RTI and Behavior: RTI and Behavior: Using BESST Web Using BESST Web

to Identify SEL Deficits to Identify SEL Deficits Within an RTI ModelWithin an RTI Model

Dan Ebbert Dan Ebbert

Paul CicciarelliPaul Cicciarelli

Presentation ObjectivesPresentation Objectives

Present history behind SEL in Illinois and the Present history behind SEL in Illinois and the need for universal screening of behaviorneed for universal screening of behavior

Describe essential components of universal Describe essential components of universal screening within an RTI frameworkscreening within an RTI framework

Discuss the features of BESST Web and how to Discuss the features of BESST Web and how to use BESST Web within an RTI frameworkuse BESST Web within an RTI framework

Answer your questions about BESST Web and Answer your questions about BESST Web and universal screening with BESST Webuniversal screening with BESST Web

What is SEL?What is SEL?

Definition: “A process for helping children Definition: “A process for helping children and even adults develop the fundamental and even adults develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness” (CASEL, 2009).skills for life effectiveness” (CASEL, 2009).SEL focuses on five core areas:SEL focuses on five core areas:1.) Self-awareness1.) Self-awareness2.) Self-management2.) Self-management3.) Social awareness3.) Social awareness4.) Interpersonal skills4.) Interpersonal skills5.) Responsible decision-making5.) Responsible decision-making

Research on SELResearch on SEL

When SEL improves there is also When SEL improves there is also improvement in:improvement in:– Attitudes (motivation and commitment)Attitudes (motivation and commitment)– Behavior (participation and study habits)Behavior (participation and study habits)– Performance (grades and subject mastery)Performance (grades and subject mastery)

Zins, Weisberg, Wand, & Walberg (2004)Zins, Weisberg, Wand, & Walberg (2004)

Research on SEL (cont.)Research on SEL (cont.)

There is also a correlation between good mental There is also a correlation between good mental health and:health and:– High motivation and aspirationsHigh motivation and aspirations– EffortEffort– Reduction in aggression and disruptionReduction in aggression and disruption– Good problem solving and planningGood problem solving and planning– Higher-level reasoning strategiesHigher-level reasoning strategies– Communication and social skillsCommunication and social skills– Interpersonal conflict managementInterpersonal conflict management

Zins, Weisberg, Wand, & Walberg (2004)Zins, Weisberg, Wand, & Walberg (2004)

Research on SEL (cont.)Research on SEL (cont.)

SEL lowers the risk of problems like SEL lowers the risk of problems like school violence and youthful drug and school violence and youthful drug and alcohol usealcohol use

SEL has also been shown to help SEL has also been shown to help facilitate academic learningfacilitate academic learning

Weissberg & Zins (2003)Weissberg & Zins (2003)

Happiness, optimism, and self-esteemHappiness, optimism, and self-esteem

Ability to connect with others and form Ability to connect with others and form meaningful, mutually respectful meaningful, mutually respectful relationshipsrelationships

Healthy eating habits and respect for their Healthy eating habits and respect for their bodiesbodies

Learning and achieving at an optimal levelLearning and achieving at an optimal level

Success in school and lifeSuccess in school and life

What does good mental healthWhat does good mental healthlook/feel like in children?look/feel like in children?

What does a lack of mental healthWhat does a lack of mental healthlook/feel like?look/feel like?

SadnessSadnessAnxietyAnxietyPessimismPessimismAnti-social behaviorAnti-social behaviorFear Fear AggressionAggressionLack of effortLack of effortNon-communicativeNon-communicativeLack of self-controlLack of self-control

The Need for SEL:Complying with NCLB

Under No Child Left Behind, Under No Child Left Behind, schools must establish plans for:schools must establish plans for:Being safe and drug-freeBeing safe and drug-freeClosing the achievement gap between high- and Closing the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students & between low-performing students & between disadvantaged children and their more disadvantaged children and their more advantaged peersadvantaged peersPreventing at-risk students from dropping out of Preventing at-risk students from dropping out of school school Implementing prevention programs that are Implementing prevention programs that are grounded in scientific research and provide grounded in scientific research and provide evidence of effectivenessevidence of effectiveness

Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act (ICMHA)(ICMHA)

2003 – Illinois General Assembly adopted 2003 – Illinois General Assembly adopted the Children’s Mental Health Actthe Children’s Mental Health ActRequired that ISBE develop social and Required that ISBE develop social and emotional learning standards (SEL)emotional learning standards (SEL)– Standards were developed and accepted in Standards were developed and accepted in

December 2004 December 2004

ICMHA (cont.)ICMHA (cont.)Every Illinois school district required to Every Illinois school district required to develop policy for incorporating SEL into develop policy for incorporating SEL into educational programeducational program

This involves:This involves:a.) teaching social and emotional skills a.) teaching social and emotional skills ANDAND

assessing children’s progress in acquiring assessing children’s progress in acquiring these skillsthese skills

b.) including protocols in responding to children b.) including protocols in responding to children with social, emotional, or mental health with social, emotional, or mental health problemsproblems

