� �Basic Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Student Support Planning (SSP)

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Day Two

Adapted from Sheldon Loman and TASN School Mental Health Initiative

Welcome back!

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Break/Lunch Schedule

*(ish)

8:30-9:00: Registration and Refreshments

10:30*: Morning Break

12:00-1:00: Lunch

2:15*: Afternoon Break

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Learning Objectives

Day Two:

• Continued from Day One: Learn to incorporate the Equity Questions and equity considerations throughout the entire planning process
• Review successes/challenges related to homework activities
• Develop a Function-based Student Support Plan based on the Competing Behavior Pathway Model for your selected student

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Equity Questions Reminder

1. Whose values and voice are reflected? Whose values and voice are omitted?

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• Who is being reinforced by the current practices? By the practices being created in the plan? Do these reinforcement practices value the students' authentic identity and current skill set? 
1. Do the strategies align with the student’s race and culture, gender identity, family culture/systems, ND, etc.?  How do you know? 

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• Are relationship/trust building strategies included in the plan? What opportunities does the plan offer the student for connection with adults and peers? 
• What are the co-regulation and regulation strategies included in the plan? 

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• Are the strategies environmental and adult behavior changes?  

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• Where is the student’s input and agency reflected in the plan? Where are strengths, talents, preferences, etc. reflected in the plan?

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Activity 1: Homework Review

• As a team, complete Activity 1 (Day 2 Workbook): Homework Review

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• We will all share out after the activity

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Group Share: �Tell us about your experience

Share out on Activity 1:

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What did you learn about your school’s process for accessing an FBA/SSP?

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What did you learn about your student and their environment?

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Summarize other information.

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What do we do with this information?

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Simple FBA

If the team has confidence in the hypothesis

Develop/

Implement a Student Support Plan

If the team does not have confidence in the hypothesis

Gather More Information

Student Support Plan (SSP)

• Two Behavioral Goals:

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1. Reduce Interfering Behaviors

--Make them irrelevant, inefficient, and ineffective

--Avoid invalidating (recognize that they are occurring because they are “working” for the student)

--Work to understand the adaptive nature of the behaviors (informs function and intervention strategies)

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2. Build From Current Behavior/Teach New Skills

--Teach them, make them easy to engage in, and reinforce

them

--Plan for how to teach them

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Competing Behavior Pathway

Desi

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Environment/context:

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Outcome

Behavior

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Consequence/Function

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Setting Condition

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Antecedent

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Interfering Behavior

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Consequence/Function

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Alternative Behavior

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Why the Alternative Behavior?

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Success, teacher acknowledgment

Sent to hall to ‘calm down’ Function: escape task

Complete math assignment

Crying, pushing papers off desk

Raise hand & ask for break

Given double-digit addition problems

Environment/context: Math Class

Why not go straight to the Outcome Behavior?

1. This is what we’re asking the student to do.

2. This is what the student is currently obtaining.

3. Look how different this is from what’s happening now

4. The student is going to need to gain numeracy skills before being able to do this like peers

5. So… in the meantime we use the Alternative behavior

Poor grades in math class

Consideration of Restorative Principles

The Restorative Approach highlights:

• Voluntary Participation
• Exploring Relationships
• Meaningful Engagement
• Participatory Decision-Making

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Consider This Continuum: �Mindset Shift

Competing Behavior Pathway Integrating Restorative Questions

Restorative Questions

1. What happened?
2. What led up to this?
3. What were you thinking/feeling at the time?

4. What were you hoping for at the time?

5. Who was affected? How?

6. What support do you need in order to do things differently in the future?

The student is going to need to gain numeracy skills before being able to do this like peers

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Identifying Interfering Behaviors Video

Interfering Behaviors…

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Essential Characteristics �of the Alternative Behavior

• Serves the same function as the interfering behavior
• Is easier to do and more efficient than the interfering behavior
• Is socially valid
• Considers ecological variables
• Centers equity and promotes access

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Which of the following are �appropriate alternative behaviors?

