School-wide PBIS: Correction Systems Chris Borgmeier, PhD Portland State University cborgmei@pdx.edu

School-wide PBIS:Correction Systems

Chris Borgmeier, PhD

Portland State University

cborgmei@pdx.edu

www.swpbis.pbworks.com

Team Progress Reports What have you accomplished since the last

training?SW RulesExpectations GridLesson PlansAcknowledgment SystemPresentations to staffFeedback & participation from staffData Systems & SWISPBIS Handbook

Goals Review tenets of SW-PBIS as related to

consequences for problem behavior Examine role of race in Consequences for problem behavior

Define the functions of a school discipline system Propose the critical features of an effective discipline

policy Define options for responding to minor and major

problem behaviors. Propose the critical features of an effective process

for managing office discipline referrals

SW-PBIS Big Ideas Commitment to serve ALL students

Set students & staff up to be successful Proactive is better than reactive

Increase participation in school & academic success LIMIT LOSS OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME Reduce use of exclusionary & punitive strategies

Time in Hall, Time in Office, Suspension, Detention

Use Data to guide decision making

Responding to Problem Behavior

Is it time to change our approach?

School Tendencies• Respond to serious problem behavior

through a “Get Tough” response1) Repeating & restating consequences2) Increasing aversiveness of consequences3) Establishing a bottom-line (zero tolerance level)4) Excluding student from “privilege” of attending

w/ Out of School Suspension & Expulsion5) Offering alternative ways of completing the

school experience (alternate placement)» Sugai & Horner (2002)

Reactive responses are predictable….

When we experience aversive situations, we select interventions that produce immediate relief– Remove student

• Additional missed instructional time– Remove ourselves – Assign responsibility for change to student &/or

others (often Administrator)• Dismiss adult responsibility for contributing to

situation

But….false sense of safety/security!

• Devalues child-adult relationship• Maintains/furthers relationship between academic

deficits & problematic social behavior• Fosters environments of control• Triggers & reinforces antisocial behavior • Shifts accountability away from school

Logical Consequences?...

“Have you ever seen….”

•“Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.”

•“Phoebe, 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.”

OR giving students exactly what they want?

Reinforcer or Punisher?

• Suspension• Verbal Reprimand• Spanking• Time Out

• IT DEPENDS ON THE STUDENT RESPONSE!!

• We often assign value to consequences, based on what we think…. BUT…– What we need to look at is the impact on the student

behavior

A “Get Tough” Discipline Policy

Not a PBIS School

MINOR BEHAVIOR OFFENSES The following types of behaviors may result in a discipline

referral to administration.

• Disrupting a classroom, lunch or assembly

• Violation of dress code• Throwing objects (e.g. papers,

erasers, etc. not safety hazard)• Running in class, halls, etc.• In halls at non-designated

times• Horse playing• Displaying affection in public• Bringing personal items from

home (toys, laser pointers, perfume, etc.)

CONSEQUENCES1st offense - 3 days of lunch detention2nd offense - 5 days of lunch detention3rd offense - 3 days of ISS & parent notification4th offense - begins consequence hierarchy at 2nd offense level for Medium Offenses

ISS = In School Suspension

What concerns

might there be about

this policy from a PBIS perspective?

MEDIUM BEHAVIOR OFFENSES Obscene language, materials, gestures or behavior Attendance problems/ditching (on or off campus) Defiant or disrespectful behavior Bullying (threatening, extorting) Excessive horseplay Throwing objects (e.g. rocks, items that pose a safety hazard) Deceitful behavior (forgery, plagiarism, lying, cheating, etc.)

CONSEQUENCES FOR MEDIUM OFFENSES 1st offense - 3 days ISS, parent notification, & contract 2nd offense - 3 days ISS, parent notification, & contract 3rd offense - 5 days ISS, parent notification, & contract 4th offense - short term home suspension (not to exceed 10 days at once)

What concerns

might there be about

this policy from a PBIS perspective?

MAJOR BEHAVIOR OFFENSES

Fighting/Battery, regardless of who started the fight (employing hostile contact in which at least one party or both individuals have contributed to a situation by verbal action and/or bodily harm)

CONSEQUENCES FOR MAJOR BEHAVIOR OFFENSES 1st offense - 3 days home suspension/re-entry conference with

parent/student/administrator 2nd offense - 5 days home suspension/ re-entry conference with

parent/student/administrator 3rd offense - 10 days home suspension/District Hearing with District

Hearing Officer to determine if student should return to Monroe 4th offense - long-term suspension (up to rest of term) through due

process

What concerns

might there be about

this policy from a PBIS perspective?

