Using Technical Assistance Using Technical Assistance Teams for Tertiary PBSTeams for Tertiary PBS

Carol Davis, Ed. D.,Carol Davis, Ed. D.,Ilene S. Schwartz, Ph. D. Ilene S. Schwartz, Ph. D. University of Washington University of Washington

cadavis1@u.washington.educadavis1@u.washington.edu206-221-5043206-221-5043

What do we know?What do we know?

Challenging behavior in the classroom Challenging behavior in the classroom are the most requested issues for are the most requested issues for consultationconsultation

Consultation or out of district Consultation or out of district placements can account for up to one-placements can account for up to one-third of a districts special education third of a districts special education budgetbudget

Consultation does not provide a long Consultation does not provide a long term solution to dealing with challenging term solution to dealing with challenging behavior in the schoolsbehavior in the schools

What are the challenges to What are the challenges to providing PBS for ALL providing PBS for ALL students?students?

Building capacity must be a district Building capacity must be a district initiative.initiative.

The spectrum of social behavior across The spectrum of social behavior across students is extremely wide.students is extremely wide.

The depth of knowledge of challenging The depth of knowledge of challenging behavior has to be extensive.behavior has to be extensive.

Teachers are unfamiliar with the notion of Teachers are unfamiliar with the notion of function-based behavior plans.function-based behavior plans.

What are assumptions on What are assumptions on which the model is which the model is based?based?

1.1. Schools must meet the differing needs of ALL Schools must meet the differing needs of ALL children.children.

2.2. Within district expertise should be developed.Within district expertise should be developed.

3.3. Administration plays an active role.Administration plays an active role.

4.4. Behavior plans must be evidence-based.Behavior plans must be evidence-based.

5.5. Schools must be willing to consider Schools must be willing to consider alternatives to suspension and alternative alternatives to suspension and alternative placementsplacements

Scaling the PyramidScaling the Pyramid

Develop within school district teams Develop within school district teams with expertise in tertiary levels of with expertise in tertiary levels of PBS to provide assessment, PBS to provide assessment, intervention, and progress intervention, and progress monitoring support for students with monitoring support for students with the most challenging behavior.the most challenging behavior.

Provide ongoing professional Provide ongoing professional development that builds capacity development that builds capacity within the school and district.within the school and district.

Technical Assistance Teams

Provide technical assistance

Take referral from schoolteam member

Conduct an FBA

Brainstorm potential behavior plan solutions

Assist in the implementation

Use data to adjust plan

In school awarenesstraining

Provision of Additional resources

schoolwide

Ongoing training for school

Technical Assistance Technical Assistance TeamsTeams

A team used to:A team used to:

Provide suggestions for curriculum Provide suggestions for curriculum modifications and accessing the general modifications and accessing the general education curriculumeducation curriculum

Provide ongoing support and expertise in Provide ongoing support and expertise in the areas of Functional Assessment and the areas of Functional Assessment and Behavior PlanningBehavior Planning

Provide support for data collectionProvide support for data collection

Provide ongoing monitoring of program Provide ongoing monitoring of program implementation and student progress implementation and student progress

Who is on the Technical Who is on the Technical Assistance Teams?Assistance Teams?

School district employeesSchool district employees Multi-disciplinary team membersMulti-disciplinary team members

– SPED/GENED teachersSPED/GENED teachers– School psychologistsSchool psychologists– Social workerSocial worker– ParaprofessionalsParaprofessionals– AdministratorAdministrator

Chosen with school Chosen with school administrator inputadministrator input

Team member Team member characteristics:characteristics:

Strong in his/her area of expertise.Strong in his/her area of expertise.

Uses data to make decisions in own Uses data to make decisions in own practicepractice

Uses behavioral principles in own practicesUses behavioral principles in own practices

Believes in the benefits of PBSBelieves in the benefits of PBS

Are respected members of their professional Are respected members of their professional disciplinediscipline

Have experience as both leaders and Have experience as both leaders and participants in the educational processparticipants in the educational process

What does participating What does participating as a team member as a team member mean?mean?

Participation in teams is voluntary Participation in teams is voluntary

Time released from regular school dutiesTime released from regular school duties

Compensation is provided for team Compensation is provided for team participationparticipation

Participate in various training activities Participate in various training activities to build knowledge in PBSto build knowledge in PBS

Working as a collaborative team Working as a collaborative team member to influence challenging member to influence challenging behaviorbehavior

What does participating What does participating as a team member as a team member mean?mean?