• Leslie is 12, has severe intellectual disabilities, does not use words, and screams during independent work times in the Life Skills classroom. Screaming is maintained by adult attention/connection.

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• Which is the best Alternative Behavior
• Put head down on her desk and sit quietly
• Sign “more” to another student
• Take completed work up to show the teacher
• Move to sit by another student
• Use picture communication system to request teacher help

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1. Serve same function? Does it provide adult attention/

connection?

2. Is behavior easier to do than interfering behavior?

3. Is behavior socially acceptable?

Activity 2

• Identify the outcome behavior you ultimately want your student to demonstrate
• Identify an alternative behavior that …
• serves the same function as the interfering behavior
• is easier to do and more efficient than the interfering behavior
• is socially valid
• considers ecological variables
• centers equity and promotes access
• Record your thinking in your student’s behavior pathway.
• Prepare to present your student’s competing pathway to others.

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BREAK

Student Support Plan (SSP)

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Setting Conditions Strategies

Antecedent Strategies

Teaching Strategies

Consequence Strategies

Setting Conditions Strategies

Changes in the student’s schedule/routine/setting that help to reduce stress, promote resilience and recovery, and practice/improve regulation.

• Alternative schedule
• Check in with a trusted adult
• Sitting near the teacher
• Lunch in the support room
• Student check-in
• Early or late entry to class/activity

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Focus on ENVIRONMENT/ROUTINE

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Student Support Plan (SSP)

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Setting Conditions Strategies

Antecedent Strategies

Teaching Strategies

Consequence Strategies

Antecedent Strategies

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Antecedent strategies are designed to make interfering behavior irrelevant and sets the occasion for replacement behavior:

1. Eliminating or modifying antecedents that precede the interfering behavior(s)

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2. Prompting alternative/outcome behavior

Prompting

Visual Prompts

• pictures, symbols, highlighted text, color-coding

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Vocal Prompts

• an agreed upon spoken cue for the student to use the replacement response, delivered before the behavior occurs

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Gestural or model prompts

• provide physical cues to remind student to use replacement behavior or that model the correct behavior
• demonstrate the behavior for the student(s)

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Identifying Antecedent Strategies

• When Pam is asked to work on long-division problems in math class, she argues, refuses to work, and uses profanity to avoid/escape the difficult task.

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• Which is the best antecedent modifying strategy to prevent the profanity?
• Move student’s seat closer to the teacher
• Give student more time to complete the difficult tasks
• Give student an easier math assignment she can be successful with
• Warn student she will be sent to office for using profanity
• Allow student to practice long-division on the computer

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Activities 3 & 4

• Identify and describe a few antecedent strategies for your student that will:
• prevent or modify the antecedents
• cue and prompt the alternative/outcome behaviors
• Record in your workbook

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• Identify any setting conditions strategies or structural changes that could be made to your student’s day or to the classroom

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Student Support Plan (SSP)

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Setting Conditions Strategies

Antecedent Strategies

Teaching Strategies

Consequence Strategies

Teaching Alternative Behavior

• Identify skill(s) to teach

dual focus on both alternative and outcome behavior

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• First, teach the alternative behavior

teaching = review and practice regularly

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• Then, teach the outcome behavior

may be something to focus on immediately, or only after the student is fluent with the alternative behavior

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Teaching Alternative Behavior, con’t.

Don’t assume that the student already has the alternative behavior in his/her/their skill set

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• Develop an observable definition of behavior

Identify examples & non-examples

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• Teach, Model, and Reinforce (Behavioral Skills Training)

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• Schedule review and regular practice of the skill/behavior

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More on Behavioral Skills Training (BST)

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• Talk about it
• Model it
• Trainee demonstrates skills to proficiency
• Set proficient/mastery criteria ahead of time
• Practice until mastery is reached
• Effective for training adults and students

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Some Common Skills to Teach

These are some skills the student may need to be taught to do:

*ask for a break using break card/signal

*monitor his/her/their progress with a point sheet

*engage in meaningful social interactions

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Activity 5

• Summarize how you will teach, practice, and prompt alternative and outcome behaviors with your student. Consider the following …

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• observable definition of behavior
• examples and non-examples
• Teach, Model, and Reinforce
• schedule review and practice of the skill/behavior regularly

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Student Support Plan (SSP)

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Setting Conditions Strategies

Antecedent Strategies

Teaching Strategies

Consequence Strategies

Consequence Strategies

Consequence strategies should:

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1. Reinforce replacement behaviors, and

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• Minimize or eliminate reinforcement for interfering behaviors.