State of Illinois SEL GoalsState of Illinois SEL Goals

Social and emotional learning is the underpinning Social and emotional learning is the underpinning of good mental healthof good mental healthGoal 1Goal 1: Develop self-awareness and self-: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life management skills to achieve school and life successsuccessGoal 2Goal 2: Use social-awareness and interpersonal : Use social-awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive skills to establish and maintain positive relationshipsrelationshipsGoal 3Goal 3: Demonstrate decision-making skills and : Demonstrate decision-making skills and responsible behaviors in personal, school and responsible behaviors in personal, school and community contextscommunity contexts

ImplicationsImplications

School personnel are responsible for School personnel are responsible for implementing SEL standards (in IL)implementing SEL standards (in IL)But, how do we know which students or But, how do we know which students or classrooms need intervention?classrooms need intervention?– Answer: Assessment and comparison to Answer: Assessment and comparison to

peerspeers

So, what do we assess?So, what do we assess?– Answer: How well a student is able to perform Answer: How well a student is able to perform

or carry out each SEL skillor carry out each SEL skill

How do we assess this?How do we assess this?

Universal Screening within RTIUniversal Screening within RTI

Definition: “The systematic assessment of Definition: “The systematic assessment of all children within a given class, grade, all children within a given class, grade, school building, or school district, on school building, or school district, on academic and/or social-emotional academic and/or social-emotional indicators that the school personnel and indicators that the school personnel and community have agreed are important” community have agreed are important” (Deno, 2003).(Deno, 2003).

Universal Screening Needs to:Universal Screening Needs to:

Identify academic and/or behavior concerns in Identify academic and/or behavior concerns in need of additional assessmentneed of additional assessment

Show how each student is responding to core Show how each student is responding to core instructioninstruction

Show how many students are at-riskShow how many students are at-risk

Show which students are in need of additional Show which students are in need of additional assessmentassessment

Show what levels of resource support might be Show what levels of resource support might be needed to promote criterion-level performanceneeded to promote criterion-level performance

Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt (2008)(2008)

Universal Screening Needs to:Universal Screening Needs to:

Provide data to teachers so that they can Provide data to teachers so that they can differentiate instruction differentiate instruction

Be administered to an entire Be administered to an entire classroom/grade/school/district, using classroom/grade/school/district, using either an individual or group formateither an individual or group format

Have a reliability of .80Have a reliability of .80

Identify which and how many students Identify which and how many students differ from the standarddiffer from the standard

Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt (2008)Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt (2008)

Universal Screening Needs to:Universal Screening Needs to:

Have items that are sufficient to accurately Have items that are sufficient to accurately reflect changes in student performancereflect changes in student performance

Eliminate sources of bias as much as Eliminate sources of bias as much as possiblepossible

Be administered, scored, and interpreted Be administered, scored, and interpreted by people who have been adequately by people who have been adequately trainedtrained

Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt Ikeda, Nessen, & Witt (2008)(2008)

Universal Screening (cont.)Universal Screening (cont.)

Provides data to:Provides data to:a.) help determine if there are enhancements a.) help determine if there are enhancements

needed in the core curriculum, instruction, needed in the core curriculum, instruction, and/or general ed. environmentand/or general ed. environment

b.) guide decisions about supplemental or b.) guide decisions about supplemental or intensive instruction for those students who intensive instruction for those students who may require additional support beyond what is may require additional support beyond what is provided in core programmingprovided in core programming

Universal Screening (cont.)Universal Screening (cont.)

Data can be used with parents as a more Data can be used with parents as a more objective indication of:objective indication of:– How their child is doing in relation to grade-How their child is doing in relation to grade-

level standardslevel standards– How their child’s performance compares with How their child’s performance compares with

other children in the districtother children in the district– How their child’s performance has changed How their child’s performance has changed

over the course of the school yearover the course of the school year

Universal ScreeningUniversal ScreeningAcademic Behavioral

Tier 1: Universal InterventionsAll studentsPreventive,proactive

Tier 1: Universal InterventionsAll studentsPreventive,proactive

Tier 2: Targeted GroupInterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Tier 2: Targeted GroupInterventionsSome students (at-risk)High efficiencyRapid response

Tier 3: Intensive, IndividualInterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedIntense, durable procedures

Tier 3: Intensive, IndividualInterventionsIndividual StudentsAssessment-basedIntense, durable procedures

1-5%

5-10%

80-90%

1-5%

5-10%

80-90%

Universal screening occurs here

BESST Web BESST Web Focuses Focuses HereHere

Development of BESST WebDevelopment of BESST Web

BESST Web was designed specifically for BESST Web was designed specifically for schoolsschools

BESST Web is the only tool that informs BESST Web is the only tool that informs instruction as teachers complete it.instruction as teachers complete it.

BESST Web is also related to goals and BESST Web is also related to goals and objective on IEPsobjective on IEPs– Assists in the goal writing process for IEPsAssists in the goal writing process for IEPs

BESST Web Website TourBESST Web Website Tour

www.besstweb.comwww.besstweb.com

Why do Kids Fail?Why do Kids Fail?

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