Moving Districts Forward: Examining Differences in Teachers’ Beliefs about Behavior
Paul Fitts, M.S.Ed., & Robert J. Dixon, Ph.D., NCSP
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Abstract
Method
As schools move forward to implement Response to Intervention (RtI),
some districts are focusing on academics while others are focusing on
behavioral concerns. System change is a complex process that begins
with teachers’ beliefs and practices. This study will examine the impact of
perceived RtI supports in a school with teacher experience to determine
differences in classroom beliefs about behavior management practices.
Implications to educators and school psychologists impacting system
change will be discussed.
Instrumentation:
• Teachers completed the Beliefs about Behavior-II survey designed to
reflect current behavior management beliefs (Wright & Cook, 2010).
• Teachers were also administered the REACh survey designed to
identify perceived level of RtI practices present in their school.
• Questions were posed to identify teachers conceptions of what RtI
practices are, the next logical step in RtI implementation, and the areas
of behavioral management in which training would benefit them.
Data Analyses:
• A median split was completed to determine if teachers’ behavioral
beliefs (BAB II) vary depending on the level of RtI practices they
perceive to be present in their school of practice (REACh).
• The independent variable is perceived level of RtI present and the
dependent variable is beliefs about behavior.
Introduction
Background:
• No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002) and the 2004 reauthorization of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have established
the expectations for change (Glover & DiPerna, 2007).
• Many districts are making steps towards or have implemented a
Response to Intervention (RtI) system in reaction to the new
educational climate.
• Most models of RtI include an academic component and a behavioral
component; the later is the focus of this study.
• Implementation of an RtI system is a complicated process due to the
fact that no two schools are equal in every way and all rely on a
complicated social system of teachers with different strengths and
weaknesses implementing the change (Cutis, Castillo, & Cohen, 2010).
•  For this reason, it is critical for school psychologists and
administrators who seek system change to understand educator’s
perceptions of existing RtI practices within their school and their beliefs
about behavior management that may or may not coincide with the RtI
conceptualization of behavior management.
Study purpose:
• This study seeks to determine the differences in behavior management
beliefs based on a teacher’s perceptions of the current RtI practices
present in a school.
• This study will make an addition to the literature on system change by
identifying teachers beliefs on RtI and behavioral management
practices which may or may not be consistent with RtI implementation.
• It will compare statistical methods for attaining a staffs beliefs.
• With the knowledge of teachers’ beliefs about behavioral management
and RtI practices, administrators and school psychologists can work
towards informed system change.
Results
• The reliability of each measure this study used as well as the mean score
and standard deviation can be found in Table 1.
• As a result of the median split, scores of 35 and up are teachers who had
a strong belief that RtI was implemented in their school (RtI Strong).
• Scores of 34 and below are considered to be teachers who do not see
their schools practices as consistent with RtI (RtI Weak). See Figure 2 for
a comparison of RtI Strong versus RtI Weak on beliefs about behavior.
• The relationship noted between the BAB-II and REACh surveys yielded an
non-significant correlation of r(30) = -.23, p = .11
Figure 1. Teacher Population
Unspecified
14%
High School (HS)
23%
Standard Deviation
7.83
7.07
Figure 2. Effects of RtI Strong Versus RtI Weak on Beliefs About Behavior
96
Method
Participants:
• The current study used 30 teachers from 1 school district. The teachers
practice at the Elementary school, the Middle School, the High school, and
4 were unspecified. See Figure 1 for the proportion of respondents from
each school.
•  Out of a total population size of 116 teachers, 30 responded. The
resulting response rate was 26%
Mean
95.41
34.12
Beliefs
95
About
94
Behavior 93
92
91
90
RtI Strong
Item
Frequency
Instructional Practices
16
Pre-referral problem solving
14
Associated Practices (e.g., PBIS, CPI)
8
Structural/Day Modifications
6
Assessment Practices
5
Table 3. Staff Training Suggestions For RtI Implementation
Item
Frequency
RtI has been implemented
Entire Staff Involvement
Best Practices Training
Intervention training
Behavioral Instruction
Additional Staff and professional development funding
Assessment Practices
Other (schedule modifications, unsure)
Item
Table 1. Measure Statistics
Reliability
.72
.89
Table 2. Current School Practices Consistent With RtI
14
12
9
6
5
5
4
3
Table 4. Training on Behavioral Management Practices
Elementary School
(ES)
40%
Middle School (MS)
23%
Measure
Beliefs About Behavior II
REACh Survey
Qualitative Questions
Four questions were developed to gain further insights into teachers beliefs
on RtI and behavioral management practices, three will be analyzed.