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Two Basic Functions

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from Horner & Sugai at www.pbis.org

Look to remove

something aversive

Look to add

something desirable

Behavior

Consequences: �Reinforcing the Alternative Behavior

Important that the alternative behavior is reinforced:

• Immediately
• Consistently

…and that it serves the same function as the interfering behavior.

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The interfering behavior is less likely to happen if:

- the alternative behavior is more efficient than the

interfering behavior, and

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-there is readily available and meaningful reinforcement for engaging in the alternative behavior.

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Considerations �for Reinforcing Alternative Behavior

• Reasonable goals and expectations

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• Goals that are “normed” for the classroom (with student baseline in mind)

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• Reasonable timeframes

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• Valued reinforcers

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Identifying Consequence Strategies: �Reinforcing Alternative/Outcome Behavior

• During independent reading time in language arts, Audrey makes noises, talks out, and walks around the room. The FBA has shown that this behavior is maintained by adult attention/connection.

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Which are the best reinforcement strategies?

• Student can play a game with the teacher if she works quietly (no more than 2 talk-outs) during independent reading
• Student is allowed to work with a peer when she has been quiet for 15 minutes
• Student receives help from teacher if asks appropriately
• Student can eat lunch with the teacher if no talk-outs for one month
• Student earns a homework pass for on-task behavior

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Consequences: �Responding to Interfering Behavior

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Focus on two things:

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#1. Redirecting to the Alternative Behavior

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#2. Minimize reinforcement of the Interfering Behavior

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Responding to Interfering Behavior: Redirection

• At the earliest signs of precursor behavior, quickly redirect to the alternative behavior

Example:

• During independent work, Annie often talks out to get teacher attention/connection. If ignored, Annie will begin yelling and knocking materials off her desk.
• When Annie first starts talking out, her teacher will immediately remind her how to appropriately get adult attention (and will praise Annie’s use of the alternative behavior).

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Responding to Interfering Behavior: Minimize Reinforcement

• Minimize the likelihood that interfering behavior “works” or “pays off” for the student.

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• Escape/avoid: Minimize the amount of missed instructional time or work provided to a student for engaging in the interfering behavior
• But… make sure student can do the work… or provide support/instruction so student can complete the work

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• Connection/Attention: Minimize verbal response directly related to the interfering behavior
• Avoid verbal interactions/explanations directly related to the behavior
• Create a signal to cue the student to use the alternative behavior instead

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Responding to Interfering Behavior: Minimize Reinforcement

** Note: any strategies to reduce behavior should ALWAYS be combined with frequent reinforcers for alternative/outcome behavior.

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Example:

• Darci engages in interfering behavior that results in adult attention/connection.
• Darci’s teacher will use planned ignoring for the calling out behavior when it occurs, providing frequent non-contingent attention and responding immediately when Darci engages in alternative behavior.

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• Darci will also be taught and will practice an alternative behavior (raising her hand to get teacher’s attention), and the teacher will call on Darci immediately when her hand is raised quietly.

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Responding to Challenging Situations: Discouraging interfering behavior�

Consequences must consider the function of the behavior in order to effectively discourage it.

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Standard disciplinary consequences for a specific behavior may not be effective because they inadvertently reinforce a behavior targeted for reduction.

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Student Support Plans should identify when certain consequences or staff responses should NOT be given and descriptions of effective consequences. ….what SHOULD folks do in response?

