C3 – Applying Implementation Science to State & District Level PBIS Systems

Steve Goodman, Michigan's Integrated Behavior & Learning Support Initiative

Carol Randall, Vermont Agency of Education

Maximizing Your Session Participation

When Working In Your Team

Consider 4 questions:

– Where are we in our implementation?

– What do I hope to learn?– What did I learn?– What will I do with what I learned?

Where are you in the implementation process?

Adapted from Fixsen & Blase, 2005

• We think we know what we need so we are planning to move forward (evidence-based)

Exploration & Adoption

• Let’s make sure we’re ready to implement (capacity infrastructure)

Installation

• Let’s give it a try & evaluate (demonstration)

Initial Implementation

• That worked, let’s do it for real and implement all tiers across all schools (investment)

• Let’s make it our way of doing business & sustain implementation (institutionalized use)

Full Implementation

Leadership Team Action Planning

Worksheets: StepsSelf-Assessment: Accomplishments & Priorities

Leadership Team Action Planning Worksheet

Session Assignments & Notes: High Priorities

Team Member Note-Taking Worksheet

Action Planning: Enhancements & Improvements

Leadership Team Action Planning Worksheet

Implementation Science: Overview

EFFECTIVE & USABLE INTERVENTIONSWhat exactly are people saying and doing that makes things better for children, adults, and families?

STAGES What steps lead to successful implementation?

DRIVERSWhat critical supports are needed to make this change? What is the infrastructure?

TEAMSWho takes responsibility for and helps guide the change process?

IMPROVEMENT CYCLESHow can we create more hospitable environments, efficiently solve problems and get better?

Making It Happen

Effective & Usable Interventions

Stages

Drivers

Cycles

Teams

©Copyright Dean Fixsen and Karen Blase 

Active Implementation Frameworks

Stages of ImplementationImplementation is not an event

The stages describe the current state of implementation within a district. The stages provide a framework to identify key activities and accomplishments that would expedite progress in implementation efforts. The speed at which schools/districts move through the stages of implementation vary, based on the experience of staff and allocation of resources.

Stages of ImplementationFocus Stage Description

Exploration/Adoption

Decision regarding commitment to adopting the program/practices and supporting successful implementation.

Installation Set up infrastructure so that successful implementation can take place and be supported. Establish team and data systems, conduct audit, develop plan.

Initial Implementation

Try out the practices, work out details, learn and improve before expanding to other contexts.

Elaboration Expand the program/practices to other locations, individuals, times- adjust from learning in initial implementation.

Continuous Improvement/Regeneration

Make it easier, more efficient. Embed within current practices.

Work to do it right!

Work to do it better!

Should we do it?

Implementation Drivers – Help to develop, improve, and sustain educators’

competence and confidence to implement effective educational practices and supports.

– Help ensure sustainability and improvement at the organization and systems level

– Help guide leaders to use the right leadership strategies for the situation

The Infrastructure for Change

Performance Assessment (fidelity)

Integrated & Compensatory

Com

pete

ncy

Driv

ers O

rganization Drivers

Leadership Drivers

Consistent and Competent Use of Effective Innovations

Better Outcomes for Students

Integrated & Compensatory

© Fixsen & Blase, 2008

How:

What:

Why:

Help to develop, improve, and sustain teachers’ and staff’s competence and confidence to implement effective practices

Help ensure sustainability and

improvement at the school and

District levels

Help guide leaders to use the right leadership strategies for the situation

Performance Assessment (fidelity)

Coaching

Training

Selection

Integrated & Compensatory

Systems Intervention

Facilitative Administration

Decision Support Data SystemC

ompe

tenc

y D

river

s Organization D

rivers

Leadership Drivers

Consistent and Competent Use of Effective Innovations

Better Outcomes for Students

Integrated & Compensatory

Implementation Drivers

© Fixsen & Blase, 2008

Pause, reflect and record…

APPLYING IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE TO STATE & DISTRICT LEVEL PBIS SYSTEMS

The Vermont Implementation Story

Population: 630,000

Schools: 300

Students: 80,000

SU/SD: 59

School boards: 285

PBIS Participation

2007:

3 schools in

1 supervisory union

2014:

128 schools (43%) in 50 supervisory

unions (85%)