Team Discussion

Discuss your thoughts about this discipline policy?Are there any groups of students at your school who

would be disproportionately effected by this discipline policy?

What recommendations would you have for this school? Now, thinking about your own school discipline

practices/ policies…. Any recommendations?

Challenges to PBIS Implementation

• Reactive discipline (detention/suspension/etc.) is falsely assumed to be sufficient for handling rule violations and for promoting socially desirable behavior – as a result it is over-used as a primary disciplinary technique

Bigger, tougher Consequences is NOT what we mean by a Correction System

Responding to Problem Behavior

The emergence of SW-PBIS was a response to a growing over-reliance on using negative consequences for problem behavior Zero Tolerance

Research shows these responses were not effective in reducing student problem behavior and improving school climate

Recommended Reading: “Suspending Hope” from Teaching Tolerance

http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-41-spring-2012/suspending-hope

SW-PBIS Responding to Problem Behavior In SW-PBIS Responses to problem

Behavior must:Be Safe

No harm or physical coercion

Respect the Dignity of the Individual No humiliation or shaming

Maintain instructional time to the greatest degree possible

We will never be able to punish students into wanting to stay in school. Therefore we have to do business differently than we have in the past.

Sprick & Borgmeier, (2010)

Changing Suspension

practices takes a

concerted administrative

effort

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

Westview PrideUniversal System

Green Team

Responses to Problem Behavior

• Need to assess potential over-reliance on exclusionary & punitive discipline in school– Why

• Often ineffective at changing problem behavior & may be making behavior worse by providing desired outcome

• Punishes students relationship w/ school, but not student• Reduced instructional time• Increased potential for trouble kids get in to on the streets

– Alternatives?• Re-evaluate use and structure of Suspension & disciplinary

responses

Team Activity • Examine current Disciplinary practices in your

school/district– How many Days of School have been missed this year

due to Suspension?

• What is the impact on instructional time & changing student behavior?

– Consider how Suspension/Detention is used at your school

• In-School v. Out of School v. Saturday School• # of days routinely given 1 day v. 3 days?... When or Is there

benefit to 2 more days?

– What could you do differently?– Can you impact policy or procedures?

Cost Benefit Analysis Reactive Discipline v. PBS

Oregon Middle School Example5100 referrals =229,500 min. @ 45 min./referral

= 3825 hrs.= 478 days @ 8 hrs/day

Implemented SW-PBIS and referrals were reduced by over half in first year

Gain of 240 days of instruction in 1 school year

Caution: Consequence Systems

Too often consequences for negative behavior is the only behavior management plan schools or teachers have “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem

becomes a nail”

Only after teaching, reinforcing & providing opportunities to practice the expected behavior do we earn the right to use negative consequences

Bigger, tougher Consequences is NOT PBIS & NOT what we

mean by a Correction

System

Discipline Assumption

Delivering negative consequences for problem behavior is a necessary but insufficient strategy for reducing problem behavior.

Instead of focusing on punishment, focus on the remediation & instruction of alternative, desired behavior

Problem behavior should be seen as an instructional opportunity for social behavior

Responding to Problem Behavior

We will continue to use negative consequences in schools…

Why? Because they are effective for many students (students in the Green Zone) – those who can figure out the appropriate behavior on their own

…But only in ways that maintain the dignity, safety and respect of the student

Must pair use of negative consequences with instruction of the desired behavior

Changing the Social Culture:Responding to Problem Behavior

GOAL of SW-PBIS: A unified staff that responds consistently,

predictably & effectively to student problem behavior

Create a peer culture that discourages (not encourages) peer problem behavior

Teach students how to respond to problem behavior Encourage on-task, successful peer behavior

Students with Recurring Problem Behavior When negative consequences are not

effective… we need a new approach

too often we keep using & increasing negative consequences when they are not effective in changing behavior

How many days of detention, suspension, missed recesses before we realize this is not a successful intervention for changing behavior?

Instead, missed instructional time and negative feelings can exacerbate the problem behavior

Students with Recurring Problem Behavior

Often student problem behavior is helping students to get exactly what they want Avoid difficult tasks Obtain attention from peers or adult

Build Systems of Support Yellow Zone & Red Zone Systems

Team Discussion How do staff in your school view discipline and negative

consequences for student problem behavior?

