Look Who’s Behavin”
October 9, 2009
Dr. Alexa Posny
Warm-Up
You are driving along in your car on wild, stormy
night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see
three people waiting for the bus.
1.
An old lady who looks as if she is about to
die.
2.
An old friend who once saved your life.
3.
The perfect man (or) woman you have been
dreaming about.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to,
knowing that there could only be one
passenger in your car?
Warm-Up



Give the car keys to the old
friend
Let him take the old lady to the
hospital
You stay behind and wait for
the bus with man/woman of
your dreams
“There are really only three types of
people:
Those who make things happen;
Those who watch things happen; and
Those who ask, ‘What happened?’”
Ann Landers
Rules…
for Teachers
You will not marry during the course of your
contract.
 You are not to keep company with men.
 You may not loiter downtown in ice cream
stores.
 You may not dress in bright colors.
 You may under no circumstances dye your
hair.
 You must wear at least two petticoats.

Expectations (Not Rules)
for Students
What We Know…
“Children are
eager and
capable
learners…”
Research
(Hart & Risley, 1995)
Professional
family child
Words
Heard
per hour
Affirmatives
per hour
Prohibitions
per hour
2153
32
5
Research
(Hart & Risley, 1995)
Words
Heard
per hour
Affirmatives
per hour
Prohibitions
per hour
Professional
family child
2153
32
5
Working class
child
1251
12
7
Research
(Hart & Risley, 1995)
Words
Heard
per hour
Affirmatives
per hour
Prohibitions
per hour
Professional
family child
2153
32
5
Working class
child
1251
12
7
Child living in
poverty
616
5
11
How…
“Early intervening services…are services
for children in kindergarten through grade
12 (with a particular emphasis on children
in kindergarten through grade 3) who
have not been identified as needing
special education and related services,
but who need additional academic and
behavioral support to succeed in a
general education environment.”
Why…
“Early learning begets later
learning and early success
breeds later success…The later in
life we attempt to repair early
deficits, the costlier remediation
becomes…”
James Heckman, Nobel Prize-Winner, Economics,
2000
What We Know…
“There is a greater
tragedy than being
labeled as a slow
learner--and that is
being treated as
one.”
What We Know…
“A longitudinal study of 407
students found that 74% of the
children whose difficulty in
reading was first identified at
nine years of age or older
continued to read in the lowest
quintile throughout their middle
and high school years.”
What We Know…
The earlier school staff can
identify students’ difficulties, the
quicker and less expensive the
task is to help them catch up
 The longer a student goes
without assistance, the longer
the remediation time and the
more intense the services must
be

How…
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a way
of screening children, early in their
schooling, that can help schools and
educators identify those who may
not be responding to instruction –
and thus may be at risk for school
failure. The technique allows
schools, on a schoolwide basis, to
provide any student more intensive
support–and monitor their
progress—than typically available in
every classroom.
What We Know…
Students must know what is
expected of them
 Behavior is learned
 Schools must provide safe,
learning conducive and
predictable environments
 We must teach students what
positive behaviors look like

How…





By intentionally designing and redesigning resources
to match student needs
Ensuring that every leader is responsible for
planning, implementing and evaluating
Using academic and behavioral data to inform
instructional/behavioral decisions
Including educators, families and community
members as part of effective problem-solving and
instructional decision making
Creating an empowering culture that maintains
collective responsibility for every child’s success
What we wanted in KS…

All students achieving to high standards


All low performing students


by being given the right conditions and assistance
All teachers intervening in the learning process


being provided focused instruction
All teachers teaching students to high standards


by being provided sufficient time and support
when there is an indication of a failure to learn
All teachers focusing early intervention resources

on the early years of schooling
Leadership Compass, Fall 2006, National Association of Elementary
School Principals
What we put in place in KS…

