Going to Scale:
Essential Features of the Blueprint at the
District Level
Susan Barrett
Sheppard Pratt Health System
sbarrett@pbismaryland.org
Outcomes
• Define the features and procedures for
moving evidence-based educational
practices from demonstrations to largescale adoptions
• Provide State and District Examples
• Provide Lessons Learned
• Provide Next Steps
• Identify Key Resources
Problem Statement
“We give schools strategies &
systems for developing positive,
effective, achieving, & caring
school & classroom environments,
but implementation is not accurate,
consistent, or durable. Schools
need more than training.”
Sustainability + Scaling
Organizational capacity for &
documentation of accurate (90%) &
expandable implementation of
evidence-based practice across
desired context (e.g., district, classroom,
school-wide, nonclassroom) over time w/
local resources & systems for
continuous regeneration.
Education
• 65 million kids
• 6 million teachers and staff
• 100,000 schools
• 3,143 counties
• 60 states & U.S. jurisdictions
Start with the end in mind…
• What will it take to have 100,000
replications that produce
increasingly effective outcomes
for 100 years?
– Fixsen
Creating Implementation
Capacity
• Start with too many overqualified
people
• “Generation 1” practitioners become:
– Generation 2 interviewers, trainers,
coaches, evaluators
– Generation 3 administrators, directors, and
leaders
– Generation 4 state and federal officials
Fixsen 2008
You have knowledge about
the Blueprint
• State/District will be successful if:
– They start with sufficient resources and
commitment
– They focus on the smallest changes that will
result in the biggest difference
– They have a clear action plan
– They use on-going self-assessment to
determine if they are achieving their plan
– They have access to an external agent/coach
who is supportive, knowledgeable and
persistent.
Implementers Blueprint
• Self Assessment
• More like guidelines
• Provides a common language
SWPBS Implementers’ Blueprint Elements
Visibility
Funding
Political
Support
Leadership Team
Training
Coaching
Evaluation
Local School Teams/Demonstrations
SWPBS Implementers’ Blueprint
Leadership Team
• Representation from key stakeholders
• Meet regularly with a regular process
• Complete regular self-assessment and
long term action planning
• Led by Coordinator with FTE
Leadership Team
–Language is important
e.g. OISM, MISI- “Stayin Alive”
–Integration Teams? Who are the players?
Do you have folks who can assign
dollars to a budget? change policy like
job descriptions, code of conduct?
Do you have Community Partners?
–Management team- to do the day to day
activities, planning, visiting schools, etc
Local Coordinator Identified
–Implementation Phase should
determine FTE
–Access to Ongoing Training and
Technical Assistance – Support
–Meeting with other coordinators
is critical!!
Roles and Functions of
Coordinator
• How many hats do you wear?
– Systems Change Agent,
– Trainer, Facilitator, Accountant, PR,
Policy writer, Politician, Researcher,
Computer Genius, Website Developer,
Presenter….
• Role changes over time-PROCESS
– Can you build your skill to keep up?
– Who will be your system of support?
SWPBS Implementers’ Blueprint
Visibility
Funding
• Identify recurring
funding sources
• 3 to 5 yrs. of support
Political
Support
• Disseminate results
to multiple audiences
•Websites
•Newsletters
•Conferences
•Media (TV, etc.)
• Presentations to:
school boards,
state departments
• Write into policy
• Connect with key
administrators
LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES
Funding
–Partnership Agreements
• Folks in charge have to understand 3-5 years,
systems change
–MD Example
–Blending Initiatives
–Social Marketing
• Economic Benefits, Serendipity( TN example)
–Grants
Where does your funding
come from? examples
• Loudoun County Public Schools,
VA
– Department of Pupil Services
– VDOE Training and Technical
Assistance Center
• Charleston County School District,
SC
Local Political Support
• Superintendent
• Deputy Superintendent
• Assistant Superintendent for
Instruction
• Assistant Superintendent for Pupil
Services
– Student Services
– Special Education
SWPBS Implementers’ Blueprint
BUILD CAPACITY
BUILD CAPACITY
(training expertise)
(implementation
• Support coaches
expertise)
• Ensure coaches
• Support school
implement with
teams
fidelity
• Ensure teams
• Establish community implement with
of learning
fidelity
Training
Coaching
DATA-BASED
DECISION MAKING
• Create data systems
•Fidelity
•Student outcomes
• Design process for
evaluation
• Establish eval cycles
Evaluation
COORDINATION ACTIVITIES
Evaluation
• What are your questions?
