Throughout this month’s December Friday 5s, we have been unpacking the PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). Thus far, we have examined ways to effectively establish teaming processes, teach and reteach expectations, coordinate high quality professional learning and strengthen our feedback and acknowledgement systems. This week we will focus on TFI features 1.10 and 1.11. These features ask that teachers be shown data at least four times each year, and that staff, students, families, and community members annually provide input on universal foundations (expectations, acknowledgements, problem behavior definitions, and consequences). The following tips offer strategies for school staff as they identify ways MTSS implementation can be guided by staff involvement and partnership with students and families.
- Offer regular opportunities to grow teacher investment.
Sharing schoolwide data with teachers, inviting them to share in the celebration, problem-solving and decision-making, can have a positive impact on achieving the valued outcomes identified by your school. When sharing data with staff, it is important to provide as much detail as possible, describing the who, what, where, when, and potential why, to support effective problem analysis and effective solution development. Some examples of data sharing practices, shared in a recent pbis.org brief (Martinez et al., 2019) include: establishing a regular schedule of communications through faculty meetings, emails, bulletin boards, information in mailboxes, newsletters, school-wide announcements, and virtual presentations and videos.
When teachers observe progress from the actions taken to reach goals, they are more likely to embrace the practices or interventions that are being implemented, particularly when their input is sought and utilized. A recent ASCD article, School Leaders: If You Want Feedback, Ask for It (David-Lang, 2022), shares several strategies for gathering meaningful feedback from teachers, including: one-on-one meetings, school event debriefs, office hours, focus groups, and online surveys.
- Establish the role of students and families as partners.
As goals are developed within your school or broadly across the division, consider how the role of students and families supports those goals. Before partnership can be established, leaders must cast a vision for stakeholder engagement – framing students and families as more than receivers of information, but as partners in decision-making. Here is one example from the Family and Community Engagement Office in Virginia Beach City Public Schools who promoted family engagement efforts across the division by inviting staff to share creative strategies and events through a fun BINGO campaign. Consider how students can be supported to initiate similar campaigns highlighting student leadership within a school or across the division.
In addition, be willing to engage in problem-solving and decision-making “with” students and parents by building bridges to cultivate a welcoming environment. Seek to take in a broad range of students’ and families’ stories and unique experiences and understand and embrace their unique contribution to the school community (Witte et al., 2021). Once school staff understand the value of partnership with students and families, teams may also need additional support envisioning what partnership and shared decision making looks like. 10 PBIS Tips for Partnering with Families offers teams several ideas for practical ways to begin this work (Lines, Dascher & Bayus, 2012).
- Meet students and families where they are.
When implementing initiatives, programs, or campaigns, it is critical to assess the needs of staff, students and families to ensure that their feedback is used to guide action plans. In addition, when we value families as partners, we offer opportunities for involvement that include translation, flexibility with locations and schedules, and the necessary support to allow for full participation and engagement (Witte et al., 2021). Consider holding information sessions, focus groups, or school events in places known by families (e.g. community centers and agencies, public libraries, civic organizations, social clubs or organizations, places of worship, etc.). Skating with Scholars at the Sk8 House held by Denbigh Early Childhood Center and the BC Charles ES’ Paperback Pals Literacy Night held at Paperbacks Ink Bookstore are two examples showcased in the recent Newport News Public Schools school and community event calendar (NNPS, 2023). Another example is a community-engaged initiative in Pittsburg called the Be There Campaign (BTC) that offered the opportunity to share resources between schools, parents, and members in the community focused on creating a collective “rallying cry” for regular school attendance.
- Promote success by sharing data with families and students.
The Harvard Family Research Project (2013) shares three tip sheets that outline practices that support effective data-sharing that can be used by administrators, teachers and families. Check out page nine that offers examples from three schools who have identified creative ways to share data with families and students to support increased attendance rates, parent-teacher partnership during conferences, and student growth through student-led conferences.
- Invite community partners to collaborate within a shared vision.
When thinking about how to engage community partners, consider how organizations can support common goals. When deciding who to engage, the National PTA urges school staff to consider ways that potential partners’ missions overlap with school goals (National PTA, 2023). They share that staff and family members can do this by asking: What can these organizations potentially bring to a collaborative relationship with the school that would be useful, valuable or a resource in advocating for children? Watch the following videos to learn more about how Booker T. Washington High School (NPS, 2023) and Ingleside Elementary School (NPS, 2023) in Norfolk, VA partner with community organizations to provide innovative and engaging opportunities for their students. For more ideas, check out the following menu from the National Education Association (2021): 95 Ways to Engage Members through Family & Community Outreach.
References
Witte, A., Singleton, F., Smith, T., & Hershfeldt , P. (June, 2021). Enhancing Family-School Collaboration with Diverse Families. Center on PBIS, University of Oregon. https://assets-global.website-files.com/5d3725188825e071f1670246/60d37e1c2d5624e177b86a56_Enhancing%20Family%E2%80%93School%20Collaboration%20with%20Diverse%20Families.pdf
Harvard Family Research Project. (2013). Tips For Administrators, Teachers, And Families: How To Share Data Effectively. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from https://archive.globalfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/fckeditor/File/7-DataSharingTipSheets-HarvardFamilyResearchProject.pdf
Lines, C., Dascher, C., & Bayus, J. (2012). 10 PBIS Tips For Partnering With Families. Colorado Dept. of Education – RtI/PBIS Office. Retrieved from https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/tentips_pbis_partneringfamilies
Martinez, S., Kern, L., Flannery, B., White, A., Freeman, J., & George, H. P. (2019). High School PBIS Implementation: Staff Buy-In. OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. https://assets-global.website-files.com/5d3725188825e071f1670246/5d82b605cf90c9931b47a4dd_High%20School%20PBIS%20Implementation-%20Staff%20Buy-In.pdf.
National PTA. (2023) Multicultural Reference Guide for PTA Leaders. Retrieved from https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/runyourpta/2023/diversity-equity-inclusion/pta-multicultural-reference-guide.pdf
Norfolk Public Schools. (2023, October 3) Community & Faith Based Partnerships with Our Schools: Ingleside Elementary School. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXQhLYC6oJE
Norfolk Public Schools. (2023, October 3) Community & Faith Based Partnerships with Our Schools: Booker T. Washington High School. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn9hLum_I-Q
David-Lang, J. (2022, April 1). School Leaders: If You Want Feedback, Ask for It. ASCD. Retrieved from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/school-leaders-if-you-want-feedback-ask-for-it
National Education Association. (2021). 95 Ways to Engage Members through Family & Community Outreach. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/NEA%20Calendar%20%281%29.pdf.
NNPS. (2023). Upcoming School and Community Events. Newport News Family and Community Engagement. Retrieved from https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/face/doc/calendarofevents.pdf