An integrated intervention support system

A focus on both academics and behavior

The provision of interventions as early or
whenever needed

Multiple or tiered levels of support and
intervention

A continuum of increasingly intense researchbased interventions

Ongoing monitoring of the effectiveness of
the interventions provided
In Kansas, this includes RTI and EIS and
much more--this is referred to as:
MTSS
Real Test
What does MTSS stand for?
 Middle Tennessee Scuba &
Swim
 Military Training Service
Support
 Main Traffic Signal System
 Multi-Tier System of Support
 Midwest Teen Sex Show
Real Test
What does MTSS stand for?
 Middle Tennessee Scuba &
Swim
 Military Training Service
Support
 Main Traffic Signal System
 Multi-Tier System of Support
 Midwest Teen Sex Show
MTSS
What is MTSS?
 A three-tiered approach with tier 3 as
special education
 RTI in disguise
 A way to delay identifying students
as in need of special education
 Special education initiative
 A systemic approach to helping all
students learn
MTSS
What is MTSS?
 A three-tiered approach with tier 3 as
special education
 RTI in disguise
 A way to delay identifying students
as in need of special education
 Special education initiative
 A systemic approach to helping all
students learn
The big “BIG” idea of MTSS
1.
Deciding what is important for students to
know
2.
Teaching what is important for students to
know
3.
Keeping track of how students are doing
4.
Making changes according to the results
collected
Dave Tilly, Heartland AEA;
2005
What MTSS is…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Focused on every child’s achievement and
behavior
Individual child problem solving
Evidence-based practices for every child
High quality, differentiated
Screening
Progress monitoring
Data-based decision-making
Timely, informative, systemic
What MTSS is not…
From
To
Adapted from Dan Reschly, 2002
So what
conditions must
exist for MTSS
to be
successful?
MTSS Framework

Leadership






Professional Development





Identified Teams
Buy-In/Consensus
Communication
Professional Development
Empowering Culture
Initial Training
Support for Implementation
Monitoring for Fidelity
Providing ongoing Support
Empowering Culture



Involving all Staff
Involving Parents
Informing All
MTSS Framework

Assessment





Curriculum




Screening
Diagnostic
Progress Monitoring
Outcomes
Core
Supplemental
Intensive
Instruction



Core
Supplemental
Intensive
MTSS Framework

All (Core)




Some (Supplemental)






Core Curriculum
Core Instruction
Screening Assessment
Protocol Based Curriculum
Protocol Based Instruction
Diagnostic Assessment
Progress Monitoring
Assessment
Problem Solving Teams
Few (Intensive)



Problem Solving Teams
Intensive,
Customized Supports
Kansas:
Multi-Tier System of Supports
Kansas Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS)
Behavior
• Student centered planning
• Customized function-based interventions
• Frequent progress monitoring to guide
intervention design
• Supplemental targeted function-based
interventions
• Small groups or individual support
• Frequent progress monitoring to guide
intervention design
Academics
• More intense supplemental targeted skill
interventions
• Customized interventions
• Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention
design
•
•
•
Supplemental targeted skill interventions
Small groups
Frequent progress monitoring to guide
intervention design
• All students, All settings
• Positive behavioral expectations
explicitly taught and reinforced
• Consistent approach to discipline
• Assessment system and data-based
decision making
• All students
• Evidence-based core curriculum &
instruction
• Assessment system and data-based decision
making
KSDE - July 2007 Draft
Supports for ALL
(Core)
Academics
• All students
• Evidence-based core
curriculum &
instruction
• Assessment system
and data-based
decision making
Behavior
• All students, All settings
• Positive behavioral
expectations explicitly
taught and reinforced
• Consistent approach to
discipline
• Assessment system
and data-based
decision making
Supports for SOME
(Supplemental)
Academics
 Supplemental
targeted skill
interventions
 Small groups
 Frequent progress
monitoring to guide
intervention design
Behavior
 Supplemental
targeted skill
interventions
 Small groups
 Frequent progress
monitoring to guide
intervention design
Supports for FEW
(Intensive)
Academics
 More intense
supplemental
targeted skill
interventions
 Customized
interventions
 Frequent progress
monitoring to guide
intervention design
Behavior
 Student centered
planning
 Customized functionbased interventions
 Frequent progress
monitoring to guide
intervention design
MTSS and SW-PBIS

At the heart of both MTSS and SW-PBIS
is systemic change aimed at positively
impacting both social and academic
competencies for all students.

