Student Report 7. Year End Report 8. Student & Staff Lists 1. Custom Report 2. Custom Graph 3. Referrals by Staff 4. Suspension/Expulsion Report 5. Ethnicity Reports (we are going to explain in depth) 5.1 School Ethnicity Report 6. Individual Student Report 7. Year End Report 8. Student & Staff ListsCustom ReportCustom GraphReferrals by StaffSuspension/Expulsion ReportEthnicity ReportsSchool Ethnicity ReportIndividual Student ReportYear End ReportStudent & Staff ListsCustom ReportCustom GraphReferrals by StaffSuspension/Expulsion ReportEthnicity ReportsSchool Ethnicity ReportIndividual Student ReportYear End ReportStudent & Staff Lists

The first documents the proportion of students in the school by ethnicity, The second breaks out % of referrals from different ethnic groups, The third breaks out the % of students in an ethnic group who received a referral, The last is the % of all students who received referrals by ethnic group. So... the reports document referrals and students. The 4 Ethnicity reports

The first documents the proportion of students in the school by ethnicity,

The second breaks out % of all referrals from different ethnic groups

The third breaks out the % of students in an ethnic group who received a referral

The 4th is the % of all students who received referrals by ethnic group.

The key message is: It takes more than one report to determine over-representation That is why all four are presented.