Classwide PBIS: Improving Classwide Behavior Support in EBD Classrooms Robert F Putnam, Ph.D., BCBA-D Nichole M Weakley, Ph.D., BCBA-D Christina M Hardy,

Classwide PBIS: Improving Classwide Behavior Support in EBD Classrooms Robert F Putnam, Ph.D., BCBA-DNichole M Weakley, Ph.D., BCBA-DChristina M Hardy, MA, BCBAD. Joe Olmi, Ph.D.

Designing a Comprehensive Classroom with Targeted Behavioral Supports

Referral/Demographics• Demographics:• Large Southeastern School District (35 schools)

• 13 target behavioral classrooms at primary and secondary level(s)• Varying demographics across the district• High military population (staff and students)

• Referral Concern:• Develop a program designed to provide short-term behavioral

support services for students identified as at-risk• All students served in classrooms qualified for special education

services• Behavioral Classrooms• 1 Lead EC teacher & 1 TA• 2-12 students per classroom• Problem Behaviors:

• Off-task, noncompliance, calling out, getting out of seat, inappropriate verbal behavior, aggression

Assessment• Initial assessment• Interview with district-level personnel

• Build rapport• Identify “big picture” needs at various levels: district, building, classroom, student• Identify crucial personnel and develop team structure• Review history of intervention, identify what has worked (buy-in, outcomes)• Identify resources available• Develop district level strategy

• Interview with building-level personnel• Build rapport• Identify needs of building, classrooms, staff and students• Identify crucial personnel• Review history of intervention, what has worked within the building, and

preferences of the principal and staff• Identify resources available

• Classroom observations• Teacher/Student behavior

• Student record review

Intervention• Classroom Intervention Program (Social Skills Classroom)• Based on PBIS framework with inclusion of Check-in/Check-Out

(CICO)• D. Joe Olmi, Ph.D. at the University of Southern Mississippi

• Tailored to needs of district, specific state guidelines• Program Components• Clearly defined expectations• Procedure for teaching expectations• Continuum of consequences for acknowledging appropriate

behavior(s)• Continuum of consequences for inappropriate behavior• Data collection scheme• CICO

Consultation Structure• Pilot classroom (Spring)• Initial assessment, program development• Staff Training• Weekly consultation

District Implementation• Initial overview training (September)• Provided to all administrators, staff, and psychologists working in or

with the behavioral classrooms• Ongoing consultation support(s)• Weekly meetings with classroom staff for program development • Ongoing data collection

• Professional Learning Community (PLC)• Monthly trainings for classroom staff and school psychologists)

Consultation Structure• Training Binders (provided to all classroom teachers)• Copy of Program Manual• Worksheets designed to facilitate development of the following

program components:• Behavioral Expectations• Process for Teaching Expectations• CICO System• Acknowledgement System• Consequence System

Social Skills Classroom – Program components

Programming for Behavioral Success

Program Overview• Tier I & II programmed into setting• Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS)• Check-In/Check-Out (CICO)

• Grades K-8• 13 classrooms• Behavior support System• 4-level hierarchy

• Key Features• Teaching and Reinforcing appropriate behavior

Program Structure• Process for Entering SSC• District-level structure: combining best-practice with established systems• Establishing a team: defining key players in the process and their role• Referral structure: establishing a process for referrals and how the student is

identified for assessment• Assessment: defining clear guidelines for student assessment and placement

decisions• Classroom Structure• Bx’al strategies• Environmental structure

• Behavioral Components• Defining expectations• Developing structure: lesson plans, pre-correction, establishing CICO system, use of

DBRC, corrective teaching, cool-down• Time-in, Effective Instruction Delivery

• Level System• Levels and Transition

• Data Collection

Process for Entering SSCEstablishing framework for the Social Skills Classroom

Process for Entering SSC• Which students may be appropriate for this setting?• Non-responsive to Tier II strategies (e.g., Check-In/Check-Out)• Non-responsive to FBA/F-BSP in general education setting• Reviewed and approved by Teacher Support Team

