1. Extending RTI to School-wide Behavior Support
Rob Horner
University of Oregon

2. Goals
Provide a context for linking school-wide behavior support and academic support within an RTI framework
Describe current research
Suggest practical directions

3. Main Messages The social culture of a school affects academic outcomes
Real change in schools is done through teams operating at the whole-school level
Effective practices are seldom implemented well and sustained for long periods without strong administrative support.

4. Main Themes
Response to Intervention (RTI) is an effective approach to school organization that can be applied across content areas.

5. Core Features of RTI Invest FIRST in Evidence-based Prevention
Curriculum
Instruction
Intervention
Active Assessment for Data-based Decision- making
Universal Screening
Progress Monitoring
National Standards

6. Core Features of RTI Multi-tiered Support
Use assessment data to increase support intensity
Use research results to select effective interventions
Systems to Support Effective Practices
Policies
Team design, training, scheduling, operation
Hiring, evaluation, orientation

7. School-wide Positive Behavior Support
School-wide PBS is:
A systems approach for establishing the social culture and individualized behavioral supports needed for schools to be effective learning environments for all students.
Evidence-based features of SW-PBS
Prevention
Define and teach positive social expectations
Acknowledge positive behavior
Arrange consistent consequences for problem behavior
On-going collection and use of data for decision-making
Continuum of intensive, individual interventions.
Administrative leadership – Team-based implementation (Systems that support effective practices)

8. Establishing a Social Culture
Common Language
MEMBERSHIP
Common Experience
Common Vision/Values

9.  Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized SCHOOL-WIDE
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
SCHOOL-WIDE
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR
SUPPORT
~5%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
~15%
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings 
~80% of Students 27

10. School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Tertiary Prevention: Specialized
Individualized
Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior
~5%
Secondary Prevention:
Specialized Group
Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior
Primary Prevention:
School-/Classroom-
Wide Systems for
All Students,
Staff, & Settings
~15%
Can’t intervene without universal and secondary!
MissouriMissouri SWIS data.pptx
~80% of Students

11. Identify existing efforts by tier
CONTINUUM of SWPBS
Tertiary Prevention
Function-based support
Audit
Identify existing efforts by tier
What are decision rules for moving from one tier of support to another
Evaluate the fidelity of implementation
Specify outcomes for each effort
~5%
~15%
Secondary Prevention
Check in/out
Primary Prevention
SWPBS
~80% of Students

12. Linking Behavior and Literacy Supports
Improving the social behavior of students results in:
More minutes spent in academic instruction
Better acquisition during engaged minutes
High quality instruction engages students, and leads to reduction in problem behavior.

13. School-Wide Support Systems for Student Success
Intensive Intervention
Individualized, functional
assessment, highly specific
Reading
Universal Intervention
Core Instruction,
all students
Preventive
1-5%
Targeted Intervention
Supplemental, some
students, reduce risk
7-15%
80%
Why all three levels?
mplementing a school wide model for student success can be conceptualized using this multi-tiered framework across the behavior or reading domain. Recent research suggests that a research based core instructional program, if implemented well, should be effective for about 80% of all students in the building. This is the first tier of intervention referred to as universal intervention, because it includes all students. The best universal intervention will address the needs of most, but not all. Some students will need additional support and practice. The second tier of intervention is referred to as targeted intervention and is usually appropriate for a smaller portion of students with some risk. The goal of this intervention is to reduce or eliminate this risk. Usually this tier of intervention is short term, maybe weeks, and it focuses on specific skills. The third tier of intervention is referred to as intensive intervention. Like the medical model, these students have an immediate and intense need. The intervention is highly specific, requires frequent monitoring and is individualized. Students with this level of need may require several months or years of intervention.
Behavior 8

14. Responsiveness to Intervention Academic + Social Behavior

15. A logic for linking Behavior and Literacy Supports
Children who fall behind academically will be more likely to:
A) Find academic work aversive
B) Find escape-maintained problem behaviors reinforcing.
For many students with problem behavior, a core feature of there behavior support will be enhanced academic support

16. Steps for Successful Readers (Roland Good)
Probability: On-Track
.81 (n=196)
Fluency with
Connected Text
(Spring, 3rd)
Probability: On-Track
.83 (n=246)
Fluency with
Connected Text
(Spring, 2nd)
Probability: Catch-Up
.06 (n=213)
Probability: On-Track
.86 (n=138)
Fluency with
Connected Text
(Spring, 1st)
Probability: Catch-Up
.03 (n=114)
Probability: On-Track
.64 (n=348)
Alphabetic
Principle
(Winter, 1st)
Probability: Catch-Up
.22 (n=180)
The students were part of a West Michigan Federal Research Grant
Five elementary buildings in West Michigan
This research took place over 3 years
The main point here is that the odds are against students catching up to their peers- Prevention is the key
The steps are based on the findings from the National Reading Panels and are measured by DIBELS
Phonemic
Awareness
(Spring, Kdg)
Probability: Catch-Up
.17 (n=183)
Probability of remaining an average reader in fourth grade when an average reader in first grade is .87
Probability of remaining a poor reader at the end of fourth grade when a poor reader at the end of first grade is .88 (Juel, 1988)

17. Linking Academic and Behavior Supports
Behavior and Academic supports are connected
Kent McIntosh
Amanda Sanford
Jorge Preciado
Moira McKenna

18. Major Discipline Referrals per 100 Students by Cohort

19. Participating School Example: Fourth Grade Reading MEAP Results
Began MiBLSi Implementation

20. Percent of Students at DIBELS Benchmark level: Schoolwide
“Control group”
n = 20
n = 29
n = 14

21. As you plan for this conference
Evidence-based practices
Prevention first
Multiple tiers of support
Using Data
Universal Screening
Progress Monitoring
Intervention assessment and evaluation
Standards
Administrative support

22. Summary
RTI provides a framework for improving schools across all content areas.
Literacy and behavior support behaviors are linked.
Good teaching is associated with improved social behavior
Good behavior support is associated with improved minutes in academic engagement, and improved academic outcomes.
Schools are able to implement both academic and social interventions on a school-wide basis.