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Positive Behavior Support (PBS)
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The Ventura County SELPA promotes Positive Behavior Support (PBS) which is a philosophical viewpoint for addressing problematic behaviors in students.  Based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) (Baer, Wolf and Risley, 1968), PBS was adopted in 1993 by the State of California, Department of Education as the mandated approach to intervening in the classroom when special education students exhibit non-desired behaviors. (CA Code of Regulations Title 5, Section 3052)

The basic tenets to PBS are:

 

 

 

 

 

• All behavior communicates something for the student (a want or need). 
• If we only punish a student after the misbehavior occurs, we will not make a lasting change in the behavior, as it may only be temporarily suppressed.
• We must teach students new, appropriate ways to communicate their wants and needs.
•  There are many accommodations to the school environment that can be made to reduce the incidence of (and need for) non-desired behaviors.
• Teaching new, more appropriate behaviors requires a continuous process of modeling, prompting, shaping and reinforcing-just like teaching any new skill. 

 

 

 

The Ventura County SELPA has consistently promoted PBS as an overall construct since 1993 through its leadership, staff training, policies, forms, guidelines and published materials.

Click Here for Decision-Making Model for Individual Student Problem Behaviors

About Behavior Plans

For a Special Education student who is exhibiting challenging behaviors which are disrupting the learning process or social activities at school, the IEP team may develop a plan to intervene, or change the student’s behavior.  The plan that is developed would use the techniques of Positive Behavior Support, based on principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).  The teacher, parents and other staff who know the student would share information about the occurrence of the behavior, including:

·        Defining what the behavior “looks like”

·        Determining when and where it most often occurs

·        Determining the factors that tend to lead to or cause 
     the behavior

·        Determining what the student seems to be trying to 
     communicate or is “get” by using that behavior.

Once these issues were all agreed upon, the team would next:

 

·        Decide what skills the team would like the student to use
     instead of  the challenging behavior

·        Develop a plan for classroom staff to teach the new
     behavior/skills

·        Develop a plan for classroom staff to alter the 
     instructional environment if possible to address the
     student’s needs

·        Develop a plan for classroom staff to intervene, or react, 
     should the non-desired behavior occur

·        Develop a plan for reinforcing the student for reduction in
     the targeted problem behavior and/or reinforcing him/her 
    for using the new behavior

·        Develop a plan for collecting data on the occurrence of the
     new behavior as well as the challenging behavior, 
     and communicating with staff and family

These plans, if implemented with fidelity by all parties involved, can be very effective in changing behaviors so that the student is more ready and available to learn.  Most plans are developed by the teacher in collaboration with the IEP team and adopted at the IEP team meeting.  The teacher may or may not conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment  (FBA). (CFR 300. 530 (d)(ii)).  There are no legally required elements for an FBA, but the teacher may use the outline of the Functional Behavior Assessment form below to develop information for the IEP team to consider.

                                                                                                    

These plans are documented on the Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP) form.  There are no legally mandated requirements for a PBSP, and the Ventura County SELPA offers three different versions (Forms A, B and C).  Click here to see sample PBSPs.  A PBSP should always have goals correlated to it and there may be another for measuring the reduction (or elimination) of the non-desired behavior, (there must be a goal for the increase of the replacement behavior.  The PBSP and goals become a part of the IEP. 
Click here for a Glossary of Terms you may see on your child's Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP).
 

Other students may exhibit behaviors which are: “Serious behaviors that are challenging and assaultive and/or self-injurious for which other approaches in the IEP have been ineffective.”  For students with these behaviors, the IEP team may decide to initiate a Functional Analysis Assessment (FAA) to take an in depth look at the circumstances around the behavior and its causes.  There are required elements in an FAA (CCR 3052) and the FAA must be conducted by a Behavior Intervention Case Manager (BICM) (CCR 3052). The parents must give consent by signing an Assessment Plan prior to the initiation of an FAA, and the assessment will culminate in an IEP meeting according to assessment timelines.

 

The BICM presents the FAA report to the IEP team for consideration.  If the IEP team decides that a plan is needed to address the behavior, a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)is developed.  A BIP has required elements according to law (CCR 3001) and also has related goals for the decrease in the challenging behavior and the increase in the replacement behavior.  The BIP and goals become a part of the IEP, and are reviewed at intervals determined in the BIP. 

Click here for an example of a BIP.  Click here for an example of an FAA. 

 

Both PBSPs and BIPs must have very clear methods of data collection to determine their effectiveness.  Classroom staff should be collecting data on the occurrence of both the targeted problem behavior as well as the replacement behavior, and for a BIP, data must also be collected on the interventions used. 

Click here for a flowchart for Behavior Intervention Planning.

Click here for SELPA guidelines on Behavioral Interventions 
Behavior Intervention Case Manager Manual

Behavior Interventions for Special Education Students
 

 

 

The publication "It's as Easy as 1-2-3-4-5-6! Positive Behavior Support Made Simple" describes some of the most common challenging misbehaviors of students and ideas for interventions for each.  

 

There are specific tools for evaluating the effectiveness of behavior plans:
    PBSP Plan A
        Scoring Rubric
        Score Sheet
    PBSP Plan B
        Scoring Rubric
        Score Sheet
    PBSP Plan C
        Scoring Rubric
        Score Sheet
    BIP
        Scoring Rubric
        Score Sheet

There are several other tools for evaluating the effectiveness of implementation of behavior plans:

· Self-Reflection Tool for BICM Related to PBSP/BIP
· BIP/PBSP Program Effectiveness Review  Worksheet

·  Checklist “Changing or Eliminating Non-Desired Behaviors”

·  Evaluating a School's Behavior Support Capacity

 

Need help addressing a challenging behavior? Ask a Specialist :  http://www.askaspecialist.ca.gov/

Emergency Mental Health Crisis? Children's Intensive Response Team (C.I.R.T.):