The Role and Expectations for
School-wide PBS Coaches
Rob Horner and George Sugai
OSEP TA-Center on PBS
Pbis.org
Objectives
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Define the role of coaches in
implementation of school-wide PBS
Define the activities of effective coaches
Define the competencies of effective
coaches
Define the responsibilities of coaches
within the Team-Training format.
The Main Ideas
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Whole schools as the unit of behavior support.
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Prevention as the most effective way to improve
behavior in schools
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All children need behavior support
Teaching and supporting appropriate behavior
Whole-school effort is foundation for individual student supports
Data use as the key to sustainability and
improvement.
Systems are as or more important as effective
practices.
Positive
Behavior
Support
Social Competence,
Academic Achievement, and Safety
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior
What it Takes to Build Statewide
Capacity
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Coordination
Training
Local Technical Assistance (Coaches)
On-going Evaluation and Adaptation
Visibility
Funding
Political
Support
Leadership Team
Active Coordination
Training
Coaching
Evaluation
Local School Teams/Demonstrations
Coaching vs. Training
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Coaching involves active collaboration and
participation
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Small group
Build from local competence
Sustainable
Building Coaching Capacity
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Selecting Coaches
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What should coaches bring?
“internal” vs “external” coaches
How coaches are supported
What coaches do
What is the impact of effective coaching?
Who should be a coach?
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Internal vs External
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Internal coaches are employed in the school where
they provide support
External coaches are employed outside the schools
where they provide support (e.g. by district, region
(AEA), state).
Who should be a coach?
Internal Coach
External Coach
Advantages
Knowledge of school
Staff relationships
Regular access
Independent
Outside perspective
Multiple schools experience
Disadvantages
Conflicting roles
Narrow range of
experiences
Limited knowledge of school
Limited relationships
Less frequent access
Who should be a coach
Coaching Competencies
Necessary
Preferred
Participate in team training
Able to attend team meetings at
least monthly
Effective working with adults
Knowledgeable about school
operating systems
Professional
Commitment
Knowledge about SWPBS
Knowledge about behavior
support practices (targeted,
individual)
Skilled in collection and use of
data for decision-making.
What Coaches Do
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Work with team during initial SW-PBS training
Meet with new teams monthly on-site
Telephone/email contact as needed
“Positive” nag
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Self-assessment (EBS Survey, Team Checklist)
Action planning
Activity implementation
On-going evaluation
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School self-evaluation efforts
State-wide Initiative evaluation efforts (SET)
Guide State-wide initiative
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Feedback to Taskforce
What Coaches Do
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Dissemination of outcomes and effects
SWIS Facilitation
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Implement and support use of data-based decision
making.
Schedule
Areas of Coaching Impact
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Team Start Up
Team Sustainability
Technical Assistance
Public Relations
Statewide support network
Local Leadership
The Impact of Coaches
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Initial Implementation
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Active Capacity Building
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Help maintain momentum
Help with team process
Coordinate information
Provide access to praise, celebration
Provide or obtain critical information/technical support. Active problem
solving
All staff trainings/orientation
Development and use of data for decision-making
Systems development
Sustainability
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Transition prompts
New training
Effective Coaches
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Are skilled at individual student behavior support
practices
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Functional assessment, person-centered planning
Behavior support plan design
Evaluation, adaptation and support
Are knowledgeable about School-wide PBS systems
Are knowledgeable about SWPBS data systems
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Team Implementation Checklist (TIC)
School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET)
Office Discipline Referral (ODR…SWIS)
Commitment of Coaches
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Team Support
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FTE commitment
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First Year (1-2 teams) (participate in training and planning)
Second Year (Maintain initial teams, start 3-5 teams)
Future Years (10-15 teams total)
15-25%
Roles/Background
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Behavior Specialists, Special Education Teachers
Consultants, Administrators
School Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers
Guiding Principles for Effective Coaching
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Build local capacity
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Maximize current competence
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Measure and report; measure and report; measure and report.
Build credibility through:
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Tie all efforts to the benefits for children
Emphasize Accountability
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Never change things that are working
Always make the smallest change that will have the biggest impact
Focus on valued outcomes
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Become irrelevant…but remain available
(a) consistency, (b) competence with behavioral principles/practices,
(c) relationships, (d) time investment.
Precorrect for success
Specific Expectations
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Attend and participate in team training
Meet with your team(s) at least monthly
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Monitor and report on team efforts
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Provide technical assistance as needed
Team Checklist
EBS Survey
Annual Profile/Summary Data
Present on School-wide PBS at district, state, national
forums.
Assist district to build capacity for sustained
implementation (re-define your role over time)
Meetings with Coordinator and Taskforce for purposes
of state-wide planning
Assist Teams in Using Data for
Decision-making
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Using Team-Checklist and EBS Survey data
for Team Action Planning
Using SET data for evaluation
Using ODR data for assessment, planning and
reporting.
Keeping faculty involved through regular data
reporting.
Questions
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How will training on functional behavioral assessment and
comprehensive interventions be provided?
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When, where, how will these sessions be provided?
Will school districts be notified so coaches can attend?
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What do you do if you are an “internal coach” with more than
one building?
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What work do we give up to do coaching?
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What are office discipline referrals (the specific behaviors)?
Agenda for Afternoon
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Questions
Comments from Experienced Coaches
Using Data for Decision-making
Planning for future of SWPBS in Iowa
After Lunch Questions
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Are the studies you provided about academic
and behavior supports available on your
website?
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Are there ever students who cannot be
successful in public school settings?
After Lunch Questions
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What do we do with kids who are attention
seeking?... Or who have behavior that is both
attention AND escape maintained?
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How do we address teachers who have
ineffective classroom management skills?
Coaches Discussion
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What makes coaching work well?
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Recommendations for new coaches starting to
support SWPBS schools
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What barriers have you encountered?
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What should coaches expect from Alliance?
Coaches Self-Assessment
(Data, Practices, Systems)
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Coach
Advanced Coach
Coordinator/Trainer
Linking Academic Skills and Problem
Behavior.
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Kent
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Moria
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Jorge
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Amanda
RCT