RtI and Behavior: Considerations for Intervention and AssessmentProgress Monitoring

1
RtI and Behavior Considerations for
Intervention and Assessment/Progress Monitoring
School Counselor Regional Meetings October 2008

• Leah M. Nellis, PhD
• Blumberg Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
• Indiana State University
• lnellis_at_indstate.edu

2
Integrated System for Academic and Behavioral
Supports
Services are fluid and data-driven

• Tier 3
• Few Students
• Increased Frequency
• Longer Duration

Intense, Individualized Support
District/Community Team Building Core Team

• Tier 2
• Small Group

Targeted, Supplemental Supports
Building Core Team

• Tier I
• All Students
• Preventative,
• Proactive

Grade Level Teams Building Core Team School
Improvement Team
Core Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning
Environment
3
The Role of Assessment and Progress Monitoring

• School-wide universal screenings conducted with
  all students to reflect the effectiveness of the
  core curriculum and instruction and identify
  those students who are in need of intervention
  and/or extensions.
• Setting goals for student growth and outcomes.
• Monitoring of student progress through ongoing,
  regular formative assessments for the purpose of
  evaluating the effectiveness of instruction and
  intervention for all students.
• Informing instructional practices and decisions
  in a way that addresses each students needs,
  strengths, and challenges.

4
Specifying Assessment Objectives

• Screening Assessments Assessments used to
  determine if students are meeting grade level
  expectations and which students may be at risk.
• Diagnostic Assessments Assessment conducted
  for students identified as at-risk to gain more
  in-depth analysis of a students strengths and
  weaknesses . These assessments help target
  instruction and intervention.
• Progress Monitoring Assessments Assessment
  conducted frequently to estimate rates of
  student improvement, determine if adequate
  progress is being made, and evaluate the
  effectiveness of instruction and intervention
  strategies.
• Entitlement Assessment Assessment used to aid in
  the determination of entitlement to special
  services.

5
What does this look like for Behavior?

• For all students as part of core curriculum
  intervention,
• School-wide data office discipline referrals
  (ODR), attendance, suspension data
• Other screening data as appropriate
• For students in need of targeted supplemental
  interventions,
• Rating scales, observations, interviews, ODR
• Often referred to as Functional Behavior
  Assessment, FBA
• For students in need of intensive individualized
  interventions
• Rating scales, observations, interviews, ODR
• FBA
• The difference between data collection across
  levels is the frequency at which data is
  collected, the targeted nature of the data, and
  the intensity of the provided interventions.

6
Addressing Barriers to Learning Through Tiered
Prevention Intervention A Student Assistance
Core Team Approach
Assessment Supports
Tier III Intensive Interventions School
Community resources for students who did not
respond to Tier II interventions. Research
predicts approximately 5 of GSP will be served
in Tier III.

• Examples
• Frequent Progress Monitoring
• Referrals to Multi-Disciplinary
  Evaluation
• Examples
• SA CORE TEAM
• Strengths-Based Needs
• Functional Behavioral Analysis
• Curriculum-Based
• Progress Monitoring
• Examples

• Examples
• Relevant Special Ed.
• Systems of Care
• Linked Support Services
• Examples
• Small Group Instruction
• Educational Support Groups
• Parent Consultation
• Individual / Group Counseling

Tier II Targeted Interventions School
Community Resources for students who
have been identified as in need of support. At
least two-thirds of students referred to Tier II
are expected to respond well. Research
predicts approximately 15 of GSP will be served
in Tier II.
Student Assistance
Core Team Process
Tier I Prevention / Baseline Interventions Schoo
l Community programs and supports available to
all students, specifically students across
all socio-economic, cultural, and gender
groups establishing a positive learning
environment. Research predicts approximately 80
of general student population (GSP) will be
served in Tier I.
Collaborative Problem Solving Data based
problem solving is on-going with team membership
that is responsive to individual student need.
Needs AssessmentSchool community data
collection to identify needs and resources
Reference US Office of Special Education
ProgramsPBIS
7
Thinking about the Function of Behavior

• A behavior can help get something we like
• (preferred, positive reinforcement)
• Tangibles (food, toys, money)
• Attention (smiles, conversation, hugs)
• Sensory or Internal State (taking a walk,
  playing a game, watching a movie)

• Behaviors are learned.
• Behaviors have a purpose or function because they
  meet needs/wants.
• We engage in a behavior because we have learned
  that a desired outcome occurs.
• The purpose for a certain behavior is sometimes
  obvious, other times the behavior needs to be
  explored more in depth.

• A behavior can help get away from something not
  liked (non-preferred, negative reinforcement)
• Tangibles (disliked food, activities, school
  work)
• Attention (scolding, conversation, touching)
• Sensory or Internal State (fatigue, pain,
  anxiety)

Adapted from Maximizing Family Involvement in the
Positive Behavior Support Process. Florida
Positive Behavior Support Project.
http//flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu/
8
Considerations in Assessing Behavior

• What does the behavior of concern look like?
• What decisions will be made with the assessment
  data?
• What resources are available to collect the data
  (time, training, cost, staff)?
• Whats the best method/tool to use to collect the
  data?

9
Whats the Behavior of Concern?

• What does the behavior look like?
• How disruptive/dangerous is the behavior?
• How often does the behavior occur?
• How long does the behavior last?
• How long does it take for the behavior to occur?

Topography
Intensity
Frequency
Duration
Latency
10
Whats the Behavior of Concern?

• What does the behavior look like?
• How disruptive/dangerous is the behavior?
• How often does the behavior occur?
• How long does the behavior last?
• How long does it take for the behavior to occur?

Topography
Intensity
Measurable Characteristics of Behavior
Frequency
Duration
Latency
11
Measurable Characteristics of Behavior
Yelling Out Answers
Out of Seat
Which characteristic fits best with the behavior
of concern?
Doesnt follow directions when asked
Pushes and Shoves other Students
12
Measurable Characteristics of Behavior
Yelling Out Answers
Doesnt follow directions when asked
Out of Seat
Pushes and Shoves other Students
Which characteristic fits best with the behavior
of concern?
Brady pushes and shoves peers almost daily.
Nolan yelled out an answer without raising his
hand 10 times during social studies.
Vince was out of his seat for 5 minutes.
Will stopped talking 45 seconds after he was
asked to do so.
13
Chafouleas, Riley-Tillman, Sugai (2007)
Briesch Volpe (2007).
14
Progress Monitoring Methods

• Direct Observation
• Eg., BOSS (Beh. Obs. of Students in Schools)
• Rating Scales
• Eg., Behavior Assessment System for Children
  (BASC)
• Direct Behavior Ratings
• Eg., Daily Behavior Report Card Intervention
  Central
• Permanent Products
• Eg., Reward/acknowledgment tickets, Office
  Discipline Referrals, attendance records,
  suspensions/expulsion records, intervention
  records

Briesch Volpe (2007) Important considerations
in the selection of progress-monitoring measures
for classroom behaviors. School Psychology Forum
Research in Practice, 1, 59-74.
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Linking Behavior to PM Method
19
(No Transcript)
20
The Connection for School Counselors

• Whats the role in intervention design,
  implementation, and fidelity check?
• Whats the role in assessment and progress
  monitoring?
• What are the opportunities for collaboration?
• What are the professional development needs?