Process for Entering SSC (Brief)

**Placement cannot occur without this meeting

Referral to SSC Placement Team:Team Participants• Guardian(s)• Principal and/or Assistant Principal• Referring Teacher• SSC Teacher• SSC Specialist• School-based Clinician• Case Manager• Behavioral Consultant

Referral to SSC Placement Team: Information from Referring Teacher• All records and data collected on students behavior should be

provided to the team• Description of behavior• Times of day behavior occurs• Individual the behavior occurs with• Settings the behavior is more likely to occur in• Techniques used to manage students behavior

Referral to SSC Placement Team: Transition Meeting• Includes all team participants• All data is reviewed• Program is explained to guardian(s)• Pending consent for program placement:

• Intake forms completed• Initial SSC Placement Checklist completed (by school administrator)

Referral to SSC Placement Team: Student Placement• Program is reviewed with student• Comprehensive assessment is completed and individualized

supports are implemented accordingly• Social Skills• Behavioral Observations• Adaptive Behavior Assessments (if needed)• Additional behavior rating scales as needed

Classroom StructureUtilizing tiers I and II within the classroom

Classroom Structure• Antecedent Strategies (Tier I Behavior Support Strategies)• Daily Individual Check-In/Social Skills Lesson• Token Economy System (% of Points Earned on Daily Behavior

Report Card)• Break Cards• Corner Time (i.e., Cool Down)• Daily Individual Check-Out

BehavioR Support StrategiesBrief Review (Strategies identified in manual)

Behavioral support Strategies• Understand/Identify contextual events for challenging

behavior (e.g., transitions, unstructured settings, denied access, etc.)

• Antecedent Strategies• Visual Schedule(s)• Clear Behavioral Expectations• Review/Teach Expectations• Review/Teach Consequences• Provide Choices• Preview Novel Activities• Teach Alternative/Adaptive Responses in vivo• Effective Instruction Delivery (EID)

Developing Expectations• Define 3-5 larger, positively-stated, “social skills” to be taught

(Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible)• Identify what each expectation looks like within classroom

routine• Tell the student exactly what to do• Avoid “don’ts”, “should not”, “can’t”

• You will develop your specific expectations based on your classroom routine

Expectations

Procedures for Teaching Expectations

Sample Matrix

Morning Review(s) & Pre-corrections

• Classroom expectations should be reviewed at the beginning of each day• More intense booster sessions should be conducted

throughout the year as needed (e.g., after holiday breaks)

• Utilize pre-corrections• Inform students of expected behavior(s) prior to

transitioning to new activity• Example: “Okay students, we are going to the

library. Walk quietly in the hall and when we get to the library, sit quietly in your seat with the book you are returning on your desk.”

Responding to Frequent Behaviors (Pre-Corrections)

Responding to Infrequent Behavior

Positive Reinforcement• Verbal praise to individuals and groups

ImmediateContingentSpecificSincere

• Nonverbal gestures of praise• E.g., pat on back

• Individual and group incentives • Use natural reinforcers when possible• May use token system to increase positive

interactions

Time-In

• Your response to appropriate behavior• Verbal statements• A smile or thumbs up• A simple pat on the back

• Incorporate within your school’s PBIS model• This is easily overlooked, but is essential to the

big picture

Goal:4 Positives:1 Negative

Goal:1 Praise Statement Per

Minute

How to Deliver Praise• Immediately after desirable behavior

occurs

• As frequently as possible

• Descriptive in nature

• Close proximity

• Use the student’s name

Effective Instruction delivery (EID)• The way instructions are given to a student

can affect the likelihood that they comply• Steps to EID• Close proximity (within arms reach)• Demanded eye contact• Praise for eye contact• Delivered as a directive• Descriptive• Allow response time (5-10 seconds)• Compliance followed by praise

