Using Information for Behavior Using Information for Behavior Support Decision-MakingSupport Decision-Making
Taken from Rob Horner, Anne Todd, & Taken from Rob Horner, Anne Todd, & George SugaiGeorge Sugaiwww.swis.orgwww.swis.org
Big Messages about PBISBig Messages about PBIS Traditional approaches to punishment and Traditional approaches to punishment and
exclusion are ineffective when used alone.exclusion are ineffective when used alone. Behavior support needs to occur at the “whole-Behavior support needs to occur at the “whole-
school” levelschool” level Teaching is the most powerful behavior support Teaching is the most powerful behavior support
strategy availablestrategy available On-going use of information for decision-On-going use of information for decision-
making is a key feature of successful school-making is a key feature of successful school-wide discipline systemswide discipline systems..
Effective Behavior SupportEffective Behavior Support Effective Behavior Support is a set of Effective Behavior Support is a set of
strategies and systems to increase the capacity strategies and systems to increase the capacity of schools to (a) reduce school disruption, and of schools to (a) reduce school disruption, and (b) educate students with problem behaviors(b) educate students with problem behaviors
Research-validated Research-validated practicespractices Supportive administrative Supportive administrative systemssystems Use of Use of informationinformation for problem solving for problem solving
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
INFORMATION
SupportingStaff Behavior
SupportingDecisionMaking
SupportingStudent Behavior
Effective Behavior Support
Why Collect Discipline Information?Why Collect Discipline Information?
Decision makingDecision making Professional AccountabilityProfessional Accountability Decisions made with data (information) are Decisions made with data (information) are
more likely to be (a) implemented, and (b) more likely to be (a) implemented, and (b) effectiveeffective
Key features of data systems that Key features of data systems that work.work.
The data are accurateThe data are accurate The data are very easy to collect (1% of staff time)The data are very easy to collect (1% of staff time) Data are used for decision-makingData are used for decision-making
The data must be available when decisions need to be The data must be available when decisions need to be made (weekly?)made (weekly?)
Difference between data needs at a school building Difference between data needs at a school building versus data needs for a districtversus data needs for a district
The people who collect the data must see the The people who collect the data must see the information used for decision-making.information used for decision-making.
What data to collect for decision-What data to collect for decision-making? making?
USE WHAT YOU HAVEUSE WHAT YOU HAVE Office Discipline Referrals/DetentionsOffice Discipline Referrals/Detentions
Measure of overall environment. Referrals are affected by (a) Measure of overall environment. Referrals are affected by (a) student behavior, (b) staff behavior, (c) administrative contextstudent behavior, (b) staff behavior, (c) administrative context
An under-estimate of what is really happeningAn under-estimate of what is really happening Office Referrals per Day per MonthOffice Referrals per Day per Month
AttendanceAttendance Suspensions/ExpulsionsSuspensions/Expulsions VandalismVandalism
Office Discipline Referral Office Discipline Referral Processes/FormProcesses/Form
Coherent system in place to collect office discipline Coherent system in place to collect office discipline referral datareferral data Faculty and staff agree on categoriesFaculty and staff agree on categories Faculty and staff agree on processFaculty and staff agree on process Office Discipline Referral Form includes needed informationOffice Discipline Referral Form includes needed information
Name, date, timeName, date, time StaffStaff Problem Behavior, maintaining functionProblem Behavior, maintaining function LocationLocation
When Should Data be Collected?When Should Data be Collected?
ContinuouslyContinuously Data collection should be an Data collection should be an embedded partembedded part of of
the school cycle not something “extra”the school cycle not something “extra” Data should be summarized prior to meetings of Data should be summarized prior to meetings of
decision-makers (e.g. decision-makers (e.g. weeklyweekly)) Data will be inaccurate and irrelevant unless the Data will be inaccurate and irrelevant unless the
people people who collect and summarizewho collect and summarize it see the data it see the data used for decision-making. used for decision-making.
Organizing Data for “Information”Organizing Data for “Information”
Counts are good, but not always usefulCounts are good, but not always useful To compare across months use “To compare across months use “average office average office
discipline referrals per day per monthdiscipline referrals per day per month””
0
10
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Ref
erra
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Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Month
Total Ref versus Ref/Day/MoNV High School
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5 M
ean
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er D
ay
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Month
Total Ref versus Ref/Day/Mo
Using Data for On-Going Problem Using Data for On-Going Problem SolvingSolving
Start with the decisionsStart with the decisions not the data not the data Use data in “Use data in “decision layersdecision layers””
IsIs there a problem? (overall rate of ODR) there a problem? (overall rate of ODR) Localize Localize the problem the problem
(location, problem behavior, students, time of day) (location, problem behavior, students, time of day) Get specificGet specific
Don’t drownDon’t drown in the data in the data It’s “OK” to be It’s “OK” to be doing welldoing well Be Be efficientefficient
Is there a problem?Is there a problem?
Office Referrals per Day per MonthOffice Referrals per Day per Month AttendanceAttendance Faculty ReportsFaculty Reports
Interpreting Office Referral Data:Interpreting Office Referral Data:Is there a problem?Is there a problem?
Absolute Absolute levellevel (depending on size of school) (depending on size of school) Middle Schools (>5 per day)Middle Schools (>5 per day) Elementary Schools (>1.5-2 per day)Elementary Schools (>1.5-2 per day)
TrendsTrends Peaks before breaks?Peaks before breaks? Gradual increasing trend across year?Gradual increasing trend across year?
Compare levels to last yearCompare levels to last year Improvement?Improvement?
