Arizona Response to Intervention: Behavior

1. Arizona Response to Intervention:Behavior Training Module (Please View This Training Module Using the “Notes” View of PowerPoint) Arizona Department of Education

2. RTI for Behavior

3. 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey: •  12% of high school students never or rarely feel safe at school • 9% of high school student have been threatened or injured with a weapon at school in the last year • 16% of high school students have been in a fight on campus in the last year • 35% of high school students have been offered, sold or given drugs at school in the last year • 20% of high school students have attended school under the influence of alcohol or an illegal drug

5. What is AZ RTI ? Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices, and interventions possible. • AZ RTI for behavior provides an operational framework for achieving these outcomes. • NOT a curriculum, intervention, or practice • IS a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students.

6. Schools That Use AZ RTI: • Are Less reactive, aversive and dangerous • Are More engaging, responsive, and productive. • Address classroom management. • Improve supports for students. • Maximize academic engagement and achievement.

7. Why PBIS?Why not whip them into shape? • Punishing problem behaviors (without a proactive support system) is associated with increases in • aggression, • vandalism, • truancy, and • dropping out. (Mayer 1995, Skiba and Peterson 1999 and March & Homer 2002.)

8. Why PBIS?Why not whip them into shape? • Typically, schools wait for a problem to occur then punish for it. • Reactive strategies rarely work. • Research shows that: • Punishment alone will not lead to durable change in behavior. (Braaten, 1994) • Reactive strategies that rely primarily on punishment assume that individuals: know what is expected, know how to do it, and are properly motivated. Unfortunately, it often fails to teach the expected behavior. (Horner & Sugai 1999)

9. Why PBIS?Why not whip them into shape? Some forms of punishment may actually be rewarding, thus maintaining problem behaviors. (Gresham, 1991; March & Horner, 2002)

10. Components of Arizona’s RTI Plan of the Arizona Plan • Three-tiered model • Data Screening • Data decision points for whole class and individual student interventions • Team process for helping children who fall below the decision points or established benchmarks

11. RTI Components Continued • Scientifically-based interventions with at-risk students • Supports for the general education teacher • System of checking the integrity (quality) of the intervention delivery • Parents involved at each tier.

12. What comprises AZ RTI? PBIS is comprised of six basic elements: • Setting and defining expectations & routines • Teaching behavior & routinesin all settings using multiple tiers of instruction. • Actively monitoring behaviors • Acknowledging appropriate behavior • Reviewing datato make decisions • Correcting behavioral errors

13. Setting Expectations • Staff should define 3-5 positive student expectations for behavior in all of the school. • These will be the foundation for all behaviors. • Many schools have chosen “Safe, Respectful and Responsible,” • but any group of positive, behavior-defining words are acceptable.

14. Setting Expectations • Once the expectations are established, the group needs to prescribe what appropriate behavior looks like in light of these expectations. • i.e. what are the observable behaviors in the halls, cafeteria, playground? • Behaviors are expressed in positive terms. • Imperative that all staff be knowledgeable of the expectations

15. Setting Expectations • Lastly, the staff establishes the consequences for inappropriate behavior, including: • what behaviors should be handled on the spot • which ones require an office referral.

16. REMEMBER • Students must be taught good behavior. • We can never have enough enforcement to make them be good. • Removing students, sending into the community (suspension/expulsion), creates a larger problem.

17. Staff Training ALL staff are trained in the entire school’s behavioral expectations.

18. Teaching Behaviors in All Settings • Time needs to be set aside to teach all students, all behaviors, in all areas. • The adults responsible for supervising an area should teach the rules for that area. For example: • classroom teachers teach classroom expectations • playground assistants teach playground expectations • lunchroom monitors teach appropriate lunchroom behaviors.

19. Teaching Behaviors in All Settings • Students may need to be reminded of the expectations throughout the year. • New students need orientation to the expectations. • Classroom discussions or student leadership groups may facilitate this ongoing education regarding the rules.

20. Actively Monitoring Behavior The effective monitoring of behavior using language consistent with the expectations is essential with a PBIS approach. Some elements of good behavior monitoring are: • Adult moves about the supervised area having personal interaction with students • Adult does not ignore inappropriate behavior. • Adult uses the words the students have been taught, i.e., “John, remember we swing straight because it is safe.” • Adult informally acknowledges appropriate behavior and establishes a positive relationship with students.

21. Why Reward Positive Behaviors? • You get more of what you focus on. • Reinforcement works.

22. Acknowledging Appropriate Behavior • The staff establishes a school-wide and classroom process for positive recognition. • This can be any thing that has value to the students and will reinforce positive behaviors.

23. Reviewing Data • It is important to set up a means to track behavior data. • In Arizona, the Safe Schools Data Base facilitates record keeping. http://www.ade.state.az.us/sa/health/AZSafe.asp • Requires someone in the school be assigned to input behavior data on a daily basis.

24. Reviewing Data • The behavior team (or total staff) should meet regularly to review this data. • Adjust school procedures to help establish appropriate behaviors. • When a problem area is found, this team should: • formulate a theory about the cause • form a plan to address the issue. • New expectations will be established and taught to the staff and students

25. Activities at Tier 1 • Universal social skills training • School behavior expectations instruction • Active supervision and monitoring • Positive reinforcement systems • Firm, Fair, Corrective Discipline • Effective Classroom Management • Improved Environmental Arrangements • Family Involvement

26. Activities at Tier 2 • Mentoring programs • Alternatives to suspensions and expulsions • Community and service learning • Increased academic support • Increased and targeted social skills teaching • Increased monitoring and reinforcement systems • Self management techniques • Family involvement

27. Activities at Tier 3 • Intensive academic support. • Multi‐agency collaboration (wrap‐around)services • Alternatives to suspensions and expulsions • Community and service learning • Intensive social skills teaching • Individual behavior management plans • Family involvement

28. Possible Tier 2 and Tier 3 Interventions • Student Behavior contract. • Student tracking sheet. • Teacher rating scale. • Student checks in or out with staff member. • Behavior instruction/counseling. • Group behavior training. • Daily/weekly progress report to parents.

29. Interventions • Functional Behavioral Assessment: What is the purpose of the behavior? • Behavior Intervention Plan: How do we intervene? • Modified daily schedule. • Removal to an alternate setting.

30. Appropriate student behavior needs to be taught and practiced.

31. More Information See the PBIS Technical Assistance Paper on the AZ RTI website.

32. Resources • AZ PBIS: http://www.pbisaz.org/ • OSEP Technical Assistance Center: http://www.pbis.org/school/what_is_swpbs.aspx • Minnesota PBIS: http://www.pbisaz.org/ • Kansas PBS: http://pbskansas.org/htdocs/external_links/default.html