SSF Lever 4:

Behavior Support and Responsive Practices

Behavior Support and Responsive Practices is a continuum of proactive and responsive discipline strategies that reinforce the school’s focus on growth, learning, and long-term changes in behavior. In addition to the requirements in Chapter 37, this consists of both positive reinforcement and responsive consequences with a corrective teaching component when necessary. Responsive practices assist schools in creating an environment where all stakeholders are safe, and students are held accountable and accept responsibility for their actions.

  • Establish a common language and expectations to create a positive and productive atmosphere

    • Key Practice 4.1.1: Behavioral Data

      • Use behavior data to plan proactive supports. 

    • Key Practice 4.1.2: Clear Behavioral Expectations

      • Establish three to five common expectations across district and campus. 

    • Key Practice 4.1.3: Use of Varied Reinforcers

      • Reinforce desired behavior with immediate praise and an array of varied, meaningful reinforcers.

  • Teach structured, expected behavior and skills, including clear guidelines, to create a cohesive learning environment

    • Key Practice 4.2.1: Academic Teaching Model

      • Instruct expectations using an academic teaching model.

    • Key Practice 4.2.2: Teach Replacement Behavior

      • Focus on replacement behavior over inappropriate behavior.

    • Key Practice 4.2.3: Structured Expectations

      • Implement a predictable and structured environment.

  • Address and manage behavior constructively through a continuum of response

    • Key Practice 4.3.1: Range of Behavioral Classroom Interventions

      • Employ a range of interventions for problem behavior that are documented and delivered consistently.

    • Key Practice 4.3.2: Behavior Management Protocols

      • Determine a campus-wide continuum: office-managed, behavior support team–assisted, or classroom-managed behavior.

    • Key Practice 4.3.3: Learning-oriented Consequences

      • Incorporate common redirections or consequences with a focus on learning, reteaching, and practicing expected behavior.

    • Key Practice 4.3.4: Range of Behavioral Office Interventions

      • Aim to address the root causes of behavior and/or skills deficit.

  • Train staff in fair, consistent, equitable discipline practices, incorporating skills-deficit and root-cause training

    • Key Practice 4.4.1: Training on Behavior Support and Responsive Practices

      • Train staff in positive behavior support, responsive practices, root cause analysis, and classroom management techniques.

    • Key Practice 4.4.2: Restorative Practices

      • Utilize and train restorative approaches to repair relationships and increase accountability to the community.

    • Key Practice 4.4.3: Consistent Strategies Process

      • Implement and teach consistent prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies across settings.

    • Key Practice 4.4.4: Best Practices in Conflict Resolution

      • Equip staff with conflict resolution techniques to address heightened situations among families, students, and staff members.

  • Provide interventions focusing on engagement, attendance, and root causes of attendance issues

    • Key Practice 4.5.1: Attendance Data Monitoring System

      • Monitor data to assist in identifying and addressing trends and patterns.

    • Key Practice 4.5.2: Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy Prevention

      • Provide interventions focusing on engagement, attendance, and root causes of attendance issues.

    • Key Practice 4.5.3: Provide Engaging Instruction

      • Increase relationships and engaging instruction to impact attendance positivity.

  • Create an environment that encourages positive behavior and learning through increased support from the BST (TBSI) team

    • Key Practice 4.6.1: Availability of Behavior Support Team

      • Create availability for responsive support to provide students with effective instruction, including clear communication of expectations, shaping of behaviors, and reinforcement of responses.

    • Key Practice 4.6.2: Continuum of Proactive Support

      • Identify and implement a continuum of proactive support.

  • Identify, teach, and transfer positive school behaviors to prepare students to engage in learning and in lifelong success

    • Key Practice 4.7.1: Teach Positive Social Behaviors

      • Identify, teach, and transfer positive social behaviors across all settings.

    • Key Practice 4.7.2: Align Positive Behaviors with Expectations

      • Connect positive behaviors with common school-wide expectations.