Improving school climate and effectiveness
for ALL, SOME and a FEW
• Discuss school discipline and
child development challenges
• Describe why traditional
approaches need “balance”
• Describe PBS/Best Behavior
practices
• Describe PBS/Best Behavior
research findings: does this
work?
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
1
Books and resources
• Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior
– http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ivdb/
• Iris Media
– www.lookiris.com
Copy of Jeff’s
PPT here!
Videos are
here!
• Best Behavior: Building Positive Behavior
Supports in Schools (Sprague & Golly, 2004)
www.sopriswest.com
• Safe and Healthy Schools: Practical Strategies
(Sprague & Walker, 2005) www.guilford.com
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
2
Challenging Behaviors
• Exist in every school and community
(always will)
• Vary in intensity and frequency
– Mild to Violent
• Are associated w/ a variety of risk factors
(no single pathway)
• Predict our greatest public health
problems!
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
3
School Improvement Efforts Focus on
Ramping Up Accountability Pressures
 Mandated testing requirements of NCLB
 Sanctions for lower school performance
 Test results are not used to revise or
improve instruction
 Testing requirements shut down normal
activities of schools for extended time
periods
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
4
Mean Percentage of Students by Major ODR rate 04-05
673 schools Grades K-6 (292,021 students)
100%
3 (4)
9 (6)
90%
80%
70%
88 (10)
60%
6+ ODRs
50%
2-5 ODRs
40%
0-1 ODR
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
Mean Percentage of Students by Major ODRs 04-05
255 schools, Grades 6-9 (170,700 students)
100%
9 (7)
90%
16 (7)
80%
70%
60%
75 (13)
Series3
50%
Series2
40%
Series1
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
Mean Percentage of Students by Major ODRs 04-05
67 schools, Grades 9-12 (62,244 students)
100%
11 (12)
90%
20 (12)
80%
70%
60%
Series3
50%
Series2
69 (21)
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1
Series1
Mean Percentage of Students/Referrals by Major ODRs 04-05
673 schools Grades K-6 (292,021 students)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
6+ ODRs
50%
'2-5 ODRs
40%
'0-1 ODRs
30%
20%
10%
0%
% Students
% Referrals
Mean Percentage of Students/Referrals by Major ODRs 04-05
255 schools Grades 6-9 (170,700 students)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Series3
50%
Series2
40%
Series1
30%
20%
10%
0%
% Students
% Referrals
Mean Percentage of Students by Major ODRs 04-05
67 schools, Grades 9-12 (62,244 students)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
6+ ODRs
50%
'2-5 ODRs
40%
'0-1 ODRs
30%
20%
10%
0%
%Students
% Referrals
How do some children grow up to
be challenging?
• Risk factor exposure
– Poverty/low income
– Family Stress
• Abuse or neglect
• Harsh and inconsistent
parenting practices
• Community
Disorganization
• Deviant peer affiliation
– Academic Failure
– Disability
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
11
Risk Persists
• Exposure to multiple adverse childhood
experiences predicts increased risk for
serious life adjustment problems
•
•
•
•
Academic failure
Peer and Teacher Rejection
Depression
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
– Is linked to health and life outcome status
decades later
• Predicts increased risk of dying from any one of the
seven leading causes of death in adults (Felitti et al 1998)
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
12
Categories of Adverse Childhood
Experiences
• Growing up (prior to age 18) in a
household with:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Recurrent physical abuse.
Recurrent emotional abuse.
Sexual abuse.
An alcohol or drug abuser.
An incarcerated household member.
Someone who is chronically depressed,
suicidal, institutionalized or mentally ill.
– Mother being treated violently.
– One or no parents.
– Emotional or physical neglect.
• Source: http://www.healthpresentations.org/
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
13
Categories of Adverse Childhood
Experiences
•
•
•
•
recurrent and severe physical abuse (11%)
recurrent and severe emotional abuse (11%)
contact sexual abuse (22%)
growing up in a household with:
– an alcoholic or drug-user (25%)
– a member being imprisoned (3%)
– a mentally ill, chronically depressed, or institutionalized
member (19%)
– the mother being treated violently (12%)
– both biological parents not being present (22%)
– Source Fellitti et al
(http://www.healthpresentations.org/)
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
14
Death
Early Death
Where is
school on
the path to
destruction
?
Onset of Disease and Disability
Early Adoption of Health Risk Behaviors
Academic, Emotional and Behavioral Problems
Disrupted Neurodevelopment
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Conception
The
Supports for all, some and a
Impact
of Adverse Childhood
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
Experiences
Throughout
([email protected])
The Lifespan
15
Why not just focus the “few” kids
that are the biggest problems?
