Implementing Behavioral
Interventions through Student
Support Plans
Beth Lambert, SST/IST Program Facilitator
Caryn Mouring, Instructional Support Teacher
Baltimore County Public Schools
Department of Student Support Services
Office of Psychological Services
PBIS Team Training – July 20-21, 2010
Session Agenda
 Review the “response to intervention”
approach to positive behavior planning
 Utilize the data-based problem-solving
process to develop behavioral interventions
 Develop a Student Support Plan that
addresses complex behaviors of a student
not responding to schoolwide and classroom
behavior systems
 Identify additional effective behavioral
interventions that can be easily implemented
and monitored within the classroom setting
Department of Student Support Services
 Mission
Coordinates prevention and intervention programs
and services:
 to support schools, students, and
parents/guardians,
 by addressing the cognitive, behavioral, social,
emotional, health, safety, and alternative
educational needs of all students
 to maximize students’ potential achievement
What We Know…
School environments that are positive,
preventive, and effective:
 Are safer, healthier, & more caring
 Have enhanced learning & teaching
environment
 Can provide a continuum of academic and
behavioral support for all students
 Are achievable & sustainable
Systematic Academic & Behavior Planning
Intervention/Team Tiers
Tier 3 Intensive Interventions:
FEW ~5%
SOME
~15%
SST/IEP Teams
Small groups or individual students;
alternative programs and special education instruction
and/or services
Tier 2 Targeted Interventions:
Student Support Teams
Groups of students or individual students at risk;
screen and monitor; case management,
student support plans, 504 plans
Tier 1 Universal Interventions :
PBIS Teams Grade Level Teacher
Meetings
ALL
~80% of Students
All settings, all students;
monitor and differentiate instruction;
implement supplemental interventions
Response to Intervention (RtI)
•Specially designed instruction
and services
•More intensive, individualized
behavior planning
•Alternative instructional programs
•Individualized student interventions as
specified in student support plans
•Supplemental instruction
•Targeted interventions for groups
of students or settings
•Differentiated instruction based on frequent
progress monitoring
•Effective classroom organization and
behavior planning
•Consistent implementation of the core
curriculum
•Schoolwide behavior planning
Case Study
 Take a few minutes to review case study on
Andy
 Consider:



How would you personally address this
situation?
How would your school address this situation?
What do you think would be the intended or
unintended results of these actions?
Helpful or Harmful?
 The Teacher’s Response:

He needs an FBA/BIP

“You’re out of here!”

He must have an emotional
disability

No recess/field
trips/assemblies
 Unintended Results:
Lengthy process and
need parent permission
 Negatively Reinforcing
the inappropriate
behavior
 Over identification

Holding a student
accountable for a behavior he
doesn’t have control over (lack
of skills?)

Helpful or Harmful?
 The School’s Response:



Extended time in the “focus
room”
Suspension
Referral to SST/IEP team to
obtain permission for
assessments
 Unintended Results:

Loss of instructional time
We continue to reinforce the
inappropriate behavior without
identifying and addressing the
underlying cause

Loss of power on the
teacher’s part

Lengthy process/loss
of time (for everyone!)


Over identification
Have we changed the
behavior or taught a
replacement behavior?

Changes in Our Approach to Problem
Solving
The problem solving process is not about proving what’s
wrong with the student.
 It’s about finding out
how to teach the student
so he or she can learn.
 It’s discovering who that
child is …as a LEARNER.
http://www.ciclt.net/ul/gael/SettingtheSSTAGEforGreatPerfomances.ppt#430,40,Slide 40
When a Student is a Non-Responder
Step 1: Review Current Practices
 Look at universal prevention at both the
system (schoolwide) and individual
(classroom) levels



