Features of Effective Tier I Systems

 Educational and Community Supports (ECS) is a research unit within the College of Education at the University of Oregon.
 ECS focuses on the development and implementation of practices that result in positive, durable, and scientifically substantiated change in the lives of individuals.
 Federal and state funded projects support research, teaching,
 PBIS Applications is a series of educational tools created within of support (MTSS).
 The PBIS Application tools have been utilized in 25,000+ schools both domestically and internationally.

What is RTI? The
Essential
Components
Response to
Interventions and
School-wide
Positive Behavior
Support
Primary
Preventions at the
Universal Level
Multi-Level Prevention System
Universal Screening
Progress Monitoring
Data-based Decision Making
What is SW-PBIS?
What are the similarities between the two frameworks?
What is necessary at Tier I in order to have a solid foundation for targeted and intensive supports?

Response to intervention (RTI) integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavior problems.
--National Center on Response to Intervention
The intent of RTI is to improve outcomes for all students while providing immediate supplemental supports for students at risk for poor learning outcomes.

Tertiary—intensive, individualized
Secondary—targeted, small group
Universal—primary prevention

 Also known as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
 The triangle does not represent the overall RTI framework; it only represents one component, the multi-level prevention system.
 This component represents three levels of prevention.
 In an effective system, we would expect:
 Primary Level = at least 80%
 If less than 80%, consider focusing school improvement efforts on improving
 Secondary Level = 10-15%
 Tertiary Level = 1-5%

Writing
Reading
Social-Emotional
Essential Question:
Is the student successful at this level of support?
Students themselves do not fit into a tier of supports; instead, their needs are addressed at the tiers provided.
Intensity is a two-way street. Improved student outcomes are the result of continually monitoring and modifying
(as needed) instructional programs and methods.
Math

 The purpose of screening is to identify those students who are at risk for poor learning outcomes.
 The focus is on all students, not just those students that teachers believe are at risk.
 It is a brief, reliable, valid assessment used to identify which students may need additional assessments or additional instructional support.

 Allows practitioners to answer critical questions:
 Are students making progress at an acceptable rate?
 Quantify student rates of improvement or
 Are students meeting short-term goals necessary
 Identify students who are not making adequate
 Does the instruction need to be adjusted or changed?
 Evaluate instructional effectiveness.

 Utility and value:
 Instruction
 Who needs assistance?
 What type of instruction or assistance is needed?
 Is the duration and intensity sufficient?
 Movement within the Multiple Levels
 When are students moved to something more/less intensive?
 Who is responding and/or not responding?
 Disability Identification
 When do you refer for special education evaluation?
 How does this student compare to his/her peers?
 What appropriate instruction received by the student?

 Schools face a set of difficult challenges today:
 Multiple expectations (i.e., academic, social-emotional, safety)
 Students arrive at school with widely differing understandings of what is socially acceptable.
 Traditional “get touch” and “zero tolerance” approaches are insufficient.
 Individual student interventions
 Effective, but the need cannot be met
 School-wide discipline systems
 Establish a social culture within which both social and academic success is more likely

 School-wide PBIS is:
 A systems approach for establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment for all students.
 Evidence-based features of SW-PBIS
 Prevention
 Define and teach positive social expectations
 Acknowledge appropriate behavior
 System of consequences for problem behavior
 Continuous collection and use of data for decision-making
 Continuum of intensive, individual intervention supports
 Implementation of the systems that support effective practices

 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is based on a problem-solving model and aims to prevent inappropriate behavior through teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.
 SWPBS refers to a systems change process for an entire school or district.
 The underlying theme is teaching behavioral expectations in the same manner as any core curriculum subject.
(OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports, 2007).

 The RTI framework provides a system for delivering instructional interventions of increasing intensity.
 PBIS provides a similar schoolwide model and the two can be combined to provide a schoolwide academic and behavioral framework.
 RTI:A and RTI:B
 SWPBIS is the model for RTI:B
Writing
Reading
Social-Emotional
Math

Response to
Intervention
OUTCOMES
SYSTEMS
School-wide
PBIS
• Improved student outcomes in social competence and academic achievement.
•
Systems support staff behavior.
• Practices support student behavior.
•
Data support decision making.