• Do you have the tools to answer?
• Can you get the answer quickly?
• Easy, Efficient, Relevant
• Economic Benefits
• Behavior
• Achievement
Evaluation
Questions
Template
Tools
Curriculum
Marketing and
Dissemination
Presentations
Newsletters
Progress Reports
Data Base
pbs eval
Local data base
Decision Making
Id gaps
Build solutions
Evaluation Cycle
Start with the questions
• Build “Template”
• Id Tools
• Organize training materials–Non negotiable info
–Build from process tools
Evaluation
Input
Identify stakeholders
– Assistant superintendents
– Coordination team
– Coaches
– School principals
Create & discuss implementation
Evaluation
Input
• Activities
• Participation
• Short-term
goals
Outcomes
Evaluation
Input
Outcomes
Impact
• Implementation with fidelity
– Increased academic competence
– Positive school climate
– Increase time on task
– Decrease in office referrals
– Decrease in suspensions
Data Base
• Can you get access to the data
quickly?
• Can others access easily? Id
“others”?
• What reports will get generated?
– Who, how often?
• What info will you use for decision
making?
Marketing and Visibility
–Who are your stakeholders?
–Do you have a spokesperson?
–Using the data to create newsletters,
presentations, fact sheets, elevator
business cards- important you can get
access to what you need to make your
case on the fly!!
–Newsletter, Annual Reports,
Multiple levels of Visibility
–State and Local Level: Presentations,
Trainings, Stakeholder meetings,
Interagency efforts, (Transformation;
Mental Health Integration; Wraparound)
–Multiple Media: Visual, Face to Face,
Written, Website
–Multiple Audiences: School Administrations
and Instructional Leaders; University staff;
Legislators, Potential alternative funders;
State and Local Political appointees;
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What is Coaching Capacity?
• Does the district have sufficient
capacity for:
– District Training/Managing
– School Coaching
• Do the coaches have
capacity/skill to respond to
schools as a:
Charleston PBIS
Coach Rubric
School Need
Legend __
Rating
Points
= Intensive Support
Unsatisfactory
3
= Coaching Support
Below Avg. – Avg.
2
Assigning Coaches by
Need
• Example of Typical PBIS coaching load:
1 Red Zone School
3 points
2 Yellow Zone Schools
4 points
5 Green Zone Schools
5points
8 Schools
12 Points
• Example of Red Zone School PBIS Specialist
coaching load:
3 Red Zone Schools 9 points
1 Yellow Zone School
2 points
Coach Competencies
Compe tency Level
Level One (Coaches):
 Fluency @ Universal
level
 ŅLeadÓteams through
process (Direct)
Data
 Multiple data collection
systems
 Problem solving with Data







Level Two
(Coaches/Trainers):
 Established effective
school site(s)
 Fluency at Small
group and Individual
student level
 Work with school
team chair (Indirect)
 Train teams in
universals
 Research data collection tools
(e.g., SET)
 Direct observation data at
individual student level



Level Three (Coordinator):
 Work with multiple
schools
 Train teams universal
Š individual level
 Train coaches
 Establish district-wide
system
 Evaluation of district-wide
efforts
 Data Šdecision rules to identify
needed supports within/across
schools
 Link school needs (data-based)
to district professional
development


Skill Mastery
Practices
School-wide PBS essential features
Effe ctive Instruction
Classroom management
Rules to inform adoption of
practices
Model school examples
Basics of ABA
PBS responses to problem
behavior
Advance ABA
Functional Behavioral Assessment
Social Skill instruction
Effe ctive professional development
/ training skills
Map district policy to essential
features of PBS






Systems
Meetings / Team roles
Commu nication within building
Consultation
Targeted technical assistance
Task analyze team generated universal
practices for implementation
Codify practices into policy
 Systematic (data-based) student
identification for small group/
individual supports
 Create/support student support team or
process
 Task analyze team generated small
group/individual practices for
imp lementation
 Adapting universal systems to support
generalization of small group
/individual plans
 Consult with other agencies/parents
 Codify practices into policy
 Leadership team roles / meetings
 Commu nication across district
 Resource bank (ŅexpertsÓ& materials)
 Codify practices into policy
Training
• Regular Training Cycle
• Curriculum- Illinois, MO, VA, OR
• Trainers- TOT
• Focus on outcomes
• Differentiated Instruction
• Readiness
• Follow Up- Returning Team
Type of Skill to be
Trained
• Skinner (1974) distinguishes
between two types of knowledge.
