Category — Trauma/Crisis

What I’d like to do today is to walk you through (pretty much my job or at least a small part of it) the steps in conducting an FBA or Functional Behavior Assessment. The FBA is a way to gather information about a student who is displaying behaviors that are of concern. Ultimately, the goal is to use this information to design a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) to help these students succeed in their classrooms and in their schools. I’ll cover the BIP in detail later on. But for now, let us focus on the FBA.

Above: This is a modified version of the Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers & Staff (FACTS). There are lots of different versions of an FBA (some as long as 7 pages!), but in my experience this FACTS version is easiest to conduct and offers a quick snapshot.

Although it’s critical that the information gathered on the FBA be thorough, it’s important to not get caught up in the information-gathering phase only, as we need to also offer a “solution” (also known as a BIP or Behavior Intervention Plan which I’ll discuss in future entries) to the “problem.”

Ok, so here we go…

Step #1a: the first step is to define what the “problem” is. With the FACTS you simply check off the behaviors that are of concern. Remember that you need to target (at maximum) 2-3 behaviors. Don’t check every box you see.

Step #1b: After checking off the problem behaviors, write down EXACTLY what you see, hear…observe. For example, if you checked off “insubordination/disrespectful” say exactly what the student does when s/he is being insubordinate or disrespectful. What does s/he say or do. Does the student say “no” and then stops working? Does he refuse and then curse at you? Describe exactly what typically happens.

Step #2: Next, note down how often the student displays the problem behaviors, weekly, daily, hourly?

Step #3: In this step, you’ll need to find out (from the teachers and staff you’re interviewing) when the student displays the problem behaviors, in the morning, after lunch, during recess?

Step #4: This step is so often overlooked in asking “where”. Is the student displaying the problem behaviors everywhere (which is unlikely) or in certain classes or locations in the school?

Step #5: Equally important is the “with whom” question. Is the student displaying the problem behaviors with certain teachers or staff, if so which ones?

Step #6: This is called the “antecedent” or predictor factor. That is, can we guess what might possibly be occuring before the student displays the problem behaviors? Is the classroom too crowded or noisy? Did she just receive a consequence for something? Is the student given work that is too hard? Too easy? What about problems at home or with peers?

Step #7: This step is often missed in the FBA process. What happens after the student displayed the problem behaviors? What exactly does the teacher/staff do or not do? Timeout, reprimand, sent to office? Is it always a “warning” with no follow-through? Or is the teacher/staff quick to hand out draconian punishments?

Step #8: At this step, you ask the teacher/staff what his/her “best guess” is as to why the student is displaying the problem behaviors. Is it to get something (attention, stuff, power/control) or to avoid something (work, reprimands)?

Step #9: This last question tends to throw teachers/staff because it ask, “What have you done to address this?” Sometimes, teachers become angry as they think I’m questioning their ability to manage a student or their classrooms. On the contrary, this question makes them focus on whether they are “working too hard” or expending energy on a strategy that is not effective.

Step #10: Record any additional information or make notes that might be helpful to draft up the Behavior Intervention Plan.

So there you have it. For additional information, check out the following on the Classroom/School Crisis Management page:

• FBA-What, Why, How.pdf
  A quick summary of the Functional Behavior Assessment process. The FBA looks at behavior in terms of what the behavior accomplishes for the individual child, rather than the effects of the behavior on others.
• Functional Behavior Assessment Checklist.pdf
  This is the FACTS we’ve been talking about. It’s a Functional Behavior Assessment form in checklist format. Designed to be a quick and easy “checklist” for teachers, staff, or any adult familiar with the student’s behaviors. This checklist complies with the necessary criteria in formulating a hypothesis as to the function or purpose of the behavior.

Download the Functional Behavior Assessment Checklist.pdf and practice. The more you do it, the better you’ll become. Think of your role as that of a “Behavior Detective” and remember to answer the what, when, where, how, why, and with whom questions.

I was so exhausted after the 3 hour presentation on Wednesday night. Though this was the 28th time I’ve conducted presentations like this (although never professionally filmed like this before), I would always get a bit nervous so I don’t anything prior to “showtime.”

So it was great being able to sit down with Rep. Cinta Kaipat, her brother Gus, Linda Birmingham, her daughter Sami, Glenn and Patty Mendoza, Bev Cabanatan, and my wife, Miwa at Shirley’s in Garapan. What a great way to “unwind” after a hard day’s work.

Late Thursday evening, I reviewed the statistics and feedback from Wednesday night’s School Crisis Response Training. Here’s a look at those in attendance, by the numbers…

24 areas representing the educational, business, and community sectors in the CNMI community:

• NMC College Students (Education Majors)
• Day Care Worker
• Sales Representative
• School Counselors
• Psychologist
• Business Owner, Vice-President
• General Education Teachers
• Special Education Teachers
• Retired Teacher/Former Corrections Officer
• School Administrators
• Special Education Administrator
• School Psychologist
• Clerk of Court
• Dental Hygienist
• School Board Chair
• Business Professional/Employee
• Members of the CNMI House of Representatives
• Teacher Aides
• School Administrative Assistant
• Social Worker
• Human Resource
• College Program Coordinator
• Parent

69 people in attendance
57 were given and responded to an evaluation form
56 out of 57 (98.2%) gave the presentation a “good” or “excellent” rating with 1 left blank
10 out of 57 (17.5%) gave the presentation a “good” rating
46 out of 57 (80.7%) gave the presentation an “excellent” rating
40 out of 57 (70.2%) said that their level of knowledge prior to and after the training increased from low > high (7), low > very high (1), medium > high (18), or medium > very high (14).