For students who engage in behavioral violations… How do current disciplinary practices & consequences address:

a) Instruction of desired/appropriate behavior

b) Minimizing loss of instructional time

c) Preventing a problem behavior from being rewarded

d) Students with recurring problem behavior

Correction System:Discipline Policies

Discipline Policy

Purposes of Discipline PolicyPromote positive behavior and reduce

problem behaviorComply with federal and state lawCoordinate behavior support effortsEnsure safe and effective environmentsGet students access to needed supports

Discipline Policy

Critical ElementsDefine purposeDefine rolesDefine process for addressing problem

behaviorDefine consequence optionsDefine data collection expectations

What do you think about this Policy?

Any thing(s) your team

might incorporate

into your own policy?

Team Task

Examine your Discipline Policy

Is it a discipline policy or a school climate policy? Is the focus on punishments solely? Are prevention and

supports addressed? Do disciplinary responses consider loss of instructional time? What steps can you take to reshape the focus or develop

your school policy? How can you incorporate the PBIS Handbook you are

developing?

Establishing AgreementsContinuum of Behaviors

Staff v. Office Managed Responses to Behavior

Responding to Problem Behavior

1. Clarify across staff and administration what behaviors should be managed in the classroom v. sent to the office

2. Develop a continuum of “consequences” with a corrective/ remedial focus, rather than strictly punitive consequences or consequences that remove students from instructional time

3. Develop referral form that provides essential information for decision making

4. Use discipline referral data to identify problem areas & inform decision making Maximize school resources by making informed data-based decisions Recommended data system: SWIS – School Wide Information System

Six Elements of a School Discipline System

2. Problem Behavior Definitions

3. Discipline ReferralForm

4. Guidelines for responding to problem behavior

5. Data System

6. Decision-making Process

1. Policy and Logic

Continuum of Problem Behavior

Minor Behavior – situation with potential to escalate into a greater problem or crisis Use strategies for defusing the situation

Office Managed Problem Behavior – Serious misbehavior that endangers safety or well-being or makes normal classroom activities difficult or impossible

Crisis – situation has escalated out of control & is a danger Call for back-up Follow building emergency procedures

Office v. Classroom Managed Behavior

Develop Consistency/Agreement in Responses to Problem Behavior

Classroom Managed Office Managed•Failing to follow rules/directives•Inappropriate voice level•Disruptive•Inappropriate language/comments•Put downs/ low level teasing

•Danger to others with intent to hurt•Weapons•Fighting/ assault/ physical aggression•Overt defiance•Harrassment/Bullying•Inappropriate touching

***See Handout for more complete list w/ possible responses

Office v. Classroom Managed Behavior

• Make sure staff and administrators agree on what behaviors are:– Sent to office– Managed in the classroom (w/ a minor referral)– Managed in the classroom (w/o a minor)

• Develop a list of office managed behavior

Purposes of delivering ODR• Interrupt problem behavior

• Prevent escalation

• Teach discrimination about what is acceptable

• “This is not being respectful”

• Minimize likelihood that problem behavior will be rewarded.

• Allow education to continue for others• Safety• Access to instruction

How to deliver a Consequence Giving an ODR, Detention or minor

• Stop or redirect problem behavior• Non-emotional voice tone• 2 second pause (if possible)

• Label problem behavior• Define what is NOT happening (respect)

• Deliver consequence • Clarify behavioral choices, and your expectation for the

student.

Office v. Staff ManagedCONSIDERATIONS: Office Managed = loss of instructional time (probably 45

minutes/referral)

Teachers may lose credibility if sending too many problems to the office, or out of the classroom May appear the teacher can’t handle the classroom or work out concerns with

students Classroom Managed = opportunity to model problem solving and conflict

resolution

If a recurring problem, Removal from classroom may be exactly what student wants – may be strengthening that problem behavior

Common Guidelines for “minor” versus “major”

MINOR Teachers have the authority to manage problem behavior in class (or with a partner)

Use an office referral if a problem behavior (a) interferes with on-going education of others, (b) threatens safety, or (c) is of a severity requiring more extended intervention (e.g. more than 1 min).

Note that in-class interventions may also be included in the on-going data collection system… and are useful for decision-making

What should warrant a minor?