1) What are the current school practices in place that you feel are
consistent with RtI practices? See Table 2 for the frequency of responses.
2) Given what you know about Response to Intervention and your school,
what would be the next logical step in professional development to move
forward with implementation? See Table 3 for the frequency of responses.
3) If you could receive training on one aspect to improve your behavior
management practices in the classroom, what would it be? See Table 4 for
a listing of the frequency of responses.
RtI Weak
Frequency
PBIS practices
Motivation interventions
Unsure
Tier 3 interventions
Use of reinforcements
Improved practices (assessment, instructional, PLC’s)
Specific interventions (organization, oppositional students)
7
6
6
4
4
3
2
Discussion
• There was a qualitative difference in teachers’ opinions within the same
district and school for RtI practices that have been implemented. This can
be categorized as:
1.  Individualistic: Reflecting a teacher’s own classroom implementation
of RtI within an area that he/she can control.
2.  Systemic: Reflecting a school-wide perspective that spans what is
happening across classrooms with the implementation of RtI.
• Implication: future studies need to be very explicit for the reference point
for teachers to comment on RtI practices in the school.
Discussion
• There was a general perception among school personnel that RtI is
already being implemented. However, additional comments expose a basic
confusion amongst the staff in regards to RtI practices in four areas:
1.  Interventions focused only on using existing resources; e.g., using
Title 1 services for interventions.
2.  Problem solving used only to determine interventions or special
education eligibility; i.e., no examination of universal curriculum.
3.  Assessment practices focused on diagnostic or problem-focused
practices; e.g., no universal screening.
4.  Practices focused on people not systems of response; e.g., “I think
Rosemary is doing a great job at RtI”
• Implications: there did not appear to be a common language to describe
or understand what is happening in the schools in reference to RtI. This
would go beyond the “knowledge of the triangle” and describe practices in
the classroom or school that are examples or non-examples of RtI.
Knowledge of this confusion could help coaches to target their mentoring of
teachers in a sustained effort at systemic change toward a functional
knowledge of RtI.
• Contrary to hypothesis, there was no significant relationship between
teacher beliefs of behavior and school practices consistent with RtI.
• Limitations
• Sample size was small and spanned multiple academic levels. It may
be beneficial to examine a larger sample at one level.
• Surveys, while reliable, may need to have additional validity studies to
reflect school reforms consistent with RtI and behavior practices.
• Future studies may benefit from further investigating the confusion aspect
observed in this study. Similar qualitative questions could be compared
with observations of the schools model of RtI in practice.
Summary, Implications, and Conclusions
• System change is complicated by teacher beliefs and actual practices. A
school psychologist may help a district move forward by:
1.  Training school staff with targeted and specific examples of RtI.
2.  Engaging the staff in resource mapping designed to not only identify
existing services, but also to identify gaps that need attention.
3.  Establishing a coaching or mentoring system with teachers to assist
in the sustained implementation of practices consistent with RtI.
References
Browning-Wright & Cook. (2010). Beliefs about Behavior, 2nd Edition. Sierra Madre, CA:
Educational Consulting Services
Curtis, Castillo, & Cohen. (2010). Best Practices in System-Level Change. In Thomas & Grimes,
Best Practices in School Psychology V (pp. 887-901). Bethesda, MD: National Association of
School Psychologists.
Daigan, Ring, Volpansky. (nd). Data-Based Decision Making: A Guide to Performing a
Comprehensive Framework Appraisal. Madison, WI: Department of Public Instruction
Glover & Di Perna. (2007). Service Delivery for Response to Intervention: Core Components and
Directions for Future Research. School Psychology Review, 36, 526-540.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Pub. L. No. 108,446
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Pub, L. No, 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425
Wright, J. (2011). Reaching a Positive 'RtI Tipping Point': Tips for Schools." retrieved from
interventioncentral.org