Positive Behavior Support: Beyond Discipline George Sugai Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports Center for Behavioral Education & Research University of Connecticut May 9,

“141 Days!” Intermediate/senior high school with 880 students reported over 5,100 office discipline referrals in one academic year. Nearly 2/3 of students have received at least one office discipline referral.

5,100 referrals = 76,500 min = 1,275 hrs = hrs

Purpose Describe how school administrators can adopt more preventive & positive approach to school discipline RationaleFeatures ExamplesOutcomes

SW-PBS Logic! Successful individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or school climates that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable for all students (Zins & Ponti, 1990)

SWPBS is about….

Messages 1.Successful Individual student behavior support is linked to host environments or schools that are effective, efficient, relevant, & durable 2.Learning & teaching environments must be redesigned to increase the likelihood of behavioral & academic success

Two School-wide Discipline Worries Get Tough (practices) Train-&-Hope (systems)

Worry #1 “Teaching” by Getting Tough Runyon: “I hate this f____ing school, & you’re a dumbf_____.” Teacher: “ That is disrespectful language. I’m sending you to the office so you’ll learn never to say those words again….starting now!”

Immediate & seductive solution….”Get Tough!” Clamp down & increase monitoring Re-re-re-review rules Extend continuum & consistency of consequences Establish “bottom line”... Predictable individual response

Reactive responses are predictable…. When we experience aversive situation, we want select interventions that produce immediate relief –Remove student –Remove ourselves –Modify physical environment –Assign responsibility for change to student &/or others

When behavior doesn’t improve, we “Get Tougher!” Zero tolerance policies Increased surveillance Increased suspension & expulsion In-service training by expert Alternative programming …..Predictable systems response !

Erroneous assumption that student… Is inherently “bad” Will learn more appropriate behavior through increased use of “aversives” Will be better tomorrow…….

But….false sense of safety/security! Fosters environments of control Triggers & reinforces antisocial behavior Shifts accountability away from school Devalues child-adult relationship Weakens relationship between academic & social behavior programming

Science of behavior has taught us that students…. Are NOT born with “bad behaviors” Do NOT learn when presented contingent aversive consequences …….. Do learn better ways of behaving by being taught directly & receiving positive feedback….consider function

Non-examples of Function- Based approach “Function” = outcome, result, purpose, consequence “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.”

Worry #2: “Train & Hope”

Development “Map” 2+ years of team training Annual “booster” events Coaching/facilitator school & district levels Regular self-assessment & evaluation data Develoment of local/district leadership teams State/region & Center on PBIS for coordination & TA

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT PREVENTING VIOLENCE? Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence (2001) Coordinated Social Emotional & Learning (Greenberg et al., 2003) Center for Study & Prevention of Violence (2006) White House Conference on School Violence (2006) Positive, predictable school-wide climate High rates of academic & social success Formal social skills instruction Positive active supervision & reinforcement Positive adult role models Multi-component, multi-year school-family-community effort

SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA Supporting Staff Behavior Supporting Student Behavior OUTCOMES Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement Supporting Decision Making 4 PBS Elements

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

Academic SystemsBehavioral Systems 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 Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

Main Messages Good TeachingBehavior Management STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Increasing District & State Competency and Capacity Investing in Outcomes, Data, Practices, and Systems

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: “Getting Started”

Classroom SWPBS Subsystems Non-classroom Family Student School-wide

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

Positive expectations & routines taught & encouraged Active supervision by all staff –Scan, move, interact Precorrections & reminders Positive reinforcement Non-classroom

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 precorrections for chronic errors Effective academic instruction & curriculum Classroom

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

Continuum of positive behavior support for all families Frequent, regular positive contacts, communications, & acknowledgements Formal & active participation & involvement as equal partner Access to system of integrated school & community resources Family

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

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 Priority 3-5 years Administrator Funding > 80%

