ERIC Number: EJ989585
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1074-2956
EISSN: N/A
Innovation in Data-Driven Decision Making within SWPBIS Systems: Welcome to the Gallery Walk
Kennedy, Michael J.; Mimmack, Jody; Flannery, K. Brigid
Beyond Behavior, v21 n3 p8-14 Spr 2012
Schools implementing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) at the high school level face the same challenges as elementary and middle schools, but also encounter an additional set of barriers all their own. To name but a few, these barriers include the need to focus on dropout prevention, postsecondary outcomes, academic issues, and career readiness. In addition, because most high schools are organized by large, disparate academic departments with unique purposes, there are often inefficiencies with respect to: (1) communication between and among individual faculty members, departments, and administrators; (2) agreement on common expectations for students; (3) willingness to spend time teaching and reinforcing expectations; and (4) establishing core systems (e.g., for data collection and decision-making) to support PBIS initiatives. Inefficiencies regarding how high schools work (or don't work) play a role in limiting the success of academic and behavioral reforms. Therefore, new thinking is required in order to bring successful reform to high schools, especially when implementing SWPBIS. For many schools, successful reforms hinge on the actions of building-level administrators and buy-in from their faculty and staff. Specifically, administrators are charged with providing a compelling vision for the future to their faculty and staff, which should extend beyond a catchy slogan and rhetoric (i.e., "let's move from excellent to outstanding"). An example of extending beyond cliche slogans is using data to spur authentic dialog among stakeholders, and rally support for a needed reform framework such as SWPBIS. But how can administrators use data to do more than simply give status updates to their faculty and other stakeholders? In this article, the authors introduce and describe an emerging practice schools can use to help administrators and the school's PBIS team use data to engage faculty members in a meaningful conversation regarding the need to make improvements. This professional development tool is called the Gallery Walk. The authors outline steps a school might take to prepare for a successful Gallery Walk. They conclude with recommendations for how other schools might make use of this emerging tool to help support SWPBIS implementation and beyond. (Contains 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Faculty, Stakeholders, Decision Making, Educational Change, High Schools, Dropout Prevention, Data, Principals, Positive Reinforcement, Student Behavior, Educational Improvement, Outcomes of Education
Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders. Council for Exceptional Children, 1110 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201-5704. Tel: 612-276-0140; Fax: 612-276-0142; Web site: http://www.ccbd.net/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A