TFI 2.7 INTERVENTIONS: Practices Matched to Student Need
A formal process is in place to select Tier 2 interventions that are (a) matched to student need (e.g. behavioral function), and (b) adapted to improve contextual fit (e.g. culture, developmental level).
Systems support the accurate and durable implementation of practices by staff, the efficient use of data for decision-making, and achievement of outcomes. Staff are trained to prevent many student behavior problems as well as to deal with disruptive behaviors in a proactive and positive manner. Systems provide the procedures and infrastructure to support and maintain new evidence-based practices.
TFI 2.7 Big Ideas
In TFI element, TFI 2.7, the Tier 2 Team will adopt a formal process to assess student function, culture, skill level, and ability level. This will take place in two parts:
The Tier 2 Team will adopt the Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers and Staff (FACTS) for the purpose of better understanding the Antecedent and Consequence reinforcing the behavior (Function).
The Tier 2 Team will take proactive steps to make sure that the interventions students are placed in are implemented with the student's culture in mind.
The Tier 2 Team will take proactive steps to make sure that the interventions students are placed in are implemented with the student's developmental level in mind.
Action planning includes: Developing the Tier 2 Team's understanding of the A-B-Cs of behavior, Developing the Tier 2 Team's understanding regarding of the Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers & Staff (FACTS), Developing the Tier 2 Team's understanding of how to make each Tier 2 intervention(s) identified in TFI 2.5 culturally responsive, Developing a survey/questionnaire to collect foundational information about the student's ability level and cultural background, Conducting the FACTS for each student placed in the Tier 2 interventions identified in TFI 2.5
Understanding Function
It is important to consider what a student is able to get/gain or escape/avoid by engaging in behaviors. This will help the Tier 2 Team align the intervention(s) to meet the student's need. When staff understand what motivates students to demonstrate behaviors that may impede the learning of self or others, staff can help students find alternatives to their behavior while still getting their needs met.
Behavior is a form of communication. Behavior is not good or bad; it merely communicates a need. In these instances, behavior(s) serve a function.
Tier 2 Teams will conduct a brief Functional Behavior Assessment prior to placing students in an intervention. This will allow them to hypothesize if the student is trying to Get/Gain or Escape/Avoid an Event, Attention, Tangibles, or Sensory Input.
All behaviors serve one of two functions:
To Get/Gain or Escape/Avoid something or someone.
The ABCs of Behavior
Prior to hypothesizing a student's function, the Tier 2 Team must first understand how Antecedents and Consequences work together to make the Behavior more or less likely to occur.
This is known as the A-B-C model.
A - The antecedent refers to what happens to trigger the behavior in question. Essentially, the antecedent is anything that prompts the behavior. Antecedents can be both negative and positive, for example:
Staff distributing incentives for following the school-wide expectations;
Staff not utilizing Active Supervision practices in the A Wing.
A positive antecedent can influence desired actions, while a negative one can lead to an unwanted behavior occurring.
B - The behavior impeding learning is what is being analyzed in each scenario. As with the antecedent, the behavior in question can be either positive or negative, for example:
Students pick up trash in the cafeteria;
Students meet in the A Wing to fight.
The behavior impeding learning must be described in observable, measurable terms so that two different observers can identify the same behavior.
C - The consequence is what happens because the behavior impeding learning occurred. Consequences can be used to either encourage or extinguish the behavior, depending on whether that behavior is desired or unwanted. For example:
Increased distribution of school-wide incentives & More student's receive school-wide incentive;
Increased number of office referrals/suspensions & More student's missing instruction because they are not in class.
Noting whether the consequence is negative or positive is important because the consequence determines whether or not a person is more or less likely to continue engaging in behaviors. Since the term "consequence" often carries a negative connotation, think of it as 'the outcome' instead.
Tier 2 Teams are encouraged to review the resources below to learn more about the A-B-Cs of behavior.
Reading: Knowing Your ABCs
On-Demand Training: A-B-Cs of Behavior This training will help participants better understand how Antecedents and Consequences affect behaviors.
Brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
It is important to consider why students engage in certain behaviors in order align Tier 2 interventions best suited to their needs. When Tier 2 Teams know what motivates students to behave a certain way, they can help them find alternatives to their unwanted behavior.