Allowing Breaks

• We all get frustrated at a task and need a break• Kids are no different

• Break cards will allow the child to take a break from a task for up to 2 minutes

• Set up contingencies with a timer• Work for a short amount of time earns a short

break**Social Skills Classroom manual includes guidelines for utilization of break cards across different levels

Reducing down time

•Some kids do not respond well to extended periods of down time•Keep structured options available• Have a “Plan B”• Example: If you finish your worksheet

early, read a book quietly at your desk

Teacher movement

• Student compliance is promoted by teacher movement within the classroom

• Increased opportunities for seeing problem behaviors and praising appropriate behavior in close proximity

Corrective Teaching Interaction• 1. Describe the inappropriate behavior• 2. Give a consequence• 3. Describe/demonstrate appropriate behavior• 4. Give a rationale for using the alternative behavior• 5. Ask for acknowledgement• 6. Practice the alternative skill• 7. Use lots of praise throughout the process!

Corrective Consequences

• ALWAYS begin by acknowledging appropriate behaviors of other students • Teach the “fair pair” appropriate replacement

behavior• Determine possible function • Develop a hierarchy of responses • Match the severity of the consequence with the

severity of the behavior• BE CONSISTENT!!!!• Provide effective corrective statements

Daily Individual Check-In/Social Skills Lesson (5-10 minutes)• Morning meetings will be conducted each day (review

classroom rules, expectations, schedule)• Daily individual goals should be reviewed with students• Teacher led discussion:• What are your goals? (Teach unknown goals, praise/acknowledge

appropriate behaviors, provide corrective feedback as needed)• May be longer in length at beginning of year and regular

lengthier booster session should be scheduled throughout school year

Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC)• Each student will have DBRC• Staff are responsible for completing DBRC at the end of each

academic activity/period• Students on level 2 or above will be responsible for

maintaining point card• Students may also earn bonus points when “caught being

good”• Data source and intervention

Students Daily Goal (e.g., 75% of points)

Students Rating (i.e., how’d they do?)

Student Expectations

Academic Period

Bonus Goal: “Caught Being Good”

Scoring the DBRC• Students are scored on the DBRC based on their performance

during the academic period• 10/100%: Student met goal without any assistance/prompts• 5/50%: Student met goal with prompts from teacher/support

staff• 0/0%: Student did not meet goal

• Can utilize entire rating scale

Daily Individual Check-Out• At the end of the daily, the students points should be totaled

to determine of they met their goal• Incorporate Glows & Grows session students rotate for

individualized feedback• Deliver reward if goal met

Establishing CICO Process

Break Cards• Goal: Provide temporary break from frustrating activity

(functionally appropriate way to take a break)• Student utilizes break card for 1 minute break from activity• After 1 minute, student is prompted to continue working• The number of breaks allowed for each child will depend on

level placement.• Level 1 students will be allowed 5 per activity period • Level 2 students will be allowed 3 per activity period• Level 3 students will be allowed 1 pre-lunch and 1 post-lunch.

Corrective Teaching Interaction• 1. Describe the inappropriate behavior• 2. Give a consequence• 3. Describe/demonstrate appropriate behavior• 4. Give a rationale for using the alternative behavior• 5. Ask for acknowledgement• 6. Practice the alternative skill• 7. Use lots of praise throughout the process!