Response to Intervention
Problem-solving model
Prevention based
• Multi-Tiered System of Support
Data-based decision making
Use of screening to proactively identify at-risk students
Instruction/intervention matched to the student’s level of need
Progress monitoring of instruction/intervention effectiveness and student progress
School-wide PBIS

Tertiary—intensive, individualized
Secondary—targeted, small group
Universal:
• primary prevention
• core instruction
• all students

 Primary Prevention Level
 Focus = all students
 Instruction = core curriculum and instructional practices that are evidence based and incorporate differentiated instruction
 Setting = general environment
 Assessments = screening, continuous progress monitoring, and outcome measures

 Core Curriculum
 Course of study deemed critical
 Usually mandatory for all students of a school or a school system
Reading
•Five Components of Reading
•Phonemic
Awareness
•Phonics
•Fluency
•Vocabulary
•Comprehension
Behavior
•3-5 Behavior
Expectations
•Be Safe
•Be Respectful
•Be Responsible

 Teach Behavioral Expectations
 Transform broad, school-wide expectations into specific, observable behaviors.
 Students are presented information on behavior expectations, including examples of appropriate and inappropriate behavior so that they clearly understand the concept.
 Students are provide opportunities to practice appropriate behavior and build fluency.
 Lessons take place in the settings where appropriate behavior should occur and are taught by the adults responsible for monitoring students.

Transform broad, school-wide expectations into specific, observable behaviors.

Teaching
Matrix
All Settings Hallways
Respect
Ourselves
Be on task.
Give your best effort.
Be prepared.
Walk.
Playgrounds
SETTING
Cafeteria
Library/
Computer
Lab
Assembly
Have a plan.
Bus
Eat all your food.
Select healthy foods.
Study, read, compute.
Sit in one spot.
Watch for your stop.
Respect
Others
Be kind.
Hands/feet to self.
Help/share with others.
Use normal voice volume.
Walk to right.
Play safe.
Include others.
Share equipment.
Practice good table manners
Whisper.
Return books.
Listen/watch.
Use appropriate applause.
Use a quiet voice.
Stay in your seat.
Respect
Property
Recycle.
Clean up after self.
Pick up litter.
Maintain physical space.
Use equipment properly.
Put litter in garbage can.
Replace trays
& utensils.
Clean up eating area.
Push in chairs.
Treat books carefully.
Pick up.
Treat chairs appropriately.
Wipe your feet.
Sit appropriately.

Classrooms
Assemblies
Hallways
Restrooms

 Successful skill development requires providing students with feedback on their performance that is timely and understandable.
 To improve task performance, it is necessary to know how well the task was completed.
 Feedback and encouragement should follow the desired response immediately so there is a clear understanding of what is correct and should be repeated.
 Contingent
 Behaviorally specific

 Errors are identified and corrected so students do not spend time practicing incorrect responses.
Academics
The presence of errors provides staff with an opportunity to further investigate a student’s understanding of the subject.
The instructor helps the student correct the problem and then provides additional practice to ensure content mastery.
—Carnine, Silbert, & Kame’enui, 1997
Behavior
Discipline problems are first assumed to be behavioral errors. Staff should remind students of behavioral expectations, review teaching of the expectations, and reinforce students for engaging in appropriate behavior before providing negative consequences for inappropriate behavior.
—Sugai, Horner, & McIntosh, 2008

 Consequences Systems for Behavior involve:
 Clear definitions for problem behaviors
 Delineation of staff-managed vs. office-managed behaviors
 Professional development plan for orientation of all staff to the discipline system
 Incident referral form with relevant information (e.g., who, what, when, where, perceived why)
 Data system to collect, organize, and summarize problem behavior events

 Universal Screening to determine students’ current level of performance
 Collect information on all students at least twice a year
 After the first 6 weeks of the new school year and 6 weeks after the return from winter break
 Use data-decision rules for decision making
Green zone = 0-1 ODRs
Yellow zone = 2-5 ODRs
Red zone = 6+ ODRs

8
6
12
Cumulative Mean ODRs Per Month for 325+ Elementary Schools 08-09
10
0-1
2-5
6+
4
2
0
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jennifer Frank,
Kent McIntosh,
Seth May

8
6
12
Cumulative Mean ODRs Per Month for 325+ Elementary Schools 08-09
10
0-1
2-5
6+
4
2
0
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jennifer Frank,
Kent McIntosh,
Seth May

 Continuous Progress Monitoring to confirm risk status and monitor progress of at-risk students
 Collection of data on a monthly, weekly, daily rate
 Use of data for decision making

 Outcome Measures or Summative Assessments

 Effective school-wide and classroom-wide behavior support is linked to increased academic engagement.
 Improved academic engagement with effective instruction is linked to improved academic outcomes.
 The systems needed to implement effective academic supports and effective behavior supports are very similar:
 Clear Goals and Expected Outcomes
 Appropriate Instruction
 Feedback and Encouragement
 Error Correction
 Monitoring

What is RTI? The
Essential
Components
Response to
Interventions and
School-wide
Positive Behavior
Support
Primary
Preventions at the
Universal Level
Multi-Level Prevention System
Universal Screening
Progress Monitoring
Data-based Decision Making
What is SW-PBIS?
What are the similarities between the two frameworks?
What is necessary at Tier I in order to have a solid foundation for targeted and intensive supports?