Policy 9400 Implementation Procedures - Student Behavior Intervention

Tier 1 supports are designed for all students with ongoing differentiation. These differentiated supports include school-wide and classroom Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), application of the HCPSS Equity Framework, established classroom routines/expectations, school counseling classroom lessons, restorative practices, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, and the facilitation of staff-student relationships.

Tier 2 supports include targeted interventions and/or supplemental instruction. Supports may include a Check In - Check Out system, mentoring, an emotional regulation/social skills group and/or additional instruction focused on SEL competencies.

Tier 3 supports include individualized interventions and intensive instruction. Supports may include individualized instruction, one-on-one counseling, implementation of a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) or Student Support Plan, and/or connection to community agencies for additional services (e.g., wraparound support),

HCPSS supports the implementation of the PBIS framework as a Tier 1 strategy for universal supports for all students.

It is recommended that each school will have a PBIS team with a designated PBIS coach, administrator, and school employees to define school-wide expectations and implement PBIS practices.

The PBIS team and/or School Improvement Team will review and analyze discipline data to identify student needs and then determine which Tier 1, 2 or 3 supports are needed to address those needs.

Data will also be used to assess equity outcomes for student groups who are disproportionately impacted by the discipline data.

HCPSS will provide training opportunities for all schools in the area of PBIS.

Understand how and why crisis events happen and how they may inadvertently contribute to them;

Prevent crises using a variety of supportive interaction and environmental strategies;

Understand de-escalation strategies;

Minimize the need for restraint; and Support Safety-Care® HCPSS certified employees during crises.

When a pattern of student behavior interferes with the child’s learning or the learning of others and/or has the potential for imminent, serious, physical harm to self and/or others, and the behaviors are repetitive and resistant to behavior interventions, the appropriate school-based problem-solving team will consider a functional assessment of the student’s behavior and the development of an individualized intervention plan.

An FBA may be recommended when:

Include trauma-informed and brain-based strategies.

Guides staff in self-reflection of personal emotional triggers when responding to student behavior.

Emphasizes implementation of co regulation techniques.

Teaches proactive and positive behavior management strategies to prevent escalation.

The Department of Special Education (DSE) includes a CCEIS team created specifically for addressing disproportionality in both identification and discipline.

In collaboration with the discipline work group and Department of Student Well Being employees, the DSE CCEIS team members work in identified schools where they carry out a variety of planned actions not limited to:

Students who have access to a Regulation Room in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) must always be granted access to this type of space when it is required to address the student’s needs.

Regulation Rooms allow students to reset their nervous system so that they can be available for learning.

Instruction in these areas will provide students with the necessary skills around how to effectively work through stressors and apply these strategies to effectively recover.

While the Regulation Room is one space designated in some schools, there may be additional spaces identified in a school building available to address this type of student need.

School teams may also have portable regulation kits/boxes that travel between classrooms.

Skill-Based Treatment (SBT) is a comprehensive and adaptable approach that is used to treat severe challenging behavior.

With a trauma-informed perspective, SBT focuses on creating joy and enriched environments for both students and HCPSS employees and uses the principles of applied behavior analysis to build skills with an emphasis on safety, dignity and rapport.

In an intensive, individualized intervention session, students are taught communication, toleration, and cooperation with a range of contextually appropriate behaviors.

SBT is informed by the PFA (Practical Functional Assessment), which is used in conjunction with and/or as a supplement to the typical FBA/BIP processes in HCPSS.

SBT is a well-established method for teaching a variety of skills and behaviors. It combines several learning strategies, such as instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback, to help individuals acquire and refine their abilities.

Ukeru is a trauma-informed approach used to respond to students with complex behavioral needs, with the main purpose to reduce the need for physical restraints.

Ukeru is intended to minimize the use of restraint.

It develops an understanding of trauma and its effects on the brain and behavior.

The training provides HCPSS employees with strategies to use to protect themselves and others when someone becomes aggressive.

Ukeru provides tools that can be used to protect those who engage in dangerous or self-injurious behavior.

Safety-Care® provides the skills and competencies necessary to effectively prevent, minimize, and manage behavioral challenges with dignity, respect, safety, and the possibility of change.

The training is a certification session that prepares HCPSS employees to work with students with and without disabilities.

It uses techniques based on Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

It provides staff with strategies for understanding how disabilities and/or trauma may manifest in school environments, but also assists staff in preventing, minimizing, and managing behavioral challenges by engaging in differential reinforcement, de-escalation, and other approaches.

Safety Care does train identified HCPSS employees in using physical restraint to protect, when necessary, a student or other person from imminent, serious, physical harm after other less intrusive, nonphysical interventions have failed or been demonstrated inappropriate.

Key components of Policy 9400;

Examples and non-examples of seclusion;

Who to contact when staff have questions about restraint, exclusion, and seclusion.

The name of the staff member,

The reason for the exclusion,

The amount of time in exclusion.

School administration and/or HCPSS student support employees will be notified to determine appropriate next steps.

Support or intervention will be initiated. Once support or intervention has been initiated, this event is no longer considered an exclusion.

The team will notify the parent of the following:

In applying physical restraint, HCPSS employees will not:

The team will explain that restraint will be used after discussion by the appropriate team and in a manner consistent with trauma-informed decision making. HCPSS employees will further explain that supportive counseling and nurse intervention are available if a student is restrained to ameliorate any negative effects from its use.

The team will review and provide the parent a copy of the relevant MSDE Restraint and Seclusion Frequently Asked Questions for physical restraint.

For students served in non-public settings, the team will provide the parent a copy of the relevant MSDE Restraint and Seclusion Frequently Asked Questions for physical restraint and seclusion.