Are the schoolwide and classroom
expectations taught and reviewed frequently?
Are students positively reinforced for
appropriate behaviors?
Have we differentiated based on the individual
needs of students within the classroom, grade
level, and/or setting?
Still Not Responding?
Step 2: Discuss at Grade Level
 Discuss your concerns with grade level, administration, support
staff and/or parents/guardians
 Analyze patterns of behavior to individualize classroom-based
interventions
 When does it happen?
 What are the factors that “trigger” the behavior?
 How have the “typical” consequences reinforced the
inappropriate behavior?
 Identify the warning signs: Be proactive vs. reactive
 Does the student have the skills? What skills do we need to
teach them?
 Determine what you want the student to be able to do (goal?)
 Implement interventions and document the student’s response
for at least 30-45 days (Remember things usually get worse
before they get better!)
Still Not Responding?
Step 3: Refer to SST
80 - 90% of
students
respond to
universal
positive
behavioral
supports and
interventions
5-15% of
students “slip
through” and
need
additional,
targeted
supports
Students who are considered “at risk” and have not responded to
universal or classroom interventions may be referred to the SST for
possible development of targeted group or individual interventions.
Tier 2: Student Support Team (SST)
 Addresses more complex academic and behavioral
problems of individual students, groups of students, and
schoolwide concerns
 Implements prevention and early intervention activities
prior to intensive intervention to increase student
achievement, improve schoolwide climate, reduce
disruptive behavior, reduce inappropriate referrals to the
IEP Team, and increase parent/guardian involvement
 Provides a continuum of academic and behavioral
interventions and supports in connection with other
schoolwide initiatives such as PBIS and grade level
teacher meetings and more intensive interventions like
community partnerships and special education
Tier 2: Student Support Team (SST)
 Functions of SST
 Screening/processing referrals
 Case management
 Mental health issues
 Substance abuse issues
 Physical/health issues
 Academic & behavioral interventions through Student
Support Plans
 504 Plans
 Targeted group or setting interventions (ADHD,
cafeteria)
 Referral to IEP/Special Education Team
Identify the Problem
Analyze Problem
&
Develop a Plan
Evaluate the
Plan
Implement the Plan
& Monitor Progress
Developing a Student Support Plan
 Identify the Problem
 Aggressive/explosive behaviors when given a direction
(either individually or to the group) or during transitions
 Analyze the Problem
 Behaviors occur when student is unable to gain control
or is frustrated
 Behaviors escalate when he is given consecutive
verbal prompts to comply and are worse during
transitions
 Negative consequences have not changed the
behaviors (office referrals, talks with the counselor, and
restriction of privileges)
 Student does not appear to have coping skills
Developing a Student Support Plan
 Develop a Plan

Set a goal


Andy will increase the amount of times he uses the appropriate
coping strategies as measured by a decrease in
aggressive/explosive behaviors from 4 times a week to one or
fewer episodes.
Develop Interventions to Address Goal





Teach, model, and practice coping strategies (see “Take a
Break” and “Give Me Five” examples)
Positively reinforce (Student colors part of the “Reinforcement
Tower” each time he uses coping strategies)
Designate a “cool down” zone to regain safe control
Provide advance notice of transitions paired with individual
student schedule (student moves velcro piece to indicate the
next change in routine)
Provide parent with copy of coping strategies and positive
reinforcement system to make a connection between home and
school
Developing a Student Support Plan
 Develop a Plan

Method of Monitoring Progress



Classroom teacher keeps a daily log of use of
coping strategies and any aggressive/explosive
episodes (parent also keeps a log)
Classroom teacher keeps copy of completed
“Reinforcement Tower”
Informal observation by teacher and support staff
member
Developing a Student Support Plan
 Implement and Monitor the Plan




Provide appropriate training for all staff
members who will implement the interventions
Review log daily
Assign a staff member to check in with the
classroom teacher to help trouble-shoot
Ensure fidelity of the implementation of the
plan
Fidelity of Implementation: Example Forms
STUDENT:
TEACHER/CLASS PERIOD:
Area
DATE:
Level of
Implementation
Materials and Time
 Teacher has her and checks on student
2
1
intervention sheet ready at beginning of class
 Teacher provides student time mgmt cues
2
1
throughout class period
INTERVENTION
0
0

Teacher follows 4 steps of the intervention
2
1
0

Uses clear signals and cues to redirect
2
1
0

Provides students many opportunities to
respond and reinforce appropriate behavior
Models skills/strategies appropriately and
with ease
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0



Corrects all errors using correct technique
Student asks for teacher assistance as
outlined in intervention
 Student uses correct responses outlined in
intervention
 Teacher helps provide time cues and
transitional cues outlined in intervention
 Teacher maintains good pacing, allows for
student response time
 Student tallies behaviors using selfmonitoring form
 Teacher documents progress monitoringbehavioral tallies
Comments
Developing a Student Support Plan
 Evaluate the plan
 Review the data to determine progress made
towards goal (Remember, change is a
process, not an event!)
 Make revisions to the goal and/or interventions
as needed
 Consider phasing out interventions that are
not needed and incorporating self-monitoring
 If the student did not make progress, consider
whether the intervention was implemented
with fidelity or whether the correct problem
was identified
Additional Behavioral Interventions
 Inattention

Focus Buttons
Focus
Additional Behavioral Interventions
 Inattention

Self-Monitoring – “Am I Working?”
Additional Behavioral Interventions
 Anger, Frustration, Sensory Stimulation

Touch the Dot Strategy
Additional Behavioral Interventions
 Anger, Frustration, Sensory Stimulation

“Push It Out”

Sanity Savers
Final Thoughts…
 Systematic academic and behavior planning
increases instructional time and student engagement,
and creates positive school climates that are
conducive to learning over time
 Problem-solving should occur at every tier; it begins
in the classroom and at grade level in order to
demonstrate “response to intervention” and address
student concerns early on
 Student Support Plans are an effective means of
developing, implementing, and monitoring behavioral
interventions that target specific, measurable
behaviors for students who are not responding to
schoolwide and classroom-based positive behavior
systems
Thank you!
 Questions:


blambert2@bcps.org
cmouring@bcps.org
Feel free to contact us anytime!