If it’s not severe enough to be a major referral… recurring is often the theme

If response to student behavior results in recurring missed instructional time the behavior should be documented…

Sent to hall, office, counselor, next door, de-escalation room, calm room…

Why minors?

To inform decision making

Elementary schools Few major referrals often leaves school with little

to guide decision making Can also leave staff feeling like referral data is not

a true representation of how things are in the school

Minor Referral Process

Elementary LevelOften enter every referral into data system

because minors @ elem… often provide best basis to guide decision making

at school-wide level in elementary schools

Why minors?

Middle schoolsUsually have enough major referrals to effectively

inform decision makingBut minors may still serve a purpose in decision

making

At MS primary concern is usually how do teachers document chronic, lower level problem behavior?

Minor Referral Process

Middle SchoolOften MS set up guidelines for # of referrals equals a

minor Teacher will keep minors and attach them to major referral

after student gets 3rd minor referral

MS decide whether or not to enter minor referrals separately or only as major referral

Teacher responsible for keeping minor referrals in meantime

Office v. Staff Managed Creating “United Front”

Consistency begins with agreements

Establish agreements about what behaviors should be sent to the office & what should be handled in the classroomAgreements across staff Agreements between staff & administration

Plan discussions/activities to clarify and foster agreement

CLASSROOM MANAGED VS. OFFICE MANAGED BEHAVIORS

STAFF DISCUSSION SCENARIOS

Questionable Discipline Referrals?(from 1 school district)

• Dressed all in blue (gang related)• No binder in class• Talking w/ another student• Did not get parent signature• Unprepared for class• Tickling another student• Not following instructions• Late assignments• Six missing assignments• Told many times to sit still and he did not • Noisy on way to assembly

Should these behaviors have

warranted Office Discipline Referrals?

Portland Area Middle School

Percent of Students Involved

63.3%

42.3%

What if the referrals on the previous slide

were all for the Hispanic

students in this school

SKIBA, 2008

Team Task Develop matrix

Office v. Staff Managed behaviors w/ continuum of responses/consequences to problem behavior

Behaviors that should be: Dealt w/ on location (no documentation) Dealt w/ on location (minor referral) Sent to office

Develop plan for communicating with staff and establishing agreements re: Staff v. Office Managed Behaviors & Staff Responses to Problem Behavior

Maintaining Access to Instruction

Go to the Hallway & Buddy Rooms

Match Intensity of Response w/ Severity of Behavior

Continuum of Responses to Escalating Behavior

Less disruptive More severe

Classroom Buddy Office CRISIS

Managed Managed Managed

MINOR MAJOR Code Blue

Think Time (Dr. Ron Nelson)

Used for students who engage in attention-maintained problem behavior in the classroom.

Major goal is to reduce reward for problem behavior

Relies on two teachers collaborating Establish an open desk in each room Build a “problem solving form”

What did you do?; What could you have done differently?

How will you handle this situation in the future?

Think Time (Dr. Ron Nelson)

Teach the “think time” routine Set limits on how long student remains in room (limit

loss of instructional time) Maintain data on application of Think Time

Complete an Office Discipline Referral form.

IF IMPLEMENTED -- this is a School-wide system that needs to be monitored and maintained to be used with fidelity

Emphasize the need to maintain & maximize instructional time

Reduce Escalation – Emphasize Defusion Strategies

See Iris Media for good video – “Defusing Anger & Aggression”

How do we monitor lost instructional time – if a student is sent to the hall for 15 minutes… should this be documented with a referral?

Discipline Referral Process & Flowchart

Defining the Discipline Process

What forms to complete? When? For which behaviors? Is there a minor referral? Or only major? Suspension/ Detention?

What is the follow-up? What happens to the discipline referral form? With student? With parent? With referring staff?

