Designing Proactive
Interventions for Chronic
Behavior Plans
Session D
Oregon Department of Education
2006 Summer Institute
Portland, OR
August 8, 2006
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Presented by
Randy Sprick, Ph.D.
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools
The individual student focus of the Safe and Civil Schools Initiative involves
coordinated, multi-tiered approach to problem-solving and intervention design.
Teacher Encyclopedia of Behavior Management and Interventions: A Multi-Tiered
Approach to Problem-Solving (in press).
Behavior
Instruction
Universal
strategies at the
school-wide and
classroom levels
designed to support
ALL students
Individual support plans
Red Flags that initiate systems
support for individual students:
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



Failing grades in two or more classes
More than three disciplinary referrals in a
semester
More than six assignments to After-School
Detention within a semester
Student request
Chronic absenteeism
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools

Tier 1: General education teachers
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Tier 2: Group problem solving
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Tier 3: Teacher interv. w/ specialist
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Tier 4: Specialist developed
intervention (interview & obs.)
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Tier 5: FBA
TEACHERS: Implement each intervention for at least two weeks before
making a judgment about efficacy.
NOTE: If the problem involves physically dangerous behavior or behavior that is so
disruptive that you CANNOT teach, immediately ask for assistance from an
interventionist in your building, and bypass the suggestions below.
•
•
•
•
FIRST Implement Intervention A--Planned Discussion, and ensure consistency
with the teacher’s basic classroom management plan.
IF INEFFECTIVE Implement Intervention B--Academic Assessment and
Assistance and/or Intervention C--Goal Setting.
IF INEFFECTIVE Implement Intervention D--Data Collection and
Debriefing and Intervention E--Increasing Positive Interactions.
IF INEFFECTIVE Conduct an Intervention F--STOIC Analysis and
Intervention. Be sure to analyze the function of the misbehavior and address that function
with each component of STOIC; structure, teach, observe, interact positive, correct calmly.
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools
STOIC Intervention Planning
Stoic: Someone admired for patience and endurance in the face of adversity.
On the following page worksheet followed by a template that can be used when developing a
behavior improvement plan. This can be utilized by a classroom teacher who wishes to improve
the behavior of one or more students, or by a school-wide leadership team wishing to improve
the behavior of an entire student body. Below is a brief explanation of the types of variables that
can be modified.
Structure for Success
Identify any changes in physical arrangements, scheduling, procedures, supervision patterns,
and so on that may have a positive effect on behavior.
Teach Expectations
Identify a plan to teach students to function successfully in the structure you have created.
This can be as simple as a goal discussion or as involved as daily modeling and rehearsal of
responsible behavior. The intervention plan MUST address when, where and how the
positive expectations will be taught to the student(s).
Observe
Short term—continuously circulate and visually scan.
Longer term—collect data to determine progress (or lack of) across time
Interact Positively
Provide non-contingent attention by greeting and showing an interest in the student(s).
Provide frequent positive feedback on behavioral and academic effort. When students are
meeting your expectations, following your procedures, and engaging appropriately in academic tasks,
provide age-appropriate positive feedback. This can be verbal, written, or to a limited extent,
nonverbal. Your positive feedback should be specific, contingent, and non-embarrassing. In
particular, look for opportunities to praise student(s) for exhibiting the expectations that have been
taught.
Maintain 3:1 ratios of positive interactions. Insure that student(s) is/are getting at least three times
more attention when exhibiting the expected behaviors, than when violating expectations.
Correct Misbehavior Fluently
React to misbehavior calmly, briefly, consistently, and immediately. Determine how you will
react to each type of misbehavior that may be related to this problem. Your goal is to be on
“automatic pilot” when correcting any chronic misbehavior, so you can keep your focus on
instruction and on building positive relationships with targeted and non-targeted students.
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools
STIOC Intervention Plan
What is the problem?
What is goal for the student to strive toward?
Have academic difficulties been assessed and either ruled out as a factor, or a plan is in place to
remediate and/or accommodate the difficulties?
If not, implement Academic
Diagnosis and Interventions--Intervention B.
Has a goal conference been implemented to clarify for the student precisely what you want
him/her to strive toward?
If not, implement Goal Setting--Intervention C.
Analyze the function of the misbehavior—that is, why might the behavior be occurring on such a
chronic basis? What is the student achieving or avoiding by exhibiting this misbehavior?
Below is list of possible functions with one or more preliminary considerations to consider.
 Ability—Determine if the student is physiologically/neurologically capable of exhibiting
the expected behavior (records review, physician, school psychologist). If the student is
physiologically/neurologically capable, set up a STOIC plan. If the student is not capable,
develop a plan that adapts to the disability/situation.
 Awareness—If the student is unaware of the problem behavior, your corrective strategy
should include teaching component and keeping data (or having the student keep data) to
determine progress across time (Cueing and Monitoring--Intervention H).
 Attention-seeking—Insure that the student is getting more attention for positive behavior
than for misbehavior (Ratios of Interactions--Intervention E). Consider planned ignoring
(Intervention G).
 Competing reinforcers—Establish stronger reinforcers for the goal behavior and reduce
access to the competing reinforcers.
 Power—Find a pro-social position of power for the student. Define limits and
consequences (Defining Limits and Establishing Consequences--Intervention G).
 Venting frustration or anger—analyze the cycle of escalation and design a plan to interrupt
that cycle (Managing Escalation--Intervention I).
 Escape—Determine what the student is escaping from and develop a long-term plan to
teach the student the skills to handle those situations without needing to escape. Maintain a
reasonable level of accountability (reduce the chance of escape) while the long-term plan is
being implemented. Be sure that the problem is not a function of the student escaping work
that is too difficult (Academic Diagnosis and Interventions--Intervention B).
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools
Identify how you will address each category below. Remember that doing something differently
in each category will enhance the chances of a positive change in student behavior.
Structure for Success
Teach Expectations
Observe
Interact Positively with Students
Correct Misbehavior Fluently
© 2005 Safe & Civil Schools