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
Ave
Ref
erra
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er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast year
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
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er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast year
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
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er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast year
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
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ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthThis Year
0
5
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20
Ave
Ref
erra
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ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast Year and This Year
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
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er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast Year and This Year
Is There a Problem? #1Is There a Problem? #1Maintain - Modify - TerminateMaintain - Modify - Terminate
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5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
ls p
er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthThis Year
Is There a Problem? #2Is There a Problem? #2Maintain - Modify - TerminateMaintain - Modify - Terminate
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
ls p
er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthThis year (Middle)
Is There a Problem? #3Is There a Problem? #3Maintain - Modify - TerminateMaintain - Modify - Terminate
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
ls p
er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast Year and This Year
Is There a Problem? #4Is There a Problem? #4Maintain - Modify - TerminateMaintain - Modify - Terminate
0
5
10
15
20
Ave
Ref
erra
ls p
er D
ay
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
School Months
Office Referrals per Day per MonthLast Year and This Year
What systems are problematic?What systems are problematic? Referrals by Referrals by problem behaviorproblem behavior??
What problem behaviors are most common?What problem behaviors are most common? Referrals by Referrals by locationlocation??
Are there specific problem locations?Are there specific problem locations? Referrals by Referrals by studentstudent??
Are there many students receiving referrals or only a small Are there many students receiving referrals or only a small number of students with many referrals?number of students with many referrals?
Referrals by Referrals by time of daytime of day?? Are there specific times when problems occur?Are there specific times when problems occur?
Referrals by Problem BehaviorReferrals by Problem Behavior
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Num
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Lang Achol ArsonBombCombsDefianDisruptDressAgg/fgtTheftHarassProp D Skip Tardy Tobac Vand Weap
Types of Problem Behavior
Referrals per Prob Behavior
Referrals by Problem BehaviorReferrals by Problem Behavior
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Num
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f Ref
erra
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Lang Achol ArsonBombCombsDefianDisruptDressAgg/fgtTheftHarassProp D Skip Tardy Tobac Vand Weap
Types of Problem Behavior
Referrals per Prob Behavior
Referrals by Problem BehaviorReferrals by Problem Behavior
0
5
10
15
Num
ber o
f Ref
erra
ls
Lang Achol ArsonBombCombsDefianDisruptDressAgg/fgtTheftHarassProp D Skip Tardy Tobac Vand Weap
Types of Problem Behavior
Referrals per Prob Behavior
Referrals per LocationReferrals per Location
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10
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Num
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f Offi
ce R
efer
rals
Bath RBus A Bus Caf ClassComm Gym Hall Libr Play G Spec Other
School Locations
Referrals by Location
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umbe
r of O
ffice
Ref
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Bath RBus A Bus Caf ClassComm Gym Hall Libr Play G Spec Other
School Locations
Referrals by Location
Referrals per StudentReferrals per Student
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tude
nt
Students
Referrals per StudentReferrals per Student
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Students
Students per Number of Referrals
Referrals by Time of DayReferrals by Time of Day
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Num
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7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:0010:30 11:00 11:3012:0012:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30
Time of Day
Referrals by Time of Day
Referrals by Time of DayReferrals by Time of Day
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Num
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erra
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7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:0010:3011:00 11:30 12:0012:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30
Time of Day
Referrals by Time of Day
Decision-making
• Is there a problem?• What areas/systems are involved?• Are there many students or a few involved?• What kinds of problem behaviors are
occurring?• When are these behaviors most likely?
• What is the most effective use of ourresources to address this problem?
Designing SolutionsDesigning Solutions If If manymany students are making the same mistake students are making the same mistake
it typically is the it typically is the systemsystem that needs to change that needs to change not the students.not the students.
Teach, monitor and reward before relying on Teach, monitor and reward before relying on punishment.punishment.
Choices in “Choices in “other reportsother reports”” 1. 1. Custom ReportCustom Report
2. 2. Custom GraphCustom Graph3. 3. Referrals by StaffReferrals by Staff4. 4. Suspension/Expulsion ReportSuspension/Expulsion Report5. 5. Ethnicity ReportsEthnicity Reports (we are going to explain in depth) (we are going to explain in depth) 5.1 5.1 School Ethnicity ReportSchool Ethnicity Report6. 6. Individual Student ReportIndividual Student Report7. 7. Year End ReportYear End Report8. 8. Student & Staff ListsStudent & Staff Lists
The first documents the proportion of The first documents the proportion of students in the school by ethnicity,students in the school by ethnicity,
The second breaks out % of referrals from The second breaks out % of referrals from different ethnic groups, different ethnic groups,
The third breaks out the % of students in an The third breaks out the % of students in an ethnic group who received a referral, ethnic group who received a referral, The last is the % of all students who The last is the % of all students who received referrals by ethnic group.received referrals by ethnic group.
So... the reports document referrals and So... the reports document referrals and students. students.
The 4 Ethnicity reportsThe 4 Ethnicity reports
The first documents the The first documents the proportion of students in the proportion of students in the
school by ethnicity,school by ethnicity,
The second breaks out % of The second breaks out % of all all referralsreferrals from different ethnic from different ethnic
groupsgroups
The third breaks out the % of The third breaks out the % of studentsstudents in an ethnic group who in an ethnic group who
received a referralreceived a referral
The 4th is the % of all students The 4th is the % of all students who received referrals by ethnic who received referrals by ethnic
group.group.
The key message is:The key message is:
It takes more than one report to It takes more than one report to determine over-representationdetermine over-representation
That is why all four are presented.That is why all four are presented.