Center on PBIS
A brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) will be completed for students who are recommended for Tier 2 Interventions. A brief FBA will help the Tier 2 Team better understand the Antecedents and Consequences for each identified behavior impeding learning.
The desired outcomes of the brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) are to:
Obtain an observable and measurable description of the behavior impeding learning,
Identify the antecedents that predict when the behavior is most likely to occur or not occur,
Identify alternative behaviors to be taught to replace the behavior impeding learning, and
Identify the consequences maintaining the use of the behavior impeding learning.
O'Neil, Albin, Storey, orner, & Sprague, 2014
Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers & Staff (FACTS)
Tier 2 Teams will use the Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers (FACTS) to complete a brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) on each student identified to receive Tier 2 interventions. This information will help the Team to determine what alternative/replacement behaviors will be taught and hypothesize what the student is getting/gaining and/or escaping/avoiding by engaging in the problem behavior.
Responding to Problem Behaviors in School pg. 131
While completing the FACTS, the Tier 2 Team will conduct interviews, collect/analyze data, and perform a contextual analysis. This information will be used to better understand the:
Antecedents for the Behavior, the Behavior, and Consequences given in response to the Behavior.
If Tier 2 Teams would like to learn more about how to conduct a FACTS, watch the on-demand training or reach out to your SWSS Tier 2 PoC.
This On-Demand Training will help Tier 2 Teams understand how to complete the FACTS.
Once replacement behaviors and the function that supports the use of the behavior impeding learning are identified, the Tier 2 Team can more appropriately place the student in a Tier 2 Intervention.
For example:
The identified replacement behaviors can be included on the student's Daily Progress Report (DPR),
The identified replacement behaviors can be taught in a Tier 2 Skills Group, or
The function of the behavior can be addressed by the type of intervention selected, i.e., CICO provides adult attention, The Emotion Management Skills Group provides adult/peer attention and allows the student to escape/avoid a class or task.
Contextual Fit
Per the TFI Contextual Fit is defined through the examples of a student's culture and developmental level.
Assess Students Culture
When implementing tiered systems of PBIS, schools should attempt to embed culturally responsive teaching into all three tiers of support. Culturally responsive teaching is designed to improve educational equity so that all students receive the instruction and support they require to be successful, and to incorporate an understanding of varying cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, languages, and income groups (Gay, 2000).
Responding to Problem Behavior in School pg. 139
Gaining a deeper understanding of the student is one of the most critical strategies to ensure culturally responsive Tier 2 Interventions are in place. Consider their:
Race, ethnicity, religion, language
Family - orientation to education, socioeconomic status, trauma history, etc.
Home Structure - single parent household, temporary grandparent guardianship, shared-custody, dual household, foster care, etc.
Neighborhood & Community Characteristics - socioeconomic status, crime prevalence, culture, structure, etc.
Responding to Problem Behavior in School pg. 139
Responding to Problem Behavior in School pg. 139
For a sample of how CICO can be designed to be culturally responsive, see the example to the right.
Assess Students Academic Level
During the brief Functional Behavior Assessment the Tier 2 Team will be collecting academic data. It is important that the Team analyze academic data for 2 reasons.
First, some students receiving Tier 2 behavior support may need additional academic support, too. Often times challenging behavior serves the purpose of allowing students to avoid or even escape academic tasks that are beyond their skill level. Academic interventions along with behavioral supports may be needed to improve student success.
Center on PBIS
Additionally, when placing a student in a Tier 2 intervention it is important that the Team make sure that the curriculum being used and the content being taught is not above the student's ability level. This will only add to the student's frustration making it less likely that the student will want to attend the Tier 2 intervention and/or will be able to access the material being taught during that time.
The information gleaned from the academic data analysis will not only help the Tier 2 Climate and Culture Team, but it may also support the academic Student Support Team in making decisions on how to best support the student's skill development (academic, behavior, social).
How to Score 2 Points on TFI 2.7
To receive a 2 Point Score Teams must be able to say yes to the following set of questions.
For each intervention selected in TFI 2.5:
