School-Wide Positive Behavior Support:

Overview for Leadership

George Sugai & Rob HornerOSEP Center on PBIS

University of ConnecticutOct 12, 2007

www.pbis.org

www.swis.org

George.sugai@uconn.edu

3 Objectives

• Rationale

• Features

• Implementation

2001 Surgeon General’s Report on Youth Violence: Recommendations

• Change social context to break up antisocial networks

• Improve parent effectiveness

• Increase academic success

• Create positive school climates

• Teach & encourage individual social skills & competence

School-based Prevention & Youth Development Programming

Coordinated Social Emotional & Academic Learning Greenberg et al. (2003) American Psychologist

• 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

Lessons Learned: White House Conference on School Safety

• Students, staff, & community must have means of communicating that is immediate, safe, & reliable

• Positive, respectful, predictable, & trusting student-teacher-family relationships are important

• High rates of academic & social success are important

• Positive, respectful, predictable, & trusting school environment/climate is important for all students

• Metal detectors, surveillance cameras, & security guards are insufficient deterrents

Characteristics of Safe School Center for Study & Prevention of Youth Violence

• High academic expectations & performance

• High levels of parental & community involvement

• Effective leadership by administrators & teachers

• A few clearly understood & uniformly enforced, rules

• Social skills instruction, character education & good citizenship.

• After school – extended day programs

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

Context Matters Examples

Individual Student

vs.

School-wide

Fortunately, we have a science that guides us to…

• Assess these situations

• Develop behavior intervention plans based on our assessment

• Monitor student progress & make enhancements

All in ways that can be culturally & contextually appropriate

Crone & Horner, 2003

However, context matters….

What factors influence our ability to implement what we know with accuracy, consistency, & durability for students with serious emotional & behavioral challenges?

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

2 Worries & Ineffective Responses to Problem

Behavior

• 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

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!

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

Worry #2:“Train & Hope”

REACT toProblemBehavior

REACT toProblemBehavior

Select &ADD

Practice

Select &ADD

Practice

Hire EXPERTto TrainPractice

Hire EXPERTto TrainPractice

WAIT forNew

Problem

WAIT forNew

Problem

Expect, But HOPE for

Implementation

Expect, But HOPE for

Implementation

SYST

EMS

PRACTICES

DATASupportingStaff Behavior

SupportingStudent Behavior

OUTCOMES

Supporting Social Competence &Academic Achievement

SupportingDecisionMaking

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

IndividualizedSystems for Students

with High-Risk Behavior

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

CONTINUUM OFSCHOOL-WIDE

INSTRUCTIONAL & POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

SUPPORT

SWPBS & Achievement

Good Teaching Behavior Management

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Increasing District & State Competency &Capacity

Investing in Outcomes, Data, Practices, &Systems

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 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

Agreements

Team

Data-based Action Plan

ImplementationEvaluation

GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION

PROCESS: “Getting Started”

CO PBS

FCPS

BehavioralCapacity

Priority &Status

Data-basedDecisionMaking

Communications

Administrator

Team

Team-led Process

Representation

AdministratorSpecialized Support

Student

Community

Non-Teaching

Teaching

Family

Representation

Start withTeam that “Works.”

Initiative, Project,

Committee

Purpose Outcome Target Group

Staff Involved

SIP/SID/etc

Attendance Committee

Character Education

Safety Committee

School Spirit Committee

Discipline Committee

DARE Committee

EBS Work Group

Working Smarter

Initiative, Committee

Purpose Outcome Target Group

Staff Involved

SIP/SID

Attendance Committee

Increase attendance

Increase % of students attending daily

All students Eric, Ellen, Marlee

Goal #2

Character Education

Improve character

Improve character All students Marlee, J.S., Ellen

Goal #3

Safety Committee

Improve safety Predictable response to threat/crisis

Dangerous students

Has not met Goal #3

School Spirit Committee

Enhance school spirit

Improve morale All students Has not met

Discipline Committee

Improve behavior

Decrease office referrals

Bullies, antisocial students, repeat offenders

Ellen, Eric, Marlee, Otis

Goal #3

DARE Committee

Prevent drug use High/at-risk drug users

Don

EBS Work Group Implement 3-tier model

Decrease office referrals, increase attendance, enhance academic engagement, improve grades

All students Eric, Ellen, Marlee, Otis, Emma

Goal #2

Goal #3

Sample Teaming Matrix

0

5

10

15

20

Ave R

efe

rrals

per

Day

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

School Months

Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast Year and This Year

0

10

20

30

40

50

Num

ber

of O

ffic

e R

efe

rrals

Bath RBus A Bus Caf ClassComm Gym Hall Libr Play G Spec Other

School Locations

Referrals by Location

0

10

20

30

40

50

Num

ber

of R

efe

rrals

Lang Achol ArsonBombCombsDefianDisruptDressAgg/fgtTheftHarassProp D Skip Tardy Tobac Vand Weap

Types of Problem Behavior

Referrals per Prob Behavior

Referrals by Problem Behavior

0

10

20

30

40

50

Num

ber

of O

ffic

e R

efe

rrals

Bath RBus A Bus Caf ClassComm Gym Hall Libr Play G Spec Other

School Locations

Referrals by LocationReferrals per Location

Referrals per Student

0

10

20

Num

ber

of R

efe

rrals

per

Stu

dent

Students

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Num

ber

of R

efe

rrals

7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:0010:3011:00 11:3012:0012:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30

Time of Day

Referrals by Time of DayReferrals by Time of Day

Nonclass

room

Setting S

ystems

ClassroomSetting Systems

Individual Student

Systems

School-wideSystems

School-wide PositiveBehavior Support

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 precorrections for chronic errors• Effective academic instruction & curriculum

ClassroomSetting Systems

• Positive expectations & routines taught & encouraged

• Active supervision by all staff– Scan, move, interact

• Precorrections & reminders

• Positive reinforcement

NonclassroomSetting Systems

• 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 StudentSystems

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

Few positive SW expectations defined, taught, & encouraged

Expectations & behavioral skills are taught & recognized in natural context

Teaching Academics & Behaviors

DEFINESimply

DEFINESimply

MODELMODEL

PRACTICEIn Setting

PRACTICEIn Setting

ADJUST forEfficiency

ADJUST forEfficiency

MONITOR &ACKNOWLEDGE

Continuously

MONITOR &ACKNOWLEDGE

Continuously

SETTING

All Settings

Hallways Playgrounds CafeteriaLibrary/

Computer Lab

Assembly Bus

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.

TEACHING MATRIX

Exp

ecta

tions

SETTING

All Settings

Hallways Playgrounds CafeteriaLibrary/

Computer Lab

Assembly Bus

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.

TEACHING MATRIX

Exp

ecta

tions

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

Acknowledge & Recognize

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

Relevant &MeasurableIndicators

Team-basedDecision Making &

Planning

ContinuousMonitoring

RegularReview

EffectiveVisual Displays

EfficientInput, Storage, &

Retrieval

Evaluation

SWIS FRMS

CONTACT INFO

George.sugai@uconn.edu

Robh@uoregon.edu

www.pbis.org