MTSS draws upon evidence and
research-based practices, incorporating
the SW-PBIS framework into the broader
integrated MTSS approach.
Advantages of MTSS

Provides instructional and behavioral
assistance in a timely fashion (e.g., NOT a
wait-to-fail model)

Helps ensure a student’s poor academic
performance is not due to poor instruction or
inappropriate curriculum or problem
behavior is not due to lack of expectations

Informs teachers and improves behavior
and/or instruction because data are
collected and closely linked to interventions
MTSS
What confounds MTSS?




Providing timely instructional
assistance
Lacking fidelity of implementation
(progress monitoring, limited
research)
Limiting the number of tiers
Informing teachers and improving
instruction because assessment data
are collected and closely linked to
interventions
MTSS
What confounds MTSS?




Providing timely instructional
assistance
Lacking fidelity of implementation
(progress monitoring, limited
research)
Limiting the number of tiers
Informing teachers and improving
instruction because assessment data
are collected and closely linked to
interventions
What Will Success Look Like?
An overarching framework that guides
improvement processes and planning
 An integrated systemic approach that
includes early identification and rapid
response to the needs of all students
 The establishment of positive, proactive
environments as the norm
 The creation of strong,
resourceful, empowered districts
,
schools, and staff

So, Toto, how has MTSS
worked in Kansas?

Data from
MTSS efforts in
Kansas to
date…
How Has MTSS Worked?
Junction City, KS:
 10th largest Kansas district
 Military connected students = 44%
 Free/reduced lunch students = 38.9%
 ELL = 3%
27.9
Other 19.1
African-American
 SPED = 13.3%
Hispanic 8.5
 Ethnic demographics White 44.5
IMPACT AND INFLUENCE: MATH
JCHS Longitudinal Math Results by Disaggregated Groups
100
% at standard, compared to target (line)
90
80
70
All
Low SES
60
Afr-AM
Multcult
50
Hispanic
40
White
Sped
30
Target
20
10
0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
IMPACT AND INFLUENCE: READING
JCHS Longitudinal Reading Results by
Disaggregated Groups
100
% at standard, compared to target (line)
90
80
70
All
Low SES
60
Afr-AM
Multcult
50
Hispanic
40
White
sped
30
Target
20
10
0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
How Has MTSS Worked?
Hillsboro Elementary and Middle, KS:
 Median size Kansas district
 28% free/reduced lunch students
 13% SPED
 Median income below state average
How Has MTSS Worked?
% of Students on Benchmark Over Time
85.3
79.4
90
80
67.6
70
60
41.2
50
2007-2008
2008-2009
40
30
2006-2007
24.2
20
10
0
1
2
How Has MTSS Worked?
Hillsboro, KS:
 In 2003, Hillsboro found 28 students to
be eligible for special education services
 In 2008, Hillsboro found 1 student to be
eligible for special education services
Number of Schools
Implementing SWPBS Annually
Proportional Relationship of
Referrals to Students
Ratio of Referrals to Total
Enrollment
All Students
2
1.5
1.7
1.7
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
1.3
1
0.9
0.5
0
0.6
0.2
Hocker Grove
Westridge
Schools
Anecdotal Reports from
Schools
(Prior to Full SWIS Implementation)
60% reduction in Office Discipline
Referrals (ODRs) at Lincoln Elementary,
Parsons (2007-08 to 2008-09)
 33% decrease in ODRs at Highland Park,
Topeka
 2,000 fewer ODRs at Salina Central High
School during the first implementation
year

Anecdotal & Empirical Reports
from Schools

Hocker Grove in Shawnee Mission report:




Decreases in the intensity of problem behaviors
Decreases in Out of School Suspensions and In School
Suspensions
Decreases in Office Discipline Referrals
Westridge Middle School in Shawnee Mission
report:



Decreases intensity of problem behaviors
Decreases in Out of School Suspensions and In School
Suspensions
Greater balance in ethnicity proportions for students receiving
ODRs
Prior to PBS
PBS Year 1
PBS Year 2
PBS Year 1
PBS Year 2
Swimming Against the Trends
KS Education Shines!





