Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

183 Pages·2017·2.17 MB·English

Aligning and Integrating
Family Engagement in Positive
Behavioral Interventions and
Supports (PBIS)
Concepts and Strategies for Families
and Schools in Key Contexts
edited by
Mark D. Weist
S. Andrew Garbacz
Kathleen Lynne Lane
Don Kincaid
Aligning and Integrating
Family Engagement in Positive
Behavioral Interventions and
Supports (PBIS)
Concepts and Strategies for Families
and Schools in Key Contexts
EDITORS
Mark D. Weist UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
S. Andrew Garbacz UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
Kathleen Lynne Lane UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Don Kincaid UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Acknowledgements
We are very grateful for the support of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Technical Assistance Center,
funded by the Office of Special Education Programs of the U. S. Department of Education. We thank center leaders, George
Sugai, Rob Horner, and Tim Lewis for the opportunity to develop and disseminate this e-book. We express our sincere
appreciation to Ashley Quell and Aylin Ulker from USC for significant help with the e-book as lead editorial associates.
Recommended Reference
Weist, M. D., Garbacz, S. A., Lane, K. L., & Kincaid, D. (2017). Aligning and integrating family engagement in Positive
Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Concepts and strategies for families and schools in key contexts. Center for
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S.
Department of Education). Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Press.
First published 2017
by University of Oregon
1235 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1235
This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (H326S130004).
Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S.
Department of Education.
Project Officer: Dr. Renee Bradley
Typset in Adobe Garamond Pro and Museo Slab
by Robin Spoerl.
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
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Supports (PBIS): Concepts and Strategies for Families and Schools in Key Contexts
Contents
CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION 1
Enhancing Progress for Meaningful Family Engagement in all Aspects of Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
Mark D. Weist, S. Andrew Garbacz, Kathleen Lynne Lane, & Don Kincaid
%
Chapter correspondent: Mark D. Weist, [email protected]
CHAPTER 2 9
Family Engagement Foundations: Supporting Children and Families
S. Andrew Garbacz, Amanda L. Witte, & Sadie N. Houck
%
Chapter correspondent: S. Andrew Garbacz, [email protected]
CHAPTER 3 31
Engaging Families Through School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: Building Partnerships
Across Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
Timothy J. Lewis, Barbara S. Mitchell, Robert Horner, & George Sugai
%
Chapter correspondent: Timothy Lewis, [email protected]
CHAPTER 4 43
Translating Family Engagement Strategies to Practice in Local Sites Implementing PBIS
Devon Minch, Don Kincaid, Veronica Tremaine, & Regina Thomas
%
Chapter correspondent: Devon Minch, [email protected]
CHAPTER 5 71
Promoting Family Engagement in Schools through Interconnected PBIS and School Mental Health
Kelly Perales, Lucille Eber, Susan Barrett, Ashley Quell, Aylin Ulker, & Mark D. Weist
%
Chapter correspondent: Kelly Perales, [email protected]
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
iii
Supports (PBIS): Concepts and Strategies for Families and Schools in Key Contexts
CHAPTER 6 84
Implementing Partnerships with Families to Promote the Social and Emotional
Competence of Young Children
Lise Fox & Judy Swett
%
Chapter correspondent: Lise Fox, [email protected]
CHAPTER 7 98
Strategies for Effective Family Engagement in Elementary and Middle Schools
Rebecca L. Fix, Ashley Mayworm, Gwendolyn M. Lawson, Kimberly D. Becker,
Nancy A. Lever, Sharon Hoover
%
Chapter correspondent: Sharon Hoover, [email protected]
CHAPTER 8 120
Enhancing Family Engagement through Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports in High School
Jennifer Freeman, Christopher Vatland, Janet VanLone,
Terry Mitchell-Morgan, & Don Kincaid
%
Chapter correspondent: Jennifer Freeman, [email protected]
CHAPTER 9 141
Aligning Family Engagement Strategies with Key School Contexts and Themes
Bob Stevens, Mitchell Yell, June Jenkins, Lisa Herring, Christina Pate,
Leora Wolf-Prusan, & Ashley Quell
%
Chapter correspondent: Bob Stevens, [email protected]
CHAPTER 10 172
Navigating Education Systems and PBIS from the Perspective of a Parent and Teacher
Amy Murphy
%
Chapter correspondent: Amy Murphy, [email protected]
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
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Supports (PBIS): Concepts and Strategies for Families and Schools in Key Contexts
ChAPtEr OnE
CHAPTER ONE
Enhancing Progress for Meaningful Family
Engagement in all Aspects of Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports and Multi-Tiered
Systems of Support
Mark D. Weist UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
S. Andrew Garbacz UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
Kathleen Lynne Lane UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Don Kincaid UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Increasingly, staff and leaders from all youth pate in (see Hart, 1997; Smit, Driessen, Sleegers,
serving systems including education, mental & Teelken, 2008).