• If we only respond to the toughest
kids, we will never get to all of them,
and we may make more!
• All children and youth need a “village”
to return to
• Bystanders (peers, parents/family,
teachers, others) are the village!
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
16
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
17
Reasons to Refer or Suspend
• “Punish”
• “Cool off”
• Warn Parents
• Remove difficult students
• ????
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
18
• Sanctions such as office referrals
or suspensions may appear to
“work” in the short term
–Removes student
–Provides relief to teachers, peers,
administrator
–We often attribute responsibility for
change to student &/or others
(family)
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
19
Does Punishment Work Without A
Balance of Positive Acknowledgement?
• Detrimental effects on teacher-student relations
• Modeling: undesirable problem solving
– Reduced motivation to maintain self-control
– Generates student anger
– May result in more problems (Mayer, 1991)
• Truancy, dropout, vandalism, aggression
• Does not teach: Weakens academic
achievement
• Limited long term effect on behavior
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
20
Questions to ask
• How can we make our behavior
support process
– Help students accept responsibility?
– Place high value on academic
engagement and achievement?
– Teach alternative ways to behave?
– Focus on restoring the environment
and social relationships in the
school?
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
21
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
22
Programs That Reduce Disruption
and Delinquency
• Shared values regarding school mission and
purpose (admin, staff, families, students)
• Clear expectations for learning and behavior
• Multiple activities designed to promote pro-social
behavior and connection to school traditions
• A caring social climate involving collegial
relationships among adults and students
• Students have valued roles and responsibilities in
the school
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
23
Best Behavior/Positive Behavior
Support is….
What parents, teachers, peers and others do
to increase student success---the whole
village!
SUCCESS
4:1
FAILURE
PBS History
• 1960’s: Application of behavioral methods
in education and human services (aka
behavior modification)
• 1980’s
– “nonaversives”: backlash against
punishments such as electric shock, isolation,
aversive tastes
– Functional behavioral assessment: behavior
has a purpose (e.g., avoid or approach)
• 1990’s: Positive Behavior Supports
included in U.S. federal law
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
25
AIM for PBS Success
• Adopt
• Implement
• Maintain
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
26
PBS: Adoption Conditions
• School/program improvement priority
• Administrator is an active leader and involved!
• Each school has a “champion”
– Training and coaching for the adults
• Use of standard curriculum and procedures (for
kids and adults)
– Most adults help implement the program (go with the
goers)
– All students affected and involved (even the tough ones)
• System for performance-based feedback (are we
doing our job?)
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
27
PBS Implementation Roles
• The following all support PBS
implementation:
School Administrators
Behavioral Specialists
Students
Teachers
Parents
Model creates powerful program outcomes
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
29
Implementation Practices
• Train and support a representative team
– Principal actively leads and facilitates
• Set time to plan and continuously improve
•
•
•
•
Set school wide expectations
Set a plan to teach expected behavior
Set a plan to recognize expected behavior and actively supervise
Provide firm but fair behavioral corrections
• Use data (student and staff behavior) to make
decisions and give/seek feedback to/from staff
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
30
School-Level PBS Teams
• Team meets monthly at school
– Continuous assessment of school progress and
problems
– Implement discipline systems
• Team provides staff training/coaching across the
year and is continuously available
• Team gives status report monthly to all staff
– Office Referral patterns and updates
– Successes and Concerns
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
32
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
33
Directly teach and review expected
behavior
School Rule Lesson Plan Example
The Topic/Rule:
Use appropriate language in conversation
What do we expect the student to do?
1. Speak appropriately in all school settings
2. Give up use of profanity
3. Express anger or frustration with appropriate words
How will we teach the expected behavior?
Tell why following the rule is important: Profanity is offensive to other people and spreads negative attitudes. Using appropriate
language is an important social skill for behaving in future employment and community settings.
List examples and non examples of the expected behaviors (two to three each): Ask students to identify examples and not-examples
of each part of the rule. Ask them to identify both and tell why is a good or bad example of expected behavior.
a. A positive example: When John's locker was stuck he said "I'm going to be late!" and walked to class.
Mary saw an excellent car in the parking lot at the local store. She said, "I saw this really cool car today!"
b. A Non example:
John's locker won't open and class is about to start. He says" ******" and slams the locker with his fist.
Other people in the area feel uncomfortable and afraid.
Mary wanted to tell about a car she saw at the local store. She said, "I saw this ***** cool car at the Safeway
parking lot." Her friends were embarrassed.