–Knowing About: can describe variables
that influence a phenomenon.
• Example: Describe principles of reinforcement.
–Knowing How: can perform effectively
• Example: Shape the behavior of another.
• One form of knowing does not imply
Returning Team Training
Needs Assessment
– Coaches
– Principals
– School teams
Summer Training
• Day 1
– Key note speaker
– Break-out sessions
PBS Systems Implementation Logic
Funding
Braiding
Initiatives
Marketing
Visibility
Political
Support
Leadership Team
Management Team
Active Coordination
Training
Coaching
Evaluation
1. Phase One: Commitment to School Level Implementation
2. Phase Two: Commitment to Capacity Building
3. Phase Three: Commitment to Large Scale Implementation
38
Phase One
Commitment to School Level
Implementation
Will this work here?
– Establish Local Sites in Multiple Districts
– Small and Large
– Urban, Suburban and Rural
– ES, MS, HS, Alt, JJ
Features
• Define Outcome
• DATA
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
– State Team with 5 Year Implementation Plan
•
•
•
•
Site Visits
Coaching
Information System
Awareness Activities (Visibility, Marketing)
– Coaching, Training
– Local Point of Contact- pacing will be different
– Funding,
Phase Two
• Commitment to Capacity Building
– Demonstrated High Fidelity/High Impact
– Demand Increases
– State Team won’t be able to keep up
with demand
Features
• Point of Contact and Coaches
become Local Coordinators
– Transfer role to local person
– Use phase of implementation to guide
decision points
• Meet with local team to build action
plan- model after state team
Phase Three
• Commitment to Large Scale
Implementation
– Large number of schools in each district
– Sustain and Build Integrated Systems
Model- Braiding Initiatives
• Shelf Life
– Increased roles and duties within District
Phase Four
• Innovation and Integration
– Demonstrated impact throughout
– Change/Adapt to fit culture every year
– Renew Commitment
– Easier, More Efficient, Cost Reduces
– Organizational Framework allows for
integration
– Educators as better consumers
Expansion
Maryland
494 schools
North Carolina
Illinois
611 schools
Colorado
405 schools
Florida
250 schools
New York
322 schools
Michigan
181 schools
Ohio
548 schools
221 schools
New Mexico 130 schools
West Virginia 215 schools
Virginia
210 schools
Louisiana
285 schools
Missouri
278 schools
Georgia
171 schools
Maryland
PBIS Maryland - Schools Trained and
Implementing
140
116 113
120
100
110 110
90
82
81
80
80
64
60
52
40
57
47
47
30
18
20
7
18
10
3
Num ber of School Trained
0
1999
2000
2001
2002
Num ber of Im plem enting Schools
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008*
Challenges
•
•
•
•
Funding
Mandates
3 Tiered Logic
2nd Generation Coordinators
– Death, Taxes and Attrition
– Transfer of Skill
• Rapid Expansion (25% increase each
year)
Successes/Serendipity
• State- Non Profit- University Partnership
– Protected FTE
• Student Services and Special Education
• School Psych Conference
• Prior Relationship in each LSS
• Small, functional state team
• Successful Demo Sites
• Willing to talk to anyone who would listen