RTI and the Behavior – Progress Monitoring

By Doug Cheney, University of Washington, Seattle

This week’s topic is about progress monitoring behavior in an RTI model. In academic areas, progress monitoring is typically conducted by using probes or brief assessments of student skills in an area of interest. For example, a common progress monitoring tool in literacy for those that are beginning readers is oral reading fluency. Likewise, other skills can be probed on a daily or weekly basis to assess progress for students in writing or math.

What might we probe or monitor if we were concerned about a student in a Tier 2 behavioral intervention? The posting from October 20 gives us some direction on this matter. Recall that students were carrying a daily behavior report card (DBRC). The report card had ratings of student performance on the school-wide social expectations. The results of these ratings can then be charted, reviewed, and evaluated weekly to determine student progress in the intervention. Students whose behavior improves or meet criteria would be considered as responsive to the intervention, and those who do not meet criteria would be considered as unresponsive.

Several web-based systems have been developed to assess and monitor the behavior of students. In my own work on the Check, Connect, and Expect intervention, a web-based system was developed that is referred to as Easy Chart. This system charts progress as a line graph and a demo of this approach can be viewed at D3MTools.org. Oregon’s National PBIS center has also developed a progress monitoring tool that uses bar graphs for their Check in/Check out program. It is viewable at www.swis.org; see information on CICO-SWIS under "What's New." You might also chart data in an Excel file and look at student progress.

These approaches are considered to be more efficient and less resource-intensive than direct observation using frequency or interval data. The field is now working on establishing the validity and reliability of using DBRC as opposed to direct observation. The primary goal is to collect data that can inform teachers, students, and parents of progress made within an intervention to determine if the student is responsive. Several current articles may be helpful in thinking about this progress monitoring. I end with references for your consideration. Let me know how you are monitoring behavioral progress of students in a Tier 2 or 3 interventions.

References

Chafouleas, S. M., McDougal, J. L., Christ, T. J., (2005). What do daily behavior report cards (DBRCs) measure? An initial comparison of DBRCs with direct observation for off-task behavior. Psychology in the Schools, 42, 669-76.

Chafouleas, S. M., Riley-Tillman, T. C., & Sassu, K. A. (2006). Aceptablility and reported use of a daily behavior report card among teachers. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 174-182.

Cheney, D., Lynass, L., Flower, A., Waugh, M., & Iwaszuk, W. (in press). The Check, Connect, and Expect Program: A Targeted, Tier Two Intervention in the School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Model. Preventing School Failure.

Cheney, D., Flower, A., & Templeton, T. (2008). Applying response to intervention metrics in the social domain for students at risk of developing emotional or behavioral disorders. Journal of Special Education, 42, 108-126.

Fairbanks, S., Sugai, G., Guardino, D., & Lathrop, M. (2007). Response to intervention: Examining classroom behavior support in second grade. Exceptional Children, 73, 288-310.