health, child welfare, juvenile justice, disabil- However, a new paradigm is emerging and
ities, primary healthcare and others are recogniz- gaining strength, characterized by equal part-
ing the paradigm of professional “experts” telling nerships among children, youth, families, and
children, youth and families what they should youth-serving staff and leaders, and the research
be doing is not effective (Brandt et al., 2013; base is growing and documenting that when
Hill & Tyson, 2009; McDaniel, Schiele, Taylor, these partnerships are in place positive educa-
Haak, & Weist, 2014; Rechsly & Christenson, tional, health, mental health, social and occu-
2012). This directive, hierarchical model sug- pational outcomes for youth are promoted (see
gests superiority of the professional over the stu- Brandt et al., 2014; Reschly & Christenson,
dent or family member, promotes distance in the 2012). This is true for the field of Positive
relationship and negative reactions and feelings, Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
and decreases the likelihood of positive change and related Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
occurring (see Bickham et al., 1998; Fette et al., (MTSS; both defined and reviewed in more
2009). Yet, these models perpetuate as in real- detail in the next two chapters) and efforts to
ity children, youth and families have little voice bring more comprehensive mental health ser-
about what happens in the systems they partici- vices to children and youth, where they are, in
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
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one of the most universally encountered envi- to support children and adolescents across set-
ronments of schools. tings (see Fette et al., 2009; Sheridan, Knoche,
This e-book, supported by the Technical Kupzyk, Edwards, & Marvin, 2011; Chapters 2,
Assistance Center for PBIS funded by the Office 3 and 7, this volume). Contrary to prior descrip-
of Special Education Programs comprehensively tions of family involvement, which emphasized
reviews reasons for and ways to significantly family participation and one-directional (school
enhance family engagement in schools, toward to home) communication, family engagement
improved tiered systems involving promotion/ focuses on supporting and empowering fam-
prevention, early intervention, and interven- ily members to engage as equal partners, and
tion for students, contributing to removed and using culturally responsive strategies and multi-
reduced academic and non-academic barri- directional communication that facilitate equal
ers to learning, and improved academic, social, access and opportunity (Mapp & Hong, 2010).
emotional, behavioral, and occupational out- Please also note that a variety of terms are
comes for them. Following the example of used throughout the e-book to refer to founda-
other e-books and monographs the center has tional frameworks, including Positive Behavioral
supported (see Barrett, Eber, & Weist, 2013; Interventions and Supports (PBIS), School-wide
McIntosh, Girvin, Horner, Smolkowski, & Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBIS), Multi-
Sugai, 2014), the intent of this e-book is to tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), School
broadly disseminate and make accessible a free, Mental Health (SMH), and other variations (e.g.,
downloadable resource (on www.pbis.org) that PBIS: MTSS). Rather than prescribing terms for
can be used by families, schools, collaborating the e-book, we recognize that language will vary,
staff from other youth-serving systems, policy and that is the nature of scholarship and efforts
makers, educators/practitioners, government to improve systems for children and youth.