Records reviewRecords review ObservationsObservations Functional AssessmentFunctional Assessment Behavior PlanningBehavior Planning Making materialsMaking materials Coaching during initial Coaching during initial

implementationimplementation Conducting person centered plansConducting person centered plans

TAT TrainingTAT Training

Base knowledge (plus expertise):Base knowledge (plus expertise):

Core knowledge in school-wide PBS Core knowledge in school-wide PBS

Core knowledge in social skills and Core knowledge in social skills and curriculum modificationcurriculum modification

All essential components of delivering All essential components of delivering technical assistancetechnical assistance

Person-centered planningPerson-centered planning

Functional Behavior Assessment linked to Functional Behavior Assessment linked to evidence-based behavior plan evidence-based behavior plan

TAT TrainingTAT Training

Long term (one year) training is Long term (one year) training is provided to the team members across a provided to the team members across a yearyear

– A project staff member (either hired within A project staff member (either hired within the district or from the University) provides the district or from the University) provides approximately 10-15 hours a week with the approximately 10-15 hours a week with the TAT membersTAT members

– Teams also attend yearly trainings and Teams also attend yearly trainings and have access to current literaturehave access to current literature

– Teams meet weekly along with project staffTeams meet weekly along with project staff

What happens when a What happens when a student is referred to the student is referred to the TAT?TAT? The TAT member observes in the classroom The TAT member observes in the classroom

for primary and secondary strategies for primary and secondary strategies CEFCEF

The need for more intensive intervention is The need for more intensive intervention is determined by the school teamdetermined by the school team

The TAT member conducts classroom The TAT member conducts classroom observations resulting in an FBAobservations resulting in an FBA

The TAT (at weekly meetings) brainstorms The TAT (at weekly meetings) brainstorms options for intervention plansoptions for intervention plans

Student is Student is monitoredmonitored

Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Team Case Team Case ManagementManagement

Each team of 4 will manage Each team of 4 will manage approximately 12 studentsapproximately 12 students

Each student is observed approximately Each student is observed approximately 2 hours every other week2 hours every other week

Meetings with teachers and other Meetings with teachers and other service providers occur at least twice service providers occur at least twice monthlymonthly

Each student is discussed at least 2x a Each student is discussed at least 2x a month at team meetingsmonth at team meetings

Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Team MeetingsTeam Meetings

Issues are identified and prioritized Issues are identified and prioritized by the teacher or the TAT member to by the teacher or the TAT member to be discussed at the team meetings.be discussed at the team meetings.

The TAT members meet 1X a week to The TAT members meet 1X a week to discuss students.discuss students.

The expertise of each of the members The expertise of each of the members is used in the solution of the problem is used in the solution of the problem through the examination of data and through the examination of data and brainstorming.brainstorming.

What does this means What does this means for students?for students?

All students are served by the team All students are served by the team (provided some level of expertise).(provided some level of expertise).

Some teachers/teams need ongoing Some teachers/teams need ongoing assistance with solving instructional assistance with solving instructional or behavioral problemsor behavioral problems

All students receive ongoing All students receive ongoing monitoring monitoring (surveillance)(surveillance)

What are tertiary What are tertiary supports?supports? Antecedent InterventionsAntecedent Interventions

– Prespecifying the reinforcerPrespecifying the reinforcer– Providing choicesProviding choices– Instructional modificationsInstructional modifications

Teaching strategiesTeaching strategies– Social skillsSocial skills– Functional Communication TrainingFunctional Communication Training

Consequent StrategiesConsequent Strategies– Reinforcement systemsReinforcement systems

What is the impact of this What is the impact of this project on the tertiary supports project on the tertiary supports provided in a school?provided in a school? Teacher/ClassroomsTeacher/Classrooms

– STP Student AssessmentSTP Student Assessment– CARSCARS Classroom Atmosphere Rating Scale Classroom Atmosphere Rating Scale

StudentsStudents– CBM (WJ subtests)CBM (WJ subtests)– Office Discipline ReferralsOffice Discipline Referrals– Engagement, task completionEngagement, task completion– Specific data based on behavior planSpecific data based on behavior plan

TeamTeam– Pre-post on behavior plansPre-post on behavior plans

What have we What have we learned?learned?

Administrative support at the district Administrative support at the district level and at the school level is level and at the school level is necessary.necessary.

TAT members must meet criteria.TAT members must meet criteria.

Schools need to be implementing Schools need to be implementing School-wide Positive Behavior Support.School-wide Positive Behavior Support.

Schools need to be using evidence-Schools need to be using evidence-based curriculum.based curriculum.

What have we What have we learned?learned?

District/schools/teachers need to District/schools/teachers need to understand and be able to understand and be able to differentiate instruction.differentiate instruction.

School-wide knowledge of team and School-wide knowledge of team and purpose is necessary.purpose is necessary.

What have we What have we learned?learned?

TAT members increase their efforts when TAT members increase their efforts when they perceive their contributions to be unique they perceive their contributions to be unique and important to the team.and important to the team.

TAT members are more effective when they TAT members are more effective when they have the support of administration and have the support of administration and colleagues to change programs based on colleagues to change programs based on data.data.

TAT members remark that the on-going TAT members remark that the on-going (initial support from project staff) training (initial support from project staff) training component assists in developing more component assists in developing more confident TAT members.confident TAT members.

What have we What have we learned?learned?

Team members are Team members are compensated.compensated.

Model must be flexible.Model must be flexible.

Pay attention to your Pay attention to your consumers, both school consumers, both school personnel and parents.personnel and parents.