School Staff,

Students & Families

District Team

School Leadershi

p Team

SU/District Leadership

Team

Regional Training & Coaching

StatePlanning

& Technical Assistan

ce

Feedback Loops

Support Loops

feedback and data on implementation

efforts

supports for effective practices implemented

with fidelity

Vermont’s Cascade

Lesson Learned: Training Capacity

SWIS-IS

IS

VTPB

iS In

tro For

um CPI

FBA/

BIP

Data

Days

Life

Spa

ce In

terv

entio

n

Unive

rsal (T

ier 1

)

Targ

eted

(Tier 2

)

Sum

mer

Institu

te

Social S

kills

Tier

1 R

eadine

ss

Trau

ma

Class

room

Man

agem

ent

Data

Day W

ebinar

Unive

rsal O

rient

ation

Targ

eted

Orie

ntat

ion

Inte

nsive

Orient

ation

Wra

paro

und

Orient

ation

Unive

rsal S

cree

ning

Swift

at S

WIS

0

20

40

60

80

100

SY 14 Professional Learning Events: % Highly Satisfied and Satisfied

Lesson Learned: Coaching Capacity

Coaching Delivery Model Defined

at each level of the cascade across implementation stages selection, training, TA & accountability delivery method

The Vermont PBIS Framework for Technical Assistance, Coaching and Coordination is on our website.

Gradual Release and Transfer

build capacity at the regional, SU/District and school levels

recursive process with new practices

“A coach is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary.”

Thomas Carruthers

select the correct tool and learn it well systems: roles, time and access

Lesson Learned: Capacity to Use Data

On the Vermont horizon….

Capacity building for scale-up of Multi-tiered System of Supports

New way of seeing things

Shifting gears

Irreversible

Transformation to something quite different

Requires new learning

A NEW story is told

Second Order Change

Vermont’s Multi-tiered System of Supports

Effective Collaboration

Expertise (Well Designed Professional Learning)

High Quality Instruction and Intervention

Comprehensive and Balanced Assessment System

Systemic and Comprehensive Approach

Five Components

VT MTSS Field Guide & Self

Assessment

SWIFT

K-12 vtMTSSPBIS

(MTSS-B)School Effectiveness

Indicators

State-wide Context SettingVermont’s Education Quality Standards

host

environment

Vermont Aligned AYP Indicators of Effective Practices with the 5 Components of VT MTSS

K-12 vtMTSS: We will meet you where you are and support you in reaching

your VT MTSS vision for ALL learners.

Fidelity to the model with differentiation in starting point and timeline

External Systems Coach

Build Capacity in SU/School Leadership Team

Dialog about WHY VT MTSS? Launch the VT MTSS Self-Assessment Facilitate VT MTSS Implementation Rubrics Guide the Data2Action process

Fidelity Conversation: Strengths and Areas for Attention

components

Created by Vermont Reads Institute and Vermont Statewide Steering Committee on RTII

Implementation Conversation: What is our capacity to implement…?

drivers

stages

components

VT AOE – State Personnel Development Grant

Actionable Information Applied to Continuous Improvement Planning

continuous

improvement

Adapted from Western Heights Independent School District, PLC Data Analysis Template 2008

Training and Support for Content:Build Capacity of Instructional Staff

MathLiteracyBehavior UDL

Don’t reinvent the wheel!

What are your questions?

Michigan Example

http://miblsi.cenmi.org

A statewide structure to create capacity for an integrated Behavior and Reading Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that can be implemented with fidelity, is sustainable over time and utilizes data-based decision making at all levels of implementation support

Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi)

Model Demonstration: Does it work in a specific

setting with a specific population?

Replications:Can it be reproduced in different settings with different populations? Scale-Up:

Increase “reach” of practice to critical mass

of implementation

Embed within existing work: Provide access as

current practice

Examine Feasibility/Efficacy of Practice Being Developed

Modifying System for Standard Practice

Invest heavily in resources to produce results

Utilize typical/existing resources

Moving from Model Demonstration to Standard Practice

Why we moved from school to district model…

Schools do not always get to criteria for fidelity of implementation.

Schools do not always maintain implementation efforts.

Supporting a school based participation model cannot be scaled and is not durable as district based.