Observe Problem Behavior

Warning/Conference with Student

Use Classroom Consequence

Complete Minor Incident Report

Does student have 3 MIR slips

for the same behavior in the same quarter

•Preparedness•Calling Out•Classroom Disruption•Refusal to Follow a Reasonable Request (Insubordination)•Failure to Serve a Detention•Put Downs•Refusing to Work•Inappropriate Tone/Attitude•Electronic Devices•Inappropriate Comments•Food or Drink

•Weapons•Fighting or Aggressive Physical Contact•Chronic Minor Infractions•Aggressive Language•Threats•Harassment of Student or Teacher•Truancy/Cut Class•Smoking•Vandalism•Alcohol•Drugs•Gambling•Dress Code•Cheating•Not w/ Class During Emergency•Leaving School Grounds•Foul Language at Student/Staff

Write referral to office

Administrator determines

consequence

Administrator follows through

on consequence

Administrator provides teacher

feedback

Write the student a

REFERRAL to the main office

•Issue slip when student does not respond to pre-correction, re-direction, or verbal warning

•Once written, file a copy with administrator

•Take concrete action to correct behavior (i.e. assign detention, complete behavior reflection writing, seat change)

SIDE BAR on Minor Inc ident Repor t s

•Issue slip when student does not respond to pre-correction, re-direction, or verbal warning

•Once written, file a copy with administrator

•Take concrete action to correct behavior (i.e. assign detention, complete behavior reflection writing, seat change)

SIDE BAR on Minor Inc ident Repor t s

Is behavior office

managed?

ClassroomManaged

Office Managed

No Yes

What is the Discipline Process? -forms to complete? -steps to take?

MINOR MAJOR

Team Tasks

Develop your Discipline Process & Flowchart

Major v. minor behaviors & responsesDecision Guidelines & ProcessesCommunication process

Follow-upWho enters referrals & when

Referral Forms

Major (ODR) & Minor

Reviewing your Discipline Referral Form Are you getting the most information from your

referral forms?

Could you update your referral form to provide you with more useful data?

Does your ODR form require less than 30 sec to complete?

Minimal use of written text

Discipline Referral Form

Relevant informationWho (name, grade, gender) (students/adult)What (problem behavior)Where (location)When (what time of day?)With whom (who else was involved)Why (motivation - why did this happen?)DetailsAdministrative Response

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Why?

With whom?

Admin Response?

Details

Minor Referral Form

Who?

What? Where?

When?

Why?

With whom?

Admin Response?

Details

Team Tasks

Will you use a minor referral? Why? & How will you use it?

Develop/Evaluate/Revise your minor & major referral form Include identified fields

Using Discipline Data for Decision Making

Team Discussion

What data do you currently use to evaluate & action plan School-wide Discipline & Behavior intervention?How often is this data shared with the entire

staff?

What are challenges/barriers to using data?

Effective Data Systems

In order to make the most informed decisions regarding SW PBIS an effective data system must provide data not only

about individual students, but also compile discipline data school wide

Can your school currently look at discipline data from a School-wide perspective? SWIS (School-wide Information System) is one

system that allows this type of manipulation of data

School Wide Information System(SWIS) www.swis.org

Web-based discipline referral information system Database for tracking office referral and suspension

data Provides accessible and useful data summaries (in

graphs and tables) to help guide decision making in school planning

Allows for easy manipulation of data to find answers to your specific questions

Located on the web at www.swis.org $250/year per school

Preview SWIS on

www.swis.org

Team Task

Examine the current discipline data system used in your school & compare with the features of SWIS

Will your current data system facilitate effective decision making?

Beyond Office Discipline Referrals

Behavior Data SummarySchool & District

Behavior Data Summary School & District (cont.)

Ravenswood City School District Average SET scores across all 10 schools

Fall 2002-2006

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Ravenswood City School District Average # Referrals per Day

2003-2006

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Alt MS MS 1 MS 2 K-8 1 K-8 2 K-8 3 K-8 4 K-8 5 Elem 1 Elem 2 DistrictTotal

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Ravenswood City School District Average Suspension per Day

2003-2006

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2005-06

Team Discussion

Look at PBIS Data Audit tool

Why is it important to look at data across ODRs/Susp/LRE… etc. when examining progress w/ SW climate and discipline?

What challenges will there be to using this data tool? TURN IN DATA AUDIT TOOL by the end of the year

TasksNew Tasks Clarify/ document Staff

managed v. Office Managed Behavior

Promote more effective responses to problem behavior

Review Referral form & process for turning in referrals

Use data for Decision Making

Set up SWIS or identify system for informing school-wide decision making

Follow-up Tasks Finalize Expectations

Grid Lesson Planning

Assembly/Teaching Schedule

Develop or refine your Acknowledgment System

Complete your SW PBS Action Plan

Complete Teaming Matrix (if applicable)

Assemble PBS Handbook Complete SW PBS

Update form