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Activity 6

• Identify and describe the consequence strategies for your student that will…

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• reinforce alternative and outcome behaviors according to function, and
• minimize reinforcement of interfering behaviors
• Consider and program/plan for risks associated with removing/reducing current reinforcement
• Consider how the environment will support possible challenges with these changes

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BREAK

Critical Components of �Student Support Plans

1: Competing Behavior Pathway

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2: Function-Based Student Support Strategies

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3: Implementation Plan

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4: Evaluation Plan

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Creating the Implementation Plan

Select Initial Intervention Strategies

Define tasks:

Who’s going to do them?

By when will the tasks be completed?

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Get input as early in process as possible!

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Developing Goals, revisited

• Both short- and long-term goals should:

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A. Be written in observable, measurable terms

• What specific behaviors will you increase/decrease?
• Increase use of alternative behavior
• Reduce interfering behavior(s)
• Increase APPROXIMATIONS of the outcome behavior

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B. Include specific mastery criteria

• How will you know when the student has met the goal?

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Use Competing Behavior Pathway �to Identify Goals

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Typical Consequence

Maintaining Consequence

Outcome Behavior

Interfering Behavior

Alternate Behavior

Antecedent

Setting Condition

Environment/context:

Long-term goal

Short-term goal

Sample Short-Term Goal for Dexter�

Short-term Dexter will:

a) appropriately ask to work with a peer (or work independently) in Writing,

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b) stay on task without leaving his seat or talking to peers about unrelated topics for at least 75% of independent work time, and

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c) complete at least 25% of his daily writing assignments

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d) for 4 out of 5 days across 2 consecutive weeks.

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Increase use of Alternative Behavior

Addresses Interfering Behavior

Increase Approximations of Outcome Behavior

Mastery Criteria

Evaluation Planning

• The team leader will ensure that the SSP includes an evaluation plan with:
• A short-term goal that is reasonable based on current performance
• A long-term goal focused on increasing outcome behavior
• Specific activities/procedures that will be used to evaluate progress
• A specified date when the team will next meet to review progress

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Is the Plan Making a Difference?

FAQ: I see the student every day, why do I need to collect data?

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Answer: Data help us to…

• Document what has occurred and the variables responsible
• Predict future performance
• Be accountable for our own behavior
• Determine when program modifications are needed

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Measuring Fidelity

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Behavior is NOT improving…

Fidelity Checklists/Measures

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--These types of measures ‘convert’ the plan interventions/strategies/procedures/protocols into a list format that can be scored according to fidelity and accuracy of implementation

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--Often relies on a Likert-type scale that ranks from “Did not do (correctly)” to “Implemented Perfectly”

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Strategies for Increasing Adult Accountability to the Plan

--Implementation data collection system/measures can be baked into plan

--Feelings/emotional regulation check-ins

--Types of/Frequency of adult-student interactions

--redirections, assistance, praise

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How about some examples?

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Fidelity Data Sheet Example

Treatment Integrity Data Sheet

Behavior is improving …

Activity 7: �Intervention Strategies, Goals, and Evaluation Procedures

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Complete Activity 7 in the Workbook:

• Resources
• Accountability
• Data

How Good Is Your SSP?�

TFI (Tiered Fidelity Inventory) Tier III Support Plan Worksheet:

• Goals/Strengths Identified by Student &/or Family
• FBA Hypothesis Statement
• Competing Behavior Pathway
• Action steps
• Access to Tier I and Tier II supports
• Monthly meetings to review outcome and fidelity data

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Homework Activity: Assess your SSP using the TFI Tier III Support Plan Worksheet

And the feel-good moment…�

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8WVkqqHN7I

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Next Steps: Continued PD

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• Consider completing basicfba.com Modules 1 & 4 as a team/staff (School-wide Training – Basic FBA to BIP)

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• Think about coaching needs back at school

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• Arrange for at least one on-site coaching visit with one of us and your team at school during an actual FBA/SSP

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�Questions?���THANK YOU!

jeremy@gmbehavior.org

lkeach@sbschools.net

www.pbisvermont.org

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