officials, advocates, university staff and others to Following this introductory chapter, the
advance family engagement in PBIS/MTSS in e-book includes information on foundations of
realms of policy, research, and practice, and to family engagement (FE), review of FE in rela-
promote linked progress across these realms. tion to PBIS/MTSS, strategies for application
Please note that in preparing this e-book, of ideas in local sites, moving toward intercon-
we did not identify a universally accepted defini- nected approaches across systems, promoting
tion of family engagement, but dimensions and FE across student developmental levels from
elements of family engagement are available. For pre-Kindergarten through high school, and
the purposes here, we define family engagement addressing the unique needs of particular popu-
as an active, interactive, dynamic, and ongo- lations of students and emphasizing the critical
ing process in which family members and key theme of cultural competence. Voices of family
stakeholders engage as equal partners in deci- members are prominent throughout the e-book,
sion-making, planning, and implementation with family members providing ideas and guid-
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
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ance on each chapter, and a concluding chapter tional and behavioral problems associated with
by a family member with significant experience many negative outcomes for them (e.g., dropout,
with PBIS/MTSS. Key themes from each of the underemployment, incarceration), their families
chapters are briefly reviewed here. (e.g., very high levels of stress, at times having
In Chapter 2, on Foundations of Family adversarial relationships with schools) and the
Engagement, Andy Garbacz, Amanda Witte schools (e.g., contributing to teachers leaving
and Sadie Houck review literature that power- the field related to feeling unsupported). In real-
fully documents benefits of families being truly ity, in schools, most efforts to engage families
engaged in the work of schools, emphasizing the occur in relation to students being assessed for
importance of family-centered practices that are or receiving special education services, with sig-
active in seeking and honoring family voice and nificant gaps in family engagement for students
guidance in all aspects of planning, treating fam- in general education. Authors review strategies
ilies with respect and dignity, and actively break- for using data, implementing evidence-based
ing down barriers and promoting proactive and practices, and having systems to support effec-
flexible strategies to make genuine FE a reality. tive universal practices at Tier 1, prevention and
There are evidence-based frameworks to increase early intervention at Tier 2, and intervention
the likelihood of these processes, but signifi- at Tier 3, with guidance on involving families
cant work is needed to increase the application (defined broadly) in all of these processes.
of these frameworks and address commonly In Chapter 4, Devon Minch, Don Kincaid,
encountered problems such as the negative spi- and parent leaders Veronica Dominguez and
raling that occurs for families with students with Regina Thomas review strategies to increase
challenging emotional and behavioral problems, family engagement in local sites. Increasingly,
which contributes to reduced family engage- research documents that genuine family engage-
ment, and worsening emotional and behavioral ment in schools helps to close achievement gaps
challenges (and reduced family engagement and turn around under-performing schools, yet
and so on). Families desire more support from “schools continue to struggle to move beyond
schools than they are receiving and the chapter random acts of engagement” (p. 43). Building
concludes with powerful recommendations for on decades of research, the authors present keys
increasing this support. for maximizing the impact of effective family
In Chapter 3, PBIS National Center engagement in schools. Critical factors include
Directors, Tim Lewis, Rob Horner, and George assuring coherence and consistency between and
Sugai, along with Barbara Mitchell review fun- within school environments, support by educa-
damental concepts of school-wide positive tors for family members to communicate their
behavior supports and family engagement. The educational expectations and aspirations for their
chapter underscores the public health signifi- children, and emphasizing quality vs. quantity
cance of this work with challenging student emo- of genuine two-way interactions between fami-
Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and
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Supports (PBIS): Concepts and Strategies for Families and Schools in Key Contexts
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lies and school staff and leaders. Efforts need to implementing evidence-based programs within
move beyond simply inviting families to school the tiered systems. Training and implementa-
events, to real inclusive and collaborative prob- tion support involves systematic “onboarding”
lem solving with families as equal partners. A of families, mental health staff and staff from
comprehensive framework developed in Florida other youth-serving systems (e.g., child welfare,
– the Family and Community Engagement juvenile justice) to orient them to the culture
Innovation Configuration (FACE-IC) is pre- of schools toward the vision of these fami-
sented, offering clear guidance to schools to lies and staff becoming a part of the school (vs.
promote family engagement in dimensions of being viewed as outsiders). In this collaborative
leadership, data-based goals and outcomes, mul- approach, exemplifying the “shared agenda” of
tidimensional approaches across the multi-tiered school and community staff and families work-
framework, positive relationships, empower- ing together, layered and connected interven-
ing families, collaborative problem solving, cul- tions are implemented and matched to student
tural responsiveness, and alignment of efforts. needs toward achieving a broader set of aca-
Implementing the framework requires school demic, social, emotional, and behavioral health
leaders to invest in personal outreach to fami- outcomes for students and families.
