PLACEMENT CHANGES:

Setting IV Behavior Programs

Explanation

Concerning patterns of student behavior sometimes result in placement in a Setting IV program (separate school facility). Our programs are:

Chisago Lakes Education Center (CLEC), which hosts the Pathway to Change (PTC) and SOAR programs. CLEC is located in Chisago Lakes.
Vision, which provides programming similar to PTC. Vision is located in Pine City.

Special Education Guideline #13 (see document) is the procedure that our districts follow when IEP teams are considering placing a student in a Setting IV Program.

The rest of this webpage (below) ⬇️ describes the problem solving process that IEP teams should engage in when behavior concerns emerge. When these steps are taken, and when regular and ongoing partnership between relevant team members occurs, in many circumstances the student’s needs can be addressed without having to propose a change in placement to a Setting IV Behavior Program.

SpEd Guideline 13_ Placement in Setting IV Behavior Programs - Master

Communication

When behavior concerns emerge, it’s important to communicate with point people on the team early and often. Examples include the School Psychologist, Behavior Services Coordinator, and Low Incidence Services Coordinator.

Regularly scheduled team meetings support the flow of communication — for example, the Services Coordinator attending the SpEd department’s Student Support Team (SST) meetings on a rotating schedule or joining a school’s behavior data review team. By systematically monitoring key metrics (e.g., “top 20” students with referrals, “major” referral data, number of student discipline removals) the school is better positioned to be proactive with behavior interventions.

Indicators More Intensive Supports are Needed

Generally speaking, if a student hits one or more of the following thresholds, it’s a signal that the case manager should wrap in relevant colleagues and schedule an IEP meeting to problem-solve:

5 or more Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) within a month 🚨
10 or more ODRs cumulative 🚨
5 days of Suspension (In-School or Out-of-School) 🚨
Significant time out of class (e.g., Increased time in Resource Room, Time-out/Reset Room; frequent elopement; low attendance) 🚨
Multiple incidents of physical aggression, self-injurious behavior, or other serious maladaptive behaviors (e.g., urination, defecation, nudity, etc.) 🚨
Other building-specific behavior indicator thresholds 🚨

The team should assess the student’s program (see “Problem Solving” below) and consider adjustments (see example agenda). Significant adjustments to the student’s programming must be discussed with and formally proposed to the parent (e.g., via amendment to the IEP). Note that collaborative planning funds are available to fund related planning and work time (if needed).

As the team problem solves and makes adjustments to the student’s programming, it is important to update relevant administrators (i.e., principal, Special Services Supervisor, and Setting IV Program Coordinator).

Communication Pitfalls to Avoid

It's helpful to be aware of common communication pitfalls regarding Setting IV placement so it's easier to avoid them.

🚫 Don't talk to parents about Setting IV placement outside of an IEP meeting

Why it's problematic: This is a decision that the full IEP team must consider together. In addition, if a parent becomes invested in the idea that their child can attend a new special school and then the Setting IV program has a waitlist, it's frustrating. The same can be true when school staff suggest that programming in the resident school is more appropriate for the child.
Instead: "I'd like to schedule an IEP meeting so that we can discuss these concerns and problem solve together."

🚫 Don't wait too long to wrap in colleagues who can help

Why it's problematic: Problem solving an intense pattern of behavior takes teamwork, patience, and time. If we wait to problem solve until everyone is almost at their wits' end, the team is almost doomed to fail before they even begin.
Instead: When you're *just starting* to have concerns about a case, send an email to your School Psychologist, Services Coordinator, etc. and/or add the student to an upcoming team agenda.

Problem Solving as an IEP Team

The IEP team should engage in a systematic problem solving process to identify and implement solutions to the behaviors of concern.

Here are some examples to consider:

Conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

Conduct an FBA if there is no existing FBA -OR- if the most recent FBA does not address current behaviors of concern.
The FBA results drive the student’s plan, ensuring that the strategies adults use with the student address “the root of the problem.”
The FBA can be completed “standalone” or as part of an evaluation.

Create or amend a Behavior Support Plan (BSP)

The student's BSP must target the current primary behaviors of concern and be based on an up-to-date FBA. Ergo, if new behaviors emerge and a new FBA occurs, the BSP must be updated.
Ensure that the prevention, reinforcement, and response strategies in the BSP have a reasonable likelihood of interrupting the current pattern of behavior and shaping a new pattern. Use the BSP Reflection Form to identify the “weak links” in the current BSP.

Amend the IEP

Ensure that current goals, services, accommodations, and modifications are sufficiently intensive and matched to student needs:

Ensure that the student is receiving specialized instruction in social-emotional skills using an evidence-based curriculum.
Increase paraprofessional support.
Placement in a center-based behavior program.

Ensure the IEP and BSP are both being implemented with fidelity

Conduct fidelity checks (i.e., observations of school staff) to monitor BSP implementation. If needed, provide coaching to increase fidelity.

Increase wraparound supports

School staff increase the volume of day-to-day communication with the family.
Collaboration with mental health providers.
Collaboration with county human services.
Collaboration with chemical health services.

Monitoring Effectiveness

In most cases it is recommended that, following any change to the student’s BSP, the team implements the new plan with fidelity for 3-4 weeks before making determinations about the viability of the adjusted plan. This is because an effective plan often results in an “extinction burst” (i.e., a sharp uptick in the problem behavior, followed by a fade out after consistent implementation).

In order for the team to determine if adjustments to the student’s plan are working, the IEP team is responsible to monitor key metrics:

Office Discipline Referral record in Synergy/eduCLIMBER
IEP goal data on behavior goals
If available — Processing room log (e.g., Stop & Think Room, Focus Room, Reflections Room, Options Room, etc.). This captures the duration of time out of class for each referral.
If available — Non-referral behavior tracking: This means using data sheets and graphing tools (see below) designed to record target behaviors. These tools are more sensitive because they capture behaviors that don’t result in a discipline referral (e.g., a student who attempts to elope from class 16 times in a day).

Frequency/Intensity/Duration Data Collection Sheet - Master

Example of a physical data sheet for collecting data on behaviors of concern.

Make a Copy

BTPD Data Collection Sheet - Master

Example of a digital data sheet for collecting data on behaviors of concern.

Make a Copy

Last, First - BTPD (v1.0) - SY22

The Behavior Tracker for Placement Determination (BTPD) was designed to graph this data.

Make a Copy

Behavior Tracker for Placement Determination - Tutorial

Instructions on how to set up the BTPD.

FAQ: What behaviors should we track using the BTPD?

We want to be efficient and only collect data that will impact the team’s decisions regarding a placement change. Work with your School Psychologist and Behavior Services Coordinator to decide what to measure and how. Key questions:

What target behaviors on the BSP triggered the team to think, ‘This student may need a more restrictive setting.’? For example, data about emotional behavior outbursts, physical aggression, etc. is going to tell us a lot about the student’s need for placement in a behavior program vs. data about how often they’re refusing to engage in tasks.
For each of those behaviors, which do we need to know: its frequency (how often it happens), its duration (how long it happens), and/or its intensity? For example:
- If Ben often throws objects across the room at people, we would only measure frequency (because duration and intensity are always the same).
- If Sally has emotional behavioral outbursts that can include biting, shoving, screaming, etc. — we would divide those behaviors into intensity categories (e.g., a 1-4 scale) and measure intensity and duration.

Page updated

Report abuse