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

Referrals by Problem Behavior

Referrals per Location

Referrals per Student

Referrals by Time of Day

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

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

Few positive SW expectations defined, taught, & encouraged

Teaching Academics & Behaviors

Teaching Matrix SETTING All Settings HallwaysPlaygroundsCafeteria Library/ Compute r Lab AssemblyBus Respect Ourselves Be on task. Give your best effort. Be prepared. Walk.Have a plan. Eat all your food. Select healthy foods. Study, read, compute. Sit in one spot. Watch for your stop. Respect Others Be kind. Hands/feet to self. Help/share with others. Use normal voice volume. Walk to right. Play safe. Include others. Share equipment. Practice good table manners Whisper. Return books. Listen/watch. Use appropriate applause. Use a quiet voice. Stay in your seat. Respect Property Recycle. Clean up after self. Pick up litter. Maintain physical space. Use equipment properly. Put litter in garbage can. Replace trays & utensils. Clean up eating area. Push in chairs. Treat books carefully. Pick up. Treat chairs appropriately. Wipe your feet. Sit appropriately. Expectations

Teaching Matrix Activity ClassroomLunchroomBusHallwayAssembly Respect Others Use inside voice ________ Eat your own food __________ Stay in your seat _________ Stay to right _________ Arrive on time to speaker __________ Respect Environment & Property Recycle paper _________ Return trays __________ Keep feet on floor __________ Put trash in cans _________ Take litter with you __________ Respect Yourself Do your best __________ Wash your hands __________ Be at stop on time __________ Use your words __________ Listen to speaker __________ Respect Learning Have materials ready __________ Eat balanced diet __________ Go directly from bus to class __________ Go directly to class __________ Discuss topic in class w/ others __________

Expectations Expectations & behavioral skills are taught & recognized in natural context

Character Education Easy to change moral knowledge difficult to change moral conduct To change moral conduct... –Adults must model moral behavior –Students must experience academic success –Students must be taught social skills for success

Acknowledge & Recognize

Acknowledging SW Expectations: Rationale To learn, humans require regular & frequent feedback on their actions Humans experience frequent feedback from others, self, & environment –Planned/unplanned –Desirable/undesirable W/o formal feedback to encourage desired behavior, other forms of feedback shape undesired behaviors

OMMS Business Partner Ticket Date: ________________ Student Name __________________________________ For Demonstrating: Safety EthicsRespect (Circle the trait you observed) Comments: ___________________________________________ Authorized Signature: ____________________________________ Business Name: ________________________________________ Colorado 5/06

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

Reinforcement Wisdom! “Knowing” or saying “know” does NOT mean “will do” Students “do more” when “doing works”…appropriate & inappropriate! Natural consequences are varied, unpredictable, undependable,…not always preventive

Agreements Team Data-based Action Plan ImplementationEvaluation GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

Pre Post

Elementary School Suspension Rate

Elementary School

Middle School Suspension Rate

Middle School

Trends in Suspension Rates for PBS Schools Implementing with Fidelity & Maturity

Trends in Black & Hispanic Suspension Rates for PBS Schools Implementing with Fidelity & Maturity

ODR Admintrative Benefit = % improvement = 14,325 min. = hrs = 40 days Admin. time

ODR Instructional Benefit = % improvement = 42, min. = hrs = 119 days Instruc. time

84% 58% 11% 22% 05% 20% SWPBS schools are more preventive

12 schools25 schools SWPBS schools perceived as safer

12 schools25 schools SWPBS schools perceived less risky

Schools using SW-PBS report a 25% lower rate of ODRs

N =23N = 8 N = 23 N = 8 SWPBS schools have better readers

RCT etc. Algozzine et al., Horner et al., Leaf et al., Improvements in school climate – Decreases in ODR – Improvements in perceived school safety Improvements in achievement – Standardized achievement tests High levels of implementation fidelity

Measurable & justifiable outcomes On-going data-based decision making Evidence-based practices Systems ensuring durable, high fidelity of implementation PBIS Messages