Behavior Resources

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This page includes instructional resources for general education teachers, special education teachers and district staff to assist in the instruction of students with disabilities. The resources cover topics such as behavior supports and guidance, classroom management, evidence-based practice, and social-emotional learning. ​​​​​

​​​Behavior Supports and Guidance

• Strategies for De-escalating Student Behavior in the Classroom​ provides practical strategies for de-escalating student behaviors within a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework, helping educators create safe, supportive classrooms and respond effectively to challenging situations. ​
  
• ​Strategies for De-escalating Student Behavior in the Classroom presentation​​
  
• Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Needs​ a report from the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) reviewing the rising mental health needs and disparities among children and student groups, as well as recommendations. ​​​​
  
• Positive, Proactive Approaches to Supporting Children with Disabilities: A Guide for Stakeholders.​ a document from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) reviews proactively addressing disparities in, and negative outcomes from, exclusionary discipline, as well as investing in school and educator capacity to shift pract​ices towards a more positive school and program climate.​
• Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments​ includes guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to help schools and early childhood programs support students’ behavioral needs.
• Questions and Answers: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA’s Discipline Provisions.​ a document from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) that reviews obligations to meet the needs of eligible children with disabilities under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and provides an overview of the IDEA’s discipline procedures.
• Students with Disabilities and the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in K-12 Public Schools​ a webinar from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) that reviews implicated issues and requirements relating to the use of restraint and seclusion of students with disabilities. It provides a brief description of OCR's Civil Rights Data Collection System and guidance regarding data reporting of restraint and seclusion.
  
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)​ provides information, training, and resources to help schools implement an evidence-based, tiered framework that supports students’ behavioral, academic, social-emotional, and mental health needs. The webpage also highlights PBIS fidelity recognition opportunities, professional learning resources, and technical assistance available to Kentucky schools and districts.
  
  
  

​​Classroom Management

• ​​Effective Classroom Strategies for Students with Disabilities​ video series was developed to provide new special education teachers with strategies to create a supportive classroom environment for all learners. ​

           Videos:​​​​​​​

  • Strategy 1: Setting Up Your Classroom for Success​​ assists teachers in setting up the classroom for optimal learning, including use of classroom routines and procedures, daily schedules and visual aids.  
  • Strategy 2: Creating and Utilizing Visual Supports​ equips teachers with strategies for utilizing visual supports to teach expectations, provide daily structure, support communication and more.  
  • ​Strategy 3: Creating a Sensory Supportive Classroom​ concentrates on creating a sensory supportive classroom, such as scheduling opportunities for movement, creating calm spaces, and using individualized sensory strategies. ​
    
  • Strategy 4: Precorrection​ provides a visual process and problem-solving questions for using precorrection as a proactive strategy to teach, model and practice expected behaviors. 
    
  • Strategy 5: Reinforcement and Feedback​ includes information for teachers on using reinforcement strategies, including behavior-specific praise, first/then boards and token systems to provide individual behavior support. 
    
  • Strategy 6: S​ocial Narratives​​ offers video examples on using social narratives to help learners adjust to changes in routine, teach specific social skills or behaviors and adapt their behaviors to the cues of a situation. 
    
  • Strategy 7: Calming Practices and Supports​ outlines proactive and responsive strategies to support students with disabilities by fostering safe, inclusive environments and teaching calming techniques. 
    
  • Strategy 8: Creating a Break System​ emphasizes the importance of structured, predictable break systems to help students with disabilities, as well as using data to determine the timing and type of breaks to support engagement. 
    
  • Strategy 9: Supportive Behaviors on the Bus​ focuses on supporting positive student behavior on school buses by addressing sensory, social, and behavioral needs through structured supports, explicit instruction and collaboration with bus staff. 
    
  • Strategy 10: Replacement Behaviors​ equips educators with practical strategies to identify and teach positive replacement behaviors that meet the same function as challenging behaviors, promoting student success and meaningful engagement. 
    
  • Strategy 11: Preventing Challenging Behavior through Engagement​ presents practical strategies to boost student engagement and prevent challenging behaviors by creating meaningful learning experiences. 
    