The American Legislative Exchange
Council’s 2007 report card listed KS 7th in the
nation for its academic achievement
KS students rank in the top 10% for reading
and mathematics on the ACT
89.7% of students graduate
87.5% of teachers are highly qualified
On the 2007 NAEP, KS:


4th /8th graders ranked 2nd in the nation on math
4th /8th graders ranked 6th on reading
News from ACT
%
Tested
Comp
Ave.
Math
76%
21.9
21.6
22.4
21.7
Colorado 100%
20.4
20.1
20.8
20.4
Missouri
74%
21.6
21.0
22.1
21.5
Nebraska 77%
22.1
21.8
22.4
21.9
Oklahoma 71%
20.7
19.8
21.3
20.5
20.5
20.8
20.6
20.4
Kansas
Texas
30%
Reading Science
Five Year Trend: Composite
23
22.5
22
21.6
21.7
21.8
21.9
22
Kansas
National
21.5
21
20.9
20.9
2004
2005
21.1
21.2
21.1
20.5
20
2006
2007
2008
Kansas: Reading
Gap
25%
Gap
35%
Kansas: Math
Gap
22%
Gap
38%
Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report
Card on Educational Effectiveness
Center for American Progress

Certain states with a large percentage of
low-income and minority students score
far better than others on achievement
tests. Those seeking to improve their own students'
academic results should look to high-achieving states
with large percentages of traditionally low-scoring
demographic groups, such as Florida, Kansas,
Texas, and Virginia, to figure out how to succeed with
low-income and minority students. Because they are
serving those students relatively well, they earned As
in this category.
In KS, We Promise All Students…





You will acquire the same essential knowledge and
skills as the other students
Your learning will be carefully monitored, and you will
be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate your
learning
You will promptly receive extra time and support if you
experience difficulty in learning
Your teachers will clarify the standards they will use in
assessing the quality of your work
You will be the beneficiaries of educators who have
promised to work together collaboratively to use the
practices that have a positive impact on your
achievement
In Order to Ensure That a
Thousand Years From Now…
We have helped:
--every 20th child who drops out
--every 10th child who has multiple risk factors
--every 8th child who is mentally or physically
challenged
--every 7th child who is Hispanic
--every 6th child who is black
--every 5th child who is poor
--every child
Bonus
Question
What convention group
has the most number
of attendees falling into
the water at the San
Antonio River Walk?
Bonus
Question
What convention group
has the most number
of attendees falling into
the water at the San
Antonio River Walk?
 Librarians
Moving Upstream:
A Story of Prevention and
Intervention
In a small town, a group of fishermen
gathered down at the river. Not long
after they got there, a child came
floating down the rapids calling for help.
One of the group on
the shore quickly
dived in and pulled
the child out.
Minutes later another child came, then
another, and then many more children
were coming down the river. Soon
everyone was diving in and dragging
children to the shore,
then jumping
back in to save
as many as
they could.
In the midst of all this frenzy, one of the
group was seen walking away. Her
colleagues were irate. How could she
leave when there were so many children
to save? After long hours, to everyone’s
relief, the flow of children stopped, and
the group could finally catch their breath.
At that moment, their colleague came
back. They turned on her and angrily
shouted:
“HOW COULD YOU WALK
OFF WHEN WE NEEDED
EVERYONE HERE TO SAVE
THE CHILDREN?”
She replied, It occurred to me that
someone ought to go upstream and find
out why so many kids were falling into
the river. What I found is that the old
wooden bridge had several planks
missing, and when some children tried to
jump over the gap, they couldn’t make it
and fell through into the
river. So I got someone
to fix the bridge.
Self-Correcting
Feedback Loop
Managing Complex Change
Vision
+
+
Vision
+
Vision
+
Skills
Skills
+
+
+
Incentives
Incentives
Incentives
Action
Plan
+
Resources
+
Action
Plan
=
=
+
Resources
+
Action
Plan
=
Anxiety
Resources
+
Action
Plan
=
Resistance
+
Action
Plan
=
Frustration
=
False Starts
+
Skills
+
+
Vision
+
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Vision
+
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Resources
Resources
+
+
Adapted from Knoster, T.
Change
Confusion
What does it mean to us?






“If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach.”
“If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we . . .
teach? . . . punish?”
John Herner, Counterpoint (1998, p.2)
Instead of
Responsibility
“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I
am the decisive element in the classroom.
It’s my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess tremendous power
to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I
can be a tool of torture or an instrument of
inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or
heal. In all situations, it is my response that
decides whether a crisis will be escalated
and a child humanized or dehumanized.”
~Dr. Haim Ginott