Stakeholder Views on Implementing Positive Behaviour Interventions and Support (PBIS) in Australian Schools: The Process, Parent Involvement and Systems Improvements

Author(s):

Michelle Rose(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

14. Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

14 SES 04 B, School-Related Transitions Within a Life Course Perspective II

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-09

09:00-10:30

Room:

109.Oktatóterem [C]

Chair:

Cath Gristy

Contribution

Positive Behaviour Interventions and Support (PBIS) originated in the United States (OSEP Center on PBIS) and is a prevention framework that enables schools to design a tiered system of support using context specific data and evidenced-based practices (Bradshaw, Mitchell & Leaf, 2010; Simonsen & Sugai, 2013; Sugai & Horner, 2009). This school-wide systems approach is designed to support both academic and social learning outcomes in the school setting.

Social learning and behaviour theories can provide insights into why certain behaviours are initiated, maintained or altered and what might influence a change in behaviour. As Kaur (2010) explains, many variables influence how a child is socialised, the values and beliefs of the parents, the cultural background, peer group, education and media. So we begin to see that behaviours, acceptable or not, have complex beginnings and are continually influenced by the journey of life.

In 2005 PBIS was introduced to consenting schools across New South Wales, and since more widely throughout Australia. In the school context PBIS systems enable a consistent approach to data collection, the development of plans, resources and strategies that enhance the capacity of schools to establish effective environments in which teaching and learning occur.

A priority of public education in Australia is to provide young people with the foundations for lifelong learning, enabling them to become capable, confident and informed citizens who can make a positive contribution to our society (Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, 2008). The Education Act (1990) states that educating children is a shared responsibility between parents and educators, with parents given opportunity to participate in the education of their children where family and community values are promoted. However differences between family values and expectations and those of educational institutions, sometimes makes it difficult for parents and children to engage positively with the school and the learning. Current and longstanding research recognises that parents are significantly influential in the academic and social development of their children (Brock & Edmunds, 2010; Minke & Anderson, 2005; Nir, 2009; Wong, 2012). Therefore the inclusion of parents in the implementation processes of PBIS is imperative, and needs to be explicitly understood to maximise the effectiveness of the interventions, teaching, learning and the well-being of students which are fundamental to this approach.

This presentation will focus on the transition of two schools to a whole school approach to behaviour management through PBIS, and the manner in which each school involved parents in this process. The purpose of the research on which this presentation is based, was to explicate teachers’ and parents’ perspectives of the effectiveness of their current behaviour support system. Thus how, and to what extent parents have been involved in the school’s decision-making processes, and what might be needed to improve the effectiveness of their current system. This critical analysis of teacher and parent understandings in relation to the behaviour support systems operating within their schools, adds to an area in which research is limited. The findings and considerations presented here will inform future guiding principles for working with children and families in educational contexts and impact on how schools might involve parents more broadly than within the bounds of PBIS.

Method

The overarching aim of this study is to understand the extent to which schools involved in the PBIS process, have included parents in their decision-making, the impact this has on all stakeholders, what can be improved, and the implications for the attainment of the Department of Education and Communities and Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support goals. To achieve this, purposeful sampling was used for school selection, as only schools that were currently involved in implementing PBIS as per the regional guidelines were suitable for inclusion in this study. The research study followed an interpretivist paradigm and is thus a qualitative investigation which probes the understandings and experiences of parents and teachers across two school settings. The researcher designed one interview schedule for the teachers and another for the parents, which were administered in both settings. The two case studies enabled the cross-case analysis of long standing assumptions and policy rhetoric regarding parental involvement in decision-making processes, with the everyday experiences of these stakeholders in education. All participants were interviewed and all the interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Each school assumed a pseudonym (Grevillea and Westringia) and each participant was given a number and identified as GT1 or WP2 (Grevillea, teacher 1 or Westringia, parent 2) as per ethical guidelines. In total fourteen teachers and thirteen parents elected to participate in this study. Kavale (1996) explains that the qualitative interview is designed to investigate the experiences of participants and that the semi-structured questioning technique guides by design to evoke elaboration on themes. Hays and Singh (2012) suggest that early educational theory was guided by interviewing and this remains the preferred option to explore human experiences. Historical documentation was also examined from each of the participating schools. These came in the form of school plans, newsletters, school welfare and discipline policies, meeting minutes and data from the PBIS School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET). The decision to look at school documentation was made with the intention of reducing the bias that a single researcher’s perception alone may create. Triangulating data helps regulate a biased position from forming as one data set may shed a different light on a previously formed perception. The main strength of this study is its contribution to the understandings of how or if parents are involved PBIS processes in Australian schools as the guidelines suggest.

Expected Outcomes

While questions remain, the findings afforded a snapshot of the experiences of these stakeholders in education as they revisited the implementation of PBIS and the subsequent progress in their respective schools. The introduction of PBIS was found to benefit teachers, students, and parents. PBIS provided a common language for the behavioural expectations of students guided by three key rules: be safe, be respectful, and be a learner at school. While parents were informed about PBIS and supported these rules, those interviewed were not part of the decision-making process. Both parents and teachers noted barriers to parent involvement, parent-teacher relationships, and general communication. Lack of English and affordable child care were noted as key barriers to participation in PBIS processes. When asked how parent involvement, parent-teacher relationships, and general communication might be improved both parents and teachers supported joint learning opportunities as one way to address these. Extant research and literature also provided further valuable insights into collaboration strategies to enrich parental involvement, relationships, and communication. Overall the implications of these findings suggest that all schools engaged in PBIS may benefit from a framework that surveys stakeholder needs. Although the two schools in this study reported similar findings, larger studies are needed which identify the diversity of family circumstances, the range of stakeholder needs, and the opportunity to address these needs utilising the services available within local communities. Such an approach would endeavour to apply action to the rhetoric of policy and the assumption that the provision of information reflects parental involvement.

References

Australian Education Act, (1990). Retrieved from www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on student outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12(3), 133-148. doi: 10.1177/1098300709334798 Brock, S., & Edmunds, A. L. (2010). Parental Involvement: Barriers and Opportunities. EAF Journal, 21(1), 48-I. Hays, D., & Singh, A. (2012). Qualitative inquiry in clinical and educational settings. New York: Guilford. Kaur, P. (2010). Examine the Diverse Theories of Attitude Development. International Journal of Educational Administration, 2(3), 615-619. Kavale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oakes. Calif: Sage Publications. Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, (2008). Australian Government. Department of Education and Training. Retrieved from https://www.education.gov.au/melbourne-declaration-educational-goals-young-people Minke, K. M., & Anderson, K. J. (2005). Family-School Collaboration and Positive Behavior Support. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7(3), 181-185. Nir, A. (2009). Centralization and school empowerment from rhetoric to practice. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. OSEP Center on PBIS. (2004). School-wide positive behaviour support implementers' blueprint and self assessment. Eugene OR: University of Oregon: Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org Simonsen, B., & Sugai, G. (2013). PBIS in Alternative Education Settings: Positive Support for Youth with High-Risk Behavior. Education & Treatment of Children, 36(3), 3-14. Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (2009). Responsiveness-to-intervention and school-wide positive behavior supports: Integration of multi-tiered system approaches. Exceptionality, 17(4), 223-237. doi: 10.1080/09362830903235375 Wong, P. L. (2012). Parents' perspectives of the home-school interrelationship: A study of two Hong Kong-Australian families. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 37(4), 59-67.

Author Information

Michelle Rose (presenting / submitting)

University of Western Sydney

Education

Sydney

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