These numbers, I believe, confirm the great need to have crisis response and traumatic stress training for the CNMI school system.

Here are some comments:

“I loved this presentation. Awesome! Great job!!! Your humor is very captivating. It gets me tuned in at all times. I never felt bored. I am very inspired by your training/perseverance for this presentation. I liked how you included videos in your presentation. I plan on using what I learned in my future classroom. It really helps. Thank you so much for a brilliant presentation.” -NMC Elementary Ed. Major

“Great presentation Steve! You’re presentation was very informative, practical, and funny.” -Dental Hygienist

“I really enjoyed the presentation; very clear and great sense of humor. I like how presenter localizes certain situations. Great job!” -NMC Student

“I’m glad I came to this [training]. It was an eye-opener. It’s inspiring…You did great! Thanks a lot!” -School Board Chair

“You’ve informed and inspired me much.” -General Education Teacher

“…Very helpful and interesting to know how to help not only other[s] but also ourself. Thanks so much. Great job!!” -General Education Teacher

“This presentation has helped me to understand a whole lot more on how to deal with children, adults, etc. in school or community crises.” -NMC Elementary Ed. Major

“Great training session Steve! The information was presented in a professional yet user-friendly way. I was impressed with your stage presence and your delivery.” -SPED Administrator

What a fantastic opportunity that I was blessed with to have had the privilege to train the educators, college students, business and professionals from the various programs and agencies throughout the CNMI in School Crisis Response earlier this evening.

Once again, thank you Rep. Cinta Kaipat and Rep. Absalon Waki, Jr. for supporting this project. A big thanks to the NMC staff and film crew (James & James) for the video coverage and using this presentation as a training tool. Props also goes out to Rep. Kaipat’s office staff [Daisie, Dennis, Kyle, Sami, and Lisa (Daisie's niece)] for helping set up the audio, aligning the chairs, and doing the sign in sheets. I also want to thank my lovely wife, Miwa, for helping me with the slideshow. I could not have done this presentation without each of you tonight.

Thank you to those of you who took time out of your busy schedule to attend tonight. My hope is that you left with some knowledge and practical tools (the Handbook) to use in your schools, in your agencies and community. Thank you everyone.

Today’s (last in series) School Crime and Violence Facts #7:

• In 2003, 33% of high school students reported having been in a fight anywhere, and 13% said they had been in a fight on school property during the preceding 12 months.
• In 2003, students in urban schools were twice as likely as students in rural and suburban schools to fear being attacked at school or on the way to and from school.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005

Today’s School Crime and Violence Facts #6:

• In 2003, 5 percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported being victimized at school during the previous six months: 4 percent reported theft, while 1 percent said they were victims of a violent crime.
• In 2003, 21 percent of students between 12 and 18 reported that street gangs were present at their school during the previous six months.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2005

Today’s School Crime and Violence Facts #5:

• Motor vehicle accidents are the #1 cause of death for 15-20 years old. [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts 2005 Data. Accessed May 31, 2007 from http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2005/810630.pdf]
• In 2005, 3,467 drivers 15-20 years old were killed with an additional 281,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes [NHTSA. Traffic Safety Facts 2005 Data. Accessed May 31, 2007 from
  http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2005/810630.pdf]

Today’s School Crime and Violence Facts #4:

In 2003, 5% of students in grades 9–12 had at least one drink of alcohol on school property in the 30 days prior to the survey, and 45% of students had at least one drink anywhere; 22% reported using marijuana anywhere during the previous 30 days, and 6% reported using marijuana on school property.

[Italics added for emphasis.]

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2004

Today’s School Crime and Violence Facts #3:

1. Suicide is the #3 leading cause of death among 15-24 years old, followed by accidents and homicides [Deaths: Leading Causes for 2001. National Vital Statistics Report 2003;52(9):1-86. Accessed May 31, 2007 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr52/nvsr52_09.pdf]
2. Suicide rate for 15-19 year olds has increased by as much as 300% between 1950 & 1990 [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Programs for prevention of suicide among adolescents youth adults. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep CDC Surveill Summ. 1994;43:1–7. No RR-6. Accessed May 31, 2007 from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00031525.htm]

Today’s School Crime and Violence Facts #2:

• In 2004, students ages 12 through 18 were victims of about 1.4 million total crimes at school, including 583,000 violent crimes (simple assault & serious violent crime) – 107,000 of which were serious violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault). [National Center for Education Statistics’ “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006”]

• In 2005, 25% of all students in grades 9-12 reported that someone had offered, sold, or given them an illegal drug on school property in the past 12 months. [National Center for Education Statistics’ “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2006”]

Starting today and for the next 6 days, I’ll be focusing on school crisis response and in particular, school crime and violence statistics. The information shared is extracted from The National School Safety Center’s NSSC Review of School Safety Research.

Today’s Facts #1 comes from The National Association of School Resource Officers’ survey in July of 2004 of 758 school resource officers who attended NASRO’s 14th Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ.

• About 74% of SROs of SROS surveyed believed that their schools are inadequately prepared to respond to a terrorist attack.
• About half of the respondents said that emergency plans for their schools are not adequate.
• Over 66% of the SROs indicated that their emergency plans are not practiced on a regular or ongoing basis.
• Almost 55% of the school officers indicated that concerns regarding Internet-based crimes had increased in their school community during the previous two years.
• Over 78% of the survey respondents reported having taken a weapon away from a student on campus during the previous year.