PBIS November 2013 Coaches Front Page Newsletter

New Technical Assistance Support Structure  

In response to resource reallocation within the Illinois Statewide Technical Assistance Collaborative (ISTAC), the technical assistance support structure for PBIS has changed. To allow for a more efficient delivery structure, the Illinois PBIS Network created the following content area email addresses to group incoming communications. This approach allows us to pool expertise and provide efficient and thoughtful feedback on a range of questions. For questions about implementation, evaluation, or content, please use the new group email addresses below:

Evaluation  We are introducing the national PBIS Implementation Inventory (PBIS II) that will be replacing the Illinois Phases of Implementation (PoI) tool. This fall, teams can complete the PoI on paper for their own action planning (not for submitting to the Network). The PBIS II will be introduced through webinars so teams will be prepared to use it in the spring. It is shorter and has a scoring rubric. Look for more information about the PBIS II webinars in upcoming email announcements.

Classroom Management

Engagement is the best mediating variable between instruction and academic achievement. If students are actively engaged in instruction, then it is difficult to engage in incompatible behaviors (e.g., talking out, out of seat) according to Greenwood, Terry, Marquis, and Walker (1994).

For an overview of strategies to actively engage students, including guided notes, response cards, computer assisted instruction, and class-wide peer tutoring, click here for the 2012 Illinois PBIS Network Winter Leadership Conference - Session 35 Presentation: Active Student Engagement.

Curriculum/Innovation Updates 

Universal Screening is a critical feature of the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, and an efficient way to identify youth early for additional behavior supports. Illinois PBIS Network webinars on Universal Screening cover the process, core components, and tools for behavior screening, as well as resources available on the Universal Screening webpage.

These webinars are designed for district- and building-level leaders who will coordinate and/or supervise the Universal Screening process for behavior. Typically school psychologists, social workers, coaches, and administrators fill this role. The first webinar will be held on December 5, 2013. Click here for registration and additional information.

Coaching Focus

Teaching/Learning Examples (TLE's) can be used to promote visibility and support implementation fidelity in your district. Examples of TLE's can be found here.

As coaches develop the art of Thoughtful and Reflective Questioning, they can guide teams to be reflective of their practice. Thoughtful questioning helps build team capacity through evaluation of current status and determination of next steps. Asking the right kinds of questions empowers the team to move forward to action plan in powerful ways. Through questioning, the coach sends the message that the team's ideas are critical to the planning process. For more information on Thoughtful and Reflective Questioning, see materials from the October 2013 Coaches Network Meeting.

Tier 2/Tier 3 Coaching 

Developing and implementing effective Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) based on Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) takes practice and refined skills.  If you are working to improve skills with FBA and BIP, consider joining our webinars. Click here for registration, dates, and additional information.

During the October Coaches Network Meetings, coaches identified current academic and behavior supports in place at all three tiers. Completing this resource mapping activity with your systems team will help identify gaps in support. Then, using data, prioritize the next supports to develop. For access to October's Coaches Network Meeting PowerPoint and blank triangle for resource mapping, click here. 

High School Corner 

Join us for a new high school specific networking opportunity, "High School Virtual Chats", which will be held once a month. These chats are not intended to take the place of the monthly Coaches Meetings offered regionally, rather they are a supplemental support with a high school focus. These free virtual chats will allow high school staff from around the state to engage in conversations around visibility, engagement, Tier 2, blending academics and behavior, and other high school specific topics. The first virtual chat will be held November 18, 2013 from 1:00pm-2:30pm. Visit theHigh School Coaches Network Meetings webpage to register and see a full list of dates and topics.

Administrator Tip of the Month

Universal Screening for behavior and secondary systems that are firmly in place allow teams to layer supports, which then provide comprehensive, targeted interventions that are aligned with student needs. This requires administrative support for shifts in resources, schedules, and policies. Talk with your team today about the importance of layering interventions and help your staff determine what support they need to make this happen. For more on layering, see the Tier 2/Tier 3 October 2013 Coaches Networking Meeting presentation.

School Family Community Partnerships (SFCP) 

Family/Community Network Meetings can help districts increase family and community membership on school/district teams. These meetings also provide an opportunity for neighboring coaches and administrators to learn how other districts are engaging family and community partners, and the valuable voice they bring to the table. Consider joining one of the following meetings scheduled for November 2014:

• Southern Region - November 5 in Ramsey, Illinois

• Northern Region - November 14 in Huntley, Illinois

• Northern Region - November 18 in Kankakee, Illinois

More details about these important networking opportunities can be found on the Family/Community Network Meetings webpage. ContactSFCP@pbisillinois.org to arrange hosting a Family/Community Network Meeting in your district!

Winter Leadership Conference Registration for Two Family & Community Partners Waived! Registration fees for two family/community team partners from each district will be waived at the upcoming Illinois PBIS Network Winter Leadership Conference in O'Fallon on January 23-24, 2014!  Up to two additional family and community team members can also participate at a 50% reduced registration fee.  Register these valuable team members in the same way as other participants, and note their role during registration as "family/community team partner". Then contact Patti Bardell at patti.bardell@pbisillinois.org to request the waived registration fee.  For further details, and to view the SFCP strand, visit the Winter Leadership Conference webpage.

Upcoming Events 

Training Schedule for November and December, 2013

Click links for more details and registration:

Register now for the annual Illinois PBIS Network Winter Leadership Conference to be held at the Regency Conference Center in O'Fallon, Illinois onJanuary 23-24, 2014. Exemplars from across the state will share a range of experiences across all tiers of PBIS implementation, including Early Childhood, District Leadership, Coaching, High School, Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, Administrator roles, and School/Family/Community Partnerships. There is a change this year in that Administrator Academy credit will not be offered for Administrator sessions. This conference is an excellent opportunity to learn information from implementers in the field.

The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) Conference will be held March 5-8, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Conference participants will be able to gain an understanding of research-based strategies, identify practical applications of positive behavior support in a variety of places, and describe the most current, state-of-the-art research on positive behavior support for a variety of populations and settings. Register here.

National PBIS Center Refunded Through 2018 

The US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has refunded the Technical Assistance (TA) Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) through 2018. Since 1998, the purpose of the TA Center has been to define, develop, implement, and evaluate a multi-tiered approach to TA that improves the capacity of LEAs and schools to establish, scale-up, and sustain the PBIS framework. The Center builds from a strong foundation with 14 states in excess of 500 schools actively engaged in PBIS adoption, to now with nearly 20,000 schools currently engaged in implementing PBIS (www.pbis.org, 2013). Click here for more information about the compelling body of research documenting that School-wide PBIS is associated with positive outcomes for students. Source: FLPBS: MTSS Positive Outlook Newsletter. Fall 2013.