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Behavior
COVID-19 and Special Education
View information for educators and parents to support students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overview
Highly effective school environments prioritize the academic achievement and social skills of all students. The Office of Special Education has identified research-based strategies and practices that support positive behavioral outcomes for all students. Implementation of effective strategies and best practices within a variety of host settings, improves school climate and student outcomes. This site provides multiple links to rules, guidelines, assessment tools, and research-based strategies to promote social competence and support positive behavioral interventions.
Office Hours
Bill Brown will be offering weekly office hours on Tuesdays from 8:00 - 9:00 AM.
Register for Social/Emotional/
Behavior Office Hours
What's New
Our team has collected resources and tools specific to SED, SEL, behavior, and mental health that may be useful during this time as you plan for students.
View the SED/SEL/Behavior & COVID Resources
Changing Contexts: Building Skills for Social Emotional Wellness During Transitions In and Out of In-person Learning
The uncertainty and shifts between in-person and remote learning, including managing quarantines and closures, leads to anxiety, anticipatory grief, and sets the stage for the pre-condition of trauma. This video will focus on the importance of self-care in reducing anxiety levels and building resiliency, allowing for higher quality engagement between teachers, children, and families during transitions. Additionally, this video will provide suggestions for a coaching model to collaboratively bring the family into the education process and create a sense of belonging for children and families amongst transitions between educational learning contexts.
Professional Learning
8 Week Online Course: Introduction to Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans
This 8 week online course, offered in both fall and spring semesters, is intended for school and district-level teams. The purpose of the course is to support the team in developing a functional behavioral Assessment (FBA) that accurately identifies a student’s function of behavior in order to develop more effective Behavior Intervention Plans. Team-based approaches to complete such activities are always best practice and in the best interest of the student, school, and family. By the end of the course, participating teams will be able to successfully complete Basic Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP). The course provides a foundation for understanding FBAs and provides opportunity for practice in the completion of FBAs and BIPs. Support from instructors will be given in the form of discussion board with no face-to-face opportunities provided.
Requirements:
- Each team member must complete an individual registration form, and list 2 to 5 school- or district-level team members, including a special education teacher and a mental health staff. ALL team members must register individually.
- Have access to students in a school setting, and approval from administrators to complete a FBA/BIP case study on students.
- Commit to completing weekly reading, assignments, online discussions, as well as a case study in a school setting.
Visit the Social/Emotional/Behavioral Professional Development Page to register
Serious Emotional Disability (SED) Task Force/Affective Needs Committee
The SED Task Force/Affective Needs Committee is comprised of teachers, administrators, and related service personnel, professors from Institutions of Higher Education, and parent advocates from throughout Colorado. This group advises the Colorado Department of Education on the statewide needs of this population and those who serve them. Their expertise is utilized for workgroups to develop trainings and products to assist educational teams in meeting the needs of this very diverse population.
Listserv
The Social/Emotional/Behavioral listserv is a place for teachers and service providers working with students with Significant Emotional Disabilities to find information, encouragement, and networking opportunities.
We know that many times those working with students with significant needs may be isolated and lack the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues or find the expertise they need in a timely and safe setting. This is a place to ask questions, have discussions, and share ideas with those in the field that are having the same experiences. To subscribe, Email Amanda Nieser at nieser_a@cde.state.co.us with your contact information.
By-Request Trainings/Technical Assistance
The live trainings in this section can be provided by request to a school, district, or BOCES. Simply send an email to Bill Brown, brown_w@cde.state.co.us, to schedule a training fine-tuned to your organization's needs. CDE contact hours are available.
Behavior Interventions Within the Home Environment
3-hour training where participants will learn how to incorporate positive behavior intervention supports within the home environment, helping families to create routines and schedules.
Behavioral Tool Box
3-hour training where participants will learn a variety of different behavior intervention strategies such as errorless learning, mix and vary, when/then, precision request sequence and strategies for perfectionism, learned helplessness, development, select mutism, among others.
Data Collection and Analysis
6-hour training where participants will learn:
- How to create operational definitions that are measurable.
- Data collection methods and tool.
- Data analysis.
- How to write behavioral goals.
- DBR (Direct Behavioral Rating).
- Progress monitoring behavior goals.
Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans
6-hour training where participants will be able to:
- Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to identify students' strengths and needs.
- Develop a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) that integrates social emotional learning and is based on the strengths and needs identified in the FBA.
SED Quality Indicators Behavior Systems Domain
6-hour training where participants will learn about FBA and BIP through the lens of the SED Quality Indicators. The SED Behavior Domain includes the following areas:
- Foundation and philosophy of behavioral systems.
- Effective behavior management strategies are used by all staff across all aspects of programming.
- Effective crisis prevention and early intervention strategies are used, which emphasize the use of non-aversive supports whenever possible.
- Effective alternatives to suspension and positive disciplinary strategies are implemented.
- Positive discipline practices.
CDE Topic Links
Forms & Tools
- CDE Behavior Tools Wiki
- Competing Pathways Tool
- Behavior Intervention Plan, English (Word)
- Behavior Intervention Plan, Spanish (Word)
- Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers (FACTS) - Part A
- FACTS Quick Reference Guide
- Technical Assistance: Functional Behavioral Assistance (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP)
- Ten Positive Behavior Support Strategies to Support Families at Home This Positive Behavior TIPS for Parents at home was created by Kiki McGough. Kiki is on the Board of Directors for the Peak Parent Center and serves as a FSCP Rep for Association of Positive Behavior Support (APBS).
For more information, please contact:
Bill Brown
Phone: (303) 866-6712
Email Bill Brown
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