lies, communicating genuine interest in them, In Chapter 6, Lise Fox and Judy Swett
assuring that accountability mechanisms for FE present ideas for partnerships with families to
are in place, and for relationships with them to promote social and emotional competence of
be characterized by “predictability, dependabil- young children, describing the Pyramid Model.
ity, and faith.” Systematic guidance and a wealth of examples
Chapter 5 reflects work of a national work- are presented at every tier for strategies to “wel-
group focused on interconnecting PBIS with come and support diverse families…learn from
more comprehensive mental health services them…partner with them…and provide the
(e.g., involving community mental health cli- supports they need to optimize their child’s
nicians) in schools. Kelly Perales, Lucille Eber, development.” (p. 86). Families serve as active
Susan Barrett and colleagues from this work- members on leadership teams, and partnerships
group review strategies for family engagement with them are characterized by “respect, equity,
within this context of education, mental health and inclusion.” Schools will often exclude fami-
and other youth serving systems working pur- lies for invalid reasons (e.g., families are too busy,
posefully and collaboratively together. Based on would not be interested in more involvement,
an Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF, see cannot be involved in reviewing data), and in
Barrett, Eber, & Weist, 2013) efforts challenge the Pyramid Model, teams work to counter
limited “co-located” approaches toward mutu- these objectives and overcome common barri-
ally supportive and blended teams of school ers (e.g., family needs for childcare, language
and community staff and family members differences) to assure authentic family engage-
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ment. Innovative ideas for involving families in As in prior chapters, family members are equal
programming within tiered system at each level collaborators in this work, involved in open dis-
of prevention (Tiers 1, 2, and 3) are presented, cussion with staff from schools and collaborat-
including having photos of family members and ing community agencies on strengths, success,
images of various cultures in classrooms, having challenges and barriers and ways to overcome
an “open-door” policy for family visits, develop- them and to improve tiered systems, informed
ing parent information centers, training parents by the family perspective.
and having them wear “ask me about PBIS” but- Jennifer Freeman, Christopher Vatland,
tons, and having meetings with families in their Janet VanLone and Terry Mitchell-Morgan pres-
homes and community settings. ent strategies for promoting family engagement
Reflecting work of a federally funded in high schools in Chapter 8. After presenting lit-
national center for school mental health (at the erature on the critical importance of high school
University of Maryland, see http://csmh.uma- graduation for the individual and society, they
ryland.edu), in Chapter 7, Rebecca Fix, Ashley present the challenge that family engagement
Mayworm, Nancy Lever, Sharon Stephan and clearly promotes academic success and gradu-
colleagues review approaches to enhance family ation, yet typically declines in the high school
engagement for students in elementary and mid- years. Other challenges in the high school setting
dle schools. They provide a definition of fam- include typically large sizes of schools, signifi-
ily engagement from the work of a Community cant academic pressure on students, and a struc-
of Practice focused on this theme by Fette et al. ture characterized by different departments, that
(2009), and review key cross-cutting themes such reflect different content areas and in some cases,
as: the importance of positive expectations for cultures. For family engagement to advance in
family engagement, purposeful efforts to reduce high schools, it is essential for it to be a priority
stigma of behavioral health services, and moving for the district and for school leadership teams
beyond persisting problematic practices, such that include family members. Freeman and col-
as most communication from schools to homes leagues present step by step guidance on enhanc-
being negative (i.e., in relation to a student aca- ing family engagement in high schools including
demic or behavioral problem). Ideas from a pro- articulating clear short- and long-term goals,
gram of research by Becker, Buckingham and developing “antecedent strategies” that increase
Brandt (2015) are presented that inform fam- the likelihood of family engagement, using val-
ily engagement at all levels in tiered systems. idated data systems, building communication
For example, through “accessibility promotion” approaches to reflect multiple perspectives, and
emphasis is placed on rapidly getting relevant supporting effective practices at all tiers within
information and resources (using an array of tiered systems. For youth in high schools in need
media and formats) to families at specific times of Tier 3 services, the work can be even more
and in locations that are convenient for them. challenging, underscoring the need for high
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Supports (PBIS): Concepts and Strategies for Families and Schools in Key Contexts