Recognition FAQs (2014-15)

MIDWEST PBIS Network

2014-15 School Recognition FAQs

Thank you to the over 500 schools who turned in Recognition applications! 

We are in the process of reviewing applications!  We will be sending out notifications to all schools in August. 

Thank you!

Please read the Recognition Application FAQs closely to address any questions about the process.  If after reviewing the FAQs, you still have an unanswered question, please email Jessica Swain-Bradway who will review your question and add it to the FAQs below.

Please note this document is being added to as questions are submitted to our team! We appreciate your feedback.  If you feel you have a question that is helpful to others please email jessica.swainbradway@midwestpbis.org or diane.lamaster@midwestpbis.org.  

Tiered Fidelity Inventory Questions

ALL SCHOOLS wishing to be recognized for their PBIS efforts in 2014-15 will need to complete the School-wide PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) v 2.1 and complete the Recognition Application on the Midwest PBIS Network website no later than May 26th, 2015.

Q: How do we access the TFI v 2.1?

A: The TFI v 2.1 is available at no cost on PBIS Assessments . Login to www.pbisapps.org with your user name and password and click on PBISAssessments.  Select “Forgot my Password” option to reset your password if you do not remember it.

Q: My school does not have SWIS. Do we need to be SWIS users to obtain access to the TFI online?

A: No. You do not need SWIS.

Q: Can we submit our hard copy of the TFI or Recognition documents to the Midwest PBIS office? Can the Midwest team just enter it online for us?

A: No. All responses to the TFI, and the Recognition Application, must be entered online by a representative from that school/district by May 26th, 2015 for Recognition purposes.

Q: How does my school know their scores at each Tier on the Inventory? (These scores, in turn, help identify if they meet qualifications to then apply for Gold or Platinum level).

A:

Q: We completed more than one TFI this year, which scores do we enter into the Recognition form?

A: If your team has completed the TFI more than one time this school year graphs generated in PBIS Assessments will include the subscale scores from each completion, with the dates for each completion clearly indicated under the scores. Please report the most recent responses.

Q: Is Recognition based on the “Total Score” of our Inventory results?

A: No. It is based on your “SubScale” scores (ie: what your school scored at Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3).

Q: Do I need to print a Report of my Inventory scores and send them into the Midwest PBIS Office in order to be recognized?

A: No. Please do not send us Inventory Reports. Please enter the subscale scores into the Recognition form online only.

Q: My team did not use the TFI Walkthrough tool, or similar surveying format, to complete Tier 1 subscale. Can we get full points for those items (1.3, 1.4 and 1.9)?

A: The TFI is a self-assessment that is only useful if self-assessment is accurate and can be documented. The scoring rubric represents evidence-based guidelines for implementation in PBIS. Teams are much more likely to achieve valued students outcomes if they self-assess accurately, which includes documentation of implementation efforts.  The team and coach together should determine if other sources document they are meeting scoring rubric requirements for an item.

Q: When completing the TFI v 2.1 in PBIS Assessments of TFI we came across 'optional’ questions to report % of students success.  This information is reported in the Recognition Application can our schools leave the optional questions blank?

A: These data are optional and will be compiled at the national level for creating a fidelity profile that is most likely to produce valued student outcomes. If your team has these data ready to enter into the Recognition Application feel free to enter them into PBIS Assessments.  The TFI Evaluation Team is working on a reporting option so teams will eventually be able to view both scores on the subscales as well as students outcomes on the same graph.

General Questions

Q: In what situation does my school need to “apply” for Recognition?

A: All schools can decide to apply for recognition, and it is as simple as completing the TFI and completing Recognition Form on the Midwest PBIS Network website

Q: Is there a required cover letter or other paperwork that needs to be completed?

A: No.  The 2014-15 Recognition Process is intended to be as easy as possible and focus school teams on the desired student outcomes. We hope the documents and data reported as part of the Recognition Application are a routine part of team action planning.

Q: Why do we have to write a brief summary of behavioral data for Gold Level, and academic data for Platinum?

A: Engaging in data for decision-making is a cornerstone of PBIS implementation. The 100 word summaries for Gold and Platinum should reflect conversations and problem solving your teams engaged in while action planning. There are examples of the behavioral data summaries (for Gold) and academic summaries (for Platinum) on the main Recognition page.