  • Strategy 12: Partnering with Families to Promote Behavior Success​ includes strategies for partnering with families to build trust, improve communication and create consistent behavior supports that promote student success. 
    

  
  

            Presentations: 
  

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  • Strategy 1: Setting Up Your Classroom for Success​
  • Strategy 2: Creating and Utilizing Visual Supports​
  • ​Strategy 3: Creating a Sensory Supportive Classroom​
    
  • Strategy 4: Precorrection​
    
  • Strategy 5: Reinforcement and Feedback​
    
  • Strategy 6: Social Narr​atives​ 
  • Strategy 7: Calming Practices and Supports​
  • Strategy 8: Creating a Break System​
  • Strategy 9: Supportive Behaviors on the Bus​​
    
  • Strategy 10: Replacement Behaviors​
    
  • Strategy 11: Preventing Challenging Behavior through Engagement​
    
  • Strategy 12: Partnering with Families to Promote Behavior Success​​
    

  
  
• ​​IRIS Center​ offers a wide variety of resources about evidence-based instructional and intervention practices to support behavior and classroom management, including modules, practice guides and research summaries to support students with disabilities.  See the “Resources Locator" for information and training on how to support behavior and classroom management.  Some resources include: 
• Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 1): Understanding the Acting-Out Cycle​​​​​
  
• Addressing Disruptive and Noncompliant Behaviors (Part 2): Understanding the Acting-Out Cycle​​
• Classroom Management (Part 1): Learning the Components of a Comprehensive Behavior Management Plan​
  
• Classroom Management (Part 2): Developing a Behavior Management Plan​
• Early Childhood Behavior Management: Developing and Teaching Rules​
  
• Functional Behavioral Assessment (Elementary): Identifying the Reasons for Student Behavior​
  
• Functional Behavioral Assessment (Secondary): Identifying the Reasons for Student Behavior​
  
• Behavioral Intervention Plans (Elementary): Developing a Plan to Address Student Behavior​
  
• Behavioral Intervention Plans (Secondary): Developing a Plan to Address Student Behavior​
  
• Intervention Central​ includes resources from self-management to school-wide behavior intervention approaches.
  

​Evidence-Based Practice

• Center on PBIS | Students with Disabilities​ includes resources on the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support​​​.
  
• Basics - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations​​ includes resources on pyramid model implementation and research. 
  
• CIBRS - Center for Instructional and Behavioral Research in Schools​ includes video resources and modules focused on scientific methods to understand how specific actions can be implemented to prevent student failure and improve student outcomes for all students.
  
• Kentucky Autism Training Center​ provides resources and support for families and professionals supporting students with autism.
  
• High-Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities Revised and Updated​​ includes information and resources for supporting the use of High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) during instruction in behavior and academics.
  
• Evidence-Based Practices Summaries​ from IRIS covers instructional strategies and interventions and offers information that includes levels of effectiveness as well as the age groups for which a given strategy or intervention is designed. Links to the original reports are also provided for those who might wish to explore further.
  
• High-Leverage Practices (HLPs)​ is an interactive alignment tool that identifies which IRIS resources provide information on HLPs. High-leverage practices are 22 essential special education techniques that all K-12 special education teachers should master for use across a variety of classroom contexts.
  
• Function-Based Support Throughout the Continuum: New Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education includes an overview of guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to help schools and early childhood programs support students’ behavioral needs, as well as additional tools and resources.  
  

Social-Emotional Learning

• Kentucky Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Implementation Guide​ is a guide created through a collaboration between local educational cooperatives and the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and includes a vision for social-emotional learning in Kentucky, the benefits of social emotional learning, and a guide for implementation.​​​​​
• Fundamentals of SEL - CASEL​ has resources related to the fundamentals of SEL, systemic implementation, and professional learning opportunities.
• Social and Emotional Development | NAEYC​ addresses social-emotional learning and development in early childhood programs​.
• Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning/Health​ provides resources, tools, and evidence-based practices to help schools promote students’ social-emotional development, mental health, and overall well-being. The webpage supports educators with SEL implementation guidance, professional learning resources, activity banks, mental health supports, and strategies for creating safe, equitable, and supportive learning environments.
  
  

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