Provides guidance, visibility, funding, political support for MiBLSi

Students

Building Staff

Building Leadership Team

LEA District Cabinet and

Implementation Team

Across State

Multiple ISD/LEA Teams

All staff

All students

Multiple schools w/in local district

Provides guidance, visibility, funding, political support, and implementation supports

Provides coaching and TA for LEA and/or ISD Teams

Provides guidance and manages implementation

Provides effective practices to support students

Improved behavior and reading

ISD Cabinet and Implementation

Team

Regional Technical

Assistance

MichiganDepartment of

Education/MiBLSi Leadership

Multiple LEAs w/in intermediate district

Provides guidance, visibility, funding, political support, and implementation supports

Statewide Structure of Support

Who is supported?

How is support provided?

Building Team

Local Education

Agency Team

Intermediate School

District Team

State Education

Agency Team

Practices (Innovation)

Supporting Infrastructure

(Implementation)

Grade Level Team

Framework for Addressing Practice and Supports

Teacher

Con

text

ual F

ocus

Con

text

ual F

ocus

Unit of Implementation

Focus on Practices Focus on Support

Cabinet Level Team Implementation Planning Team

• Vision

• Political support

• Priority

• Visibility

• Allocation of resources

• Barrier busting

• Collect, summarize, evaluate data

• Develop district plan

• Coordinate and monitor plan

• Create/modify materials and tools

• Identify barriers to implementation

Coordination

1

2

3

Leadership Function of District Teams

Transformational Process: Developing “Host Environments” for MTSS Implementation with Fidelity

Existing System of Practice

Transformation Zone: Make it easy to change

Desired System of Practice: Make it easy to sustain

Implementation Teams• Analyze existing system

of practice

• Develop Plan

• Coordinate and monitor Create/modify materials

• Identify barriers to implementation

• Modify plan for continuous improvement

• Adjust system to address new challenges/pressures to implementation fidelity

• Coordinate and monitor

Multi-Tiered System of Support Supports (MTSS)

Structure

MTSS Delivery

Local Education Agencies

Schools

Intermediate School District (ISD)

Cabinet Team Liaison

Implementation Team

MTSS Coordinator

MTSS Technical Assistance /Professional Development Providers

VisionPriorityFundingPolitical support

PlanningCoordinationTechnical Support

TrainingCoachingTechnical Assistance

FeedbackLoop

Stages of ImplementationFocus Stage Description

Exploration/Adoption

Decision regarding commitment to adopting the program/practices and supporting successful implementation.

Installation Set up infrastructure so that successful implementation can take place and be supported. Establish team and data systems, conduct audit, develop plan.

Initial Implementation

Try out the practices, work out details, learn and improve before expanding to other contexts.

Elaboration Expand the program/practices to other locations, individuals, times- adjust from learning in initial implementation.

Continuous Improvement/Regeneration

Make it easier, more efficient. Embed within current practices.

Work to do it right!

Work to do it

better!

Should we do it?

Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Admin Teams

Focus of Work: 2012- 2014

ISD Cabinet

LEA Cabinet

LEA Implementation Team

ISD Implementation Team

LEA Implementation Team

Exploration/AdoptionInstallationInitial Implementation

School Teams

Admin Teams

ISD Implementation Team

Developing the structures to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) develop support structures or to directly support school implementation

District Cohort 1District Cohort 2Readiness work for District Cohort 3

Developing Intermediate School District (ISD)

Infrastructure

District Cohort 1District Cohort 2Readiness work for District Cohort 3LEA

Developing LEA Infrastructure

Accessing implementation support from ISD

District Cohort 1District Cohort 2Readiness work for District Cohort 3LEASchool

Training School Teams

Accessing implementation support from LEA or ISD

The number of schools to be selected for involvement in your training plan will depend on the constant tension of three factors regarding implementation

Resource Allocation

Implementation Timeframe

Implementation Quality

Support for first 50 schools (model demonstrations)Support for first 500 schools (learning how to scale and support implementation in complex systems)Support for scaling and beyond (becoming standard practice of how we do education)

Lessons Learned

• Use existing structures to scale up the work

• No new funding available, need to be creative with existing funding stream

• Re-allocate staff• Organize around efficiencies to

make room for the work

Supporting Infrastructure

• Emphasize adoption of critical non-negotiable “Big Ideas”

• Allow for contextual variations in implementation of “Big Ideas”

Local Context Counts