Provide opportunities to practice and build fluency:
1. Brainstorm a list of alternative words or terms.
2. Engage students in a frustrating activity and prompt them to use appropriate language.
3. Discuss/identify positive things about our school or other students.
4. Generate a list of words that are not acceptable/acceptable.
Recognize and reward expected
behavior
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
36
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
37
Issues Regarding Positive
Reinforcement








Shouldn’t Children at this age know what is
expected?
Praising feels unnatural.
Isn’t Praise manipulative and coercive?
Isn’t it bribing?
Won’t students come to depend on tangible
rewards?
Shouldn’t rewards be for special achievements?
Where will I get money to supply this type of
system?
Do students in Middle and high school still need
rewards?
When dealing with non-compliance
• Stop and think
• Restate the request (won’t do it or can’t
do it)
• Matter of factly deliver the penalty or
loss of privilege if that is your plan.
• Avoid…
– Arguing with the student
– Holding a grudge
– Trying to make the student feel bad or
guilty for previous poor choices
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
39
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
40
Performance-based feedback
• How often do I get feedback about
discipline patterns in my school?
• What kind of feedback do I get?
– Total referrals
• Referrals per day
– Behaviors
– Locations
– Actions/consequences?
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
41
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
42
Is There a Problem?
A v e R e fe rra ls p e r D a y
Office Referrals per Day per Month
Las t Year and This Year
20
15
10
5
0
Sept
Oct
Nov
Supports for all, some and a
few
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
School
Months
Jeffrey Sprague,
Ph.D.
([email protected])
Apr
May
Jun
43
Is There a Problem?
A v e R e fe rra ls p e r D a y
Office Referrals per Day per Month
Las t Year and This Year
20
15
10
5
0
Sept
Oct
Nov
Supports for all, some and a
few
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
School
Months
Jeffrey Sprague,
Ph.D.
([email protected])
Apr
May
Jun
44
Evidence?
• Does PBS work?
–Yes
• Can PBS practices maintain?
–Maybe, if we…
• What is benefit/cost ratio?
–Probably good
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
45
Nine School Study
• Best Behavior plus Second Step
Violence Prevention
• One Year Implementation
• Baseline to Treatment
• Treatment to Comparison
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
46
Second Step Violence
Prevention Curriculum
• Higher order social skills
– Empathy
– Anger Management
– Problem Solving/Impulse Control
• conflict resolution
• dealing with bullies
• responsible decision making
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
47
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
48
Percent Change in Referrals
% Change in Discipline Referrals
100
50
0
-50
Elem Treat
Mid Treat
Elem Comp
Mid Comp
Patterson and Family Schools
Total office discipline referrals
total # of ODR's per year
500
400
97-98
300
98-00
99-00
200
00-01
100
0
1st EBS yr
2nd EBS yr
Supports for all, some and a
few
3rd EBS yr
4th EBS yr
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
50
Patterson Elementary
Percentage of
Students with Office
Referrals
1
0.8
0.6
6+
0.4
2-5
0-1
0.2
0
99-00 Post
Supports for all, some and a
few
00-01Post
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
Academic
Years
([email protected])
51
Statewide Assessment Scores
Patterson School
% of students meeting benchmark
100
80
1998
60
1999
2000
40
2001
20
0
3rd
5th
Reading
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
52
T o ta l O ffic e D is c ip lin e R e fe rr
Kennedy Middle School
1500
1200
900
600
300
0
95-96
Supports for all, some and a
few
96-97
97-98
School
Years
Jeffrey Sprague,
Ph.D.
([email protected])
98-99
53
What does a reduction of 850 office
referrals and 25 suspensions mean?
Kennedy Middle School
• Savings in
Administrative time
• Savings in Student
Instructional time
•
•
•
•
ODR = 15 min
Suspension = 45 min
• 13,875 minutes
• 231 hours
for all, some
and a
• 29,Supports
8-hour
days
few
ODR = 45 min
Suspension = 216 min
• 43,650 minutes
• 728 hours
• 121 6-hour school
days
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
54
Books and resources
• Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior
– http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ivdb/
• Iris Media
– www.lookiris.com
Copy of Jeff’s
PPT here!
Videos are
here!
• Best Behavior: Building Positive Behavior
Supports in Schools (Sprague & Golly, 2004)
www.sopriswest.com
• Safe and Healthy Schools: Practical Strategies
(Sprague & Walker, 2005) www.guilford.com
Supports for all, some and a
few
Jeffrey Sprague, Ph.D.
([email protected])
55