Cool Down• …is defined as a short period of no access to positive

reinforcement• Types of Cool Down (CD)• Nonseclusionary• Exclusionary • Seclusionary

• Walking Cool Down Time (WCDT)

How Cool Down is Implemented

1. Student is prompted to go to Cool Down area per inappropriate behavior

2. Teacher calmly informs student of inappropriate behavior and that he/she is in cool down

3. Student remains in Cool Down until he/she is able to exhibit calm and safe behavior for 30 seconds to 1 minute (cool down should not last more than 2 minutes)

4. Upon exhibiting appropriate behavior, the teacher should prompt the student that it is time to return to the group

5. A corrective teaching interaction should be utilized prior to the students return to the group to teach a more adaptive means to behave

Consequence System

Level System

Utilizing the DBRC and Understanding SCC Levels• SSC Level 1• SSC Level 2• SSC Level 3• SSC Level 4

SSC Level 1• All students enter at Level 1• Most restrictive • Student will not leave any activity are or work area unsupervised• All end of day activities occur at their desk• Student will not have input into goals• Point card must be signed daily by parent/guardian

• Goal: 65% of points

SSC Transition to Level 2• 65% of daily points must be earned EVERYDAY for 10

consecutive days• No instance of aggression in 10 consecutive days• When student transitions to another level, a level change

form should be completed

SSC Level 2• End of day activities may be completed with other level 2/3

students• Student will have input into his daily goals• The student will be required to have point card signed by

guardian each night (earns bonus points)• The student will begin transitioning back to general education

setting• Goal: 75% of points

SSC Transition to Level 3• 75% of Daily Points have been earned EVERYDAY for 10

consecutive days.• No acts of aggression in the last 10 consecutive days.• When the student transitions from Level 2 to Level 3, a

Change of Level form should be completed by SSC staff.

SSC Level 3• More freedom to move in and out the classroom. (i.e. access

to the restroom, errand running, etc.)• Access to activities with SSC staff or other building level

personnel• The student will have primary input into his daily goals, with

the assistance of the SSC staff and classroom teacher• The student will be required to have the point card signed by

a guardian on a daily basis• The student will continue to be transitioned to more activities

in the general education classroom• Goal: 85% daily points

SSC Transition to Level 4• 85% of Daily Points have been earned EVERYDAY for 15

consecutive days. • No instances of aggression for 15 consecutive days.• When the student transitions from Level 3 to Level 4, a

Change of Level form should be completed by SSC staff.

SSC Level 4• Level 4, the final step in the SSC process, involves full

integration into a general or special education classroom• When a student has reached this final level and is integrating

into the general education classroom, his/her position or slot in the SSC should be held open for two weeks to allow for potential regression in behavior that may require additional training in the more structured SSC setting.

Data Collection and Outcome Measures

Outcome Measures• Student Performance• Disruptive Behavior (20 min obs; partial-interval samples)• Academic Engagement (20 min obs; momentary time sampling)• Daily Behavior Point Card Data

• Fidelity• Benchmarks of Alternative Placements• Observations

Benchmarks of Alternative Placements• Academics• Is the curriculum in line with common core?• Are IEP goals being addressed?

• Behavioral Level System• Level system clearly defined• Incentives tied to levels system?

• Break Cards• Are break cards in place?

• Antecedent Strategies• EID/TI

• Expectations• Clearly defined?

• Crisis Plan• Procedures for managing dangerous behaviors in place?

• Additional Services• Social skills program in place?

School A

School A

School A

Integrity Assessment Tool

Integrity Assessment Tool

**Integrity observations utilized to give teachers

performance feedback**

School A

School B

School B

Daily Behavior Report Card

School B

School B

Final Thoughts…

When building effective classroom supports, consider not only effective practices, but supportive systems

and data that inform outcomes.

When building effective classroom supports, consider not only effective practices, but supportive systems

and data that inform outcomes.

Consider developing a system of supports that is ongoing and allow teacher’s the ability to develop effective classroom support practices and receive

feedback

Consider developing a system of supports that is ongoing and allow teacher’s the ability to develop effective classroom support practices and receive

feedback

Final Thoughts…

Develop a competency based training system that is linked to a measure of integrity that organizes and

focuses training on effective supports

Develop data systems that informs around important outcomes of value to the teacher as well as effective

practices.

Develop data systems that informs around important outcomes of value to the teacher as well as effective

practices.