Q: Why do we have to report only behavioral outcomes for Gold but both behavioral and academic outcomes for Platinum?

A: The conceptual framework for PBIS is based on improving behaviors to increase academic instructional time and engagement. As school teams implement with higher rates of fidelity we anticipate that (1) student behaviors will improve, (2) instructional time will be “gained”, leading to (3) improvement in academic outcomes.

Q: Can early childhood centers, juvenile justice facilities or alternative settings apply/be considered for Recognition?

A: Yes, if the center or facility has taken the TFI and completed the Recognition form online by May 26th, 2015.

Q: Is there a separate process for Gold or Platinum levels of Recognition?

A: No, all teams applying for Recognition follow the same online process regardless of scores on the TFI subscales.

Academic Trend Data Questions

Q: For Platinum level applicants, what “evidence of sustaining and/or improving academic trends” is acceptable?

A: The Platinum level of recognition requires documents that indicate the school is sustaining and/or improving academic outcomes for three years or more. Due to the change in scoring ISATs between 2012 and 2013, providing ISAT and AYP data is not recommended.

Examples of these academic trend documents may include, but are not limited to: DIBELS, Easy CBM, Aimsweb, MAP testing results/reports, % of students passing all classes, % of students on track with credits (or proficiencies) to move to next grade level, or comparable data are acceptable evidence of trends in academic outcomes.  

Here are examples of reports that are acceptable:

DIBELS example, “Cross-Year Box Plot Report:"

https://dibels.uoregon.edu/docs/reports/CrossYearBoxPlot_DIBELSNext_Recommended_Goals_Example.pdf

AIMSweb example, “Grade Level Report: Avg. Score by School Year:"

http://www.aimsweb.com/wp-content/uploads/bm_g_avgxyear1.jpg

% of students passing all classes example:

- Export of school-wide data from edline, Infinite Campus, or other online grade programs

Q: For Platinum level applications, what type of time frame is needed when providing three years or more of academic trend data?

A: Three consecutive years. For your 2014-15 SY data, if your scoring will not be reported to you by May 26th, you can provide another time frame showing academic success-- as long as it captures three consecutive years (ie: December to December, Fall-to-Fall, etc.).

Q: Why do we need to show trends, or multiple years of improvements?  Why not just a “cut off” percentage of achievement?

A: All schools go through challenges to implementing PBIS. Schools that have the systems in place to sustain through those challenges may see student data go up and down from year to year, but maintain an overall trend of improvement.  It is the long term trend toward improvement that is important, as this shows the integrity of implementation.

Behavioral Outcome Data Questions

Q: What tools can I use to track our school's Tier 2/Tier 3 outcome data?

A: Schools can utilize the Midwest PBIS Tier 2/3 Tracking Tool or the Wisconsin Tier 2/3 Tracking Tool.

Q: For Gold and Platinum level applicants, what is acceptable evidence of  multi-tiered behavioral outcome data demonstrating effectiveness of PBIS across all three tiers?

A: Teams can report the % of students receiving 0-1 ODRs, 2-5 ODRs and 6+ ODRS.  They can gather this information through the Triangle Report in SWIS, or other triangle reports (WI PBIS Triangle Tool, or Connecticut Triangle Tool) or from other behavioral data systems.

For Gold level, Responding positively would mean any of the following, for example:

- around 80% of student population have 0-1 referrals for the year

- ODR data has been "getting better" across the school year

- increasing trends every year, for three consecutive years (three years of behavioral data is not required, however this is one way to provide data for this requirement)

For Platinum level, the behavioral data should specifically demonstrate the following:

80-90% of all students have 0-1 ODRs

5-10% of all students have 2-5 ODRs

1-5% of all students have 6 or more ODRs

5% or less of all students have received an OSS

Q: When can I start calculating my behavioral outcomes and trend data for Recognition purposes?

A: Mid-April is our suggested time to begin calculating behavioral outcomes and trend data.

PBIS Assessments Questions

Q: Does my school still need to submit our BoQ, SAS, and/or TIC report scores for Recognition? Aren’t they required for Recognition?

A: No.

2015 Recognition FAQs