Student Behavior System
UX Approach
Role: Student Engagement and Outreach Administrator, leading a school-wide approach to Social Emotional Learning that includes policies and practices that foster a favorable climate, such as replacing punitive or exclusionary discipline with restorative justice and positive behavioral interventions that support students through analytical, innovative improvement science process.
Responsibilities: Developed detailed work plans, including breakdown structure, project milestones, risk assessment and management plans, staffing needs, and project timelines. Managed communication pipelines between cross-functional work groups to enforce cohesive communication by creating project journey maps, program plans, and infographics to clarify processes and practices. Monitored the project’s progress to ensure the timely completion of tasks and assignments, all while increasing staff buy-in by 40% to partake in developing 27 projects directly correlated with their aim statement to decrease behavior disruptions in the classroom by 25% through restorative practices.
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Research Methods: Data analysis, Equity audit, Gap analysis, Surveys, Empathy interviews, Focus groups, Student empathy maps, Student journeymaps, Stakeholder walkthroughs, Role-playing, Personas, Observations, Graffiti walls, Book study, Word clouds, Affinity diagramming, Fishbonediagramming, Driver-diagram, Cognitive Walkthroughs, PDSA cycles.
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Company Overview: Alliance Charter Academy is a nationally accredited K-12 public charter school. The school community is comprised of families from homeschooling and traditional schooling backgrounds.
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The Challenge
Just like any other educational institution, there are systemic barriers at Alliance Charter Academy that negatively impact students who are members of historically marginalized groups.
The Goal
Foster a positive learning climate by replacing punitive or exclusionary discipline with restorative justice and positive behavior interventions that support students through analytical, innovative improvement science processes.
UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS AND STAFF
On the first week of school, I created a behavior referral form for the teachers to submit and a Student Safety and Engagement Team, aka SSET, to meet twice weekly to review all the student behavior forms teachers completed. The Student Safety and Engagement Team comprises Teachers, SpEd case managers, Administrators, the School Counselor, and the SEL Coordinator.
From September 12, 2022, to November 3, 2022, Alliance Charter Academy (ACA) had a total enrollment of 365 students. Among the student population, 81% identified as White and Non-Hispanic, while 19% identified as Non-White and/or Hispanic (BIPOC). The school provided special education services to 16% of its students through Individualized Education Plans (IEP) or 504 plans. The majority, 84%, were enrolled in the general education program. These statistics offer insight into the diversity of the student body and the efforts to support students with different learning needs at ACA during the specified time frame.
Behavior referral data from the first 40 days of school
The Student Safety and Engagement Team conducted a presentation on the Quarter 1 behavior data for teachers. Following the presentation, the team sought their input through a survey to gather valuable feedback on the data. Then, the team skillfully organized the teachers' feedback into a Fishbone diagram, allowing the team to explore the root causes behind the observed behaviors.
Collaborating as a team to find common themes from the staff survey
Displaying the common themes and all staff responses into a Fishbone diagram
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REFINING THE WORK WITH STAFF
The Student Safety and Engagement Team presented the Fishbone diagram for the teachers to review and give feedback. Using the feedback from the teachers, the Student Safety and Engagement team created an AIM Statement and Driver diagram.
AIM Statement
Driver Diagram
The Student Safety and Engagement Team presented the AIM Statement and Driver diagram for the teachers to review and give feedback. Using the feedback from the teachers, the Student Safety and Engagement team facilitated a brainstorming session with teachers to ideate as many strategies and tools as possible that would meet our AIM Statement goal.
After the brainstorming session, the Student Safety and Engagement Team consolidated all the 160 strategies listed into 27 meaningful school improvement projects; the Teachers were given the option to pick one of the projects to create and conduct a PDSA cycle on. Once projects were completed, then they underwent a peer review process.
All teachers who willingly participated in any 27 school improvement projects using a PDSA cycle were designated as "Tier Zero Hero" task force members. The primary objective for each team member was to collectively contribute to a toolbox of resources created by ACA teachers for ACA teachers aimed at fostering positive student behaviors within their classrooms, thus preempting the need for behavioral referrals.
We experienced fantastic teacher engagement, as 40% of our educators enthusiastically joined the Tier Zero Hero task force! This marked the largest professional learning committee ever at ACA.
End of the Year Data
GOING FORWARD
In pursuit of professional growth, driven by a keen awareness of educational disparities in student behavior, remarkable outcomes have been achieved. During teacher in-service days, educators delved into targeted professional development throughout the year. They explored collaborative problem-solving techniques, delved into trauma-informed instructional practices, and gained strategies for effectively supporting neurodivergent students in the classroom.
A proactive approach, in sync with the Student Safety and Engagement Team's efforts, which emphasized transparency and awareness, delivered tangible results. Notably, there has been a significant 15% reduction in reported disruptive behaviors. Even more exciting is that progress toward the initial 25% reduction goal is underway, all without initiating any of the 27 proposed projects. Commitment alone has already nudged the teachers at ACA closer to embracing more restorative approaches in the educational environment.
NEXT STEPS
1
Implement homeroom model for students that are on campus more than half the time.
2
Continue with Tier Zero Hero projects to develop strategies and tools for all staff.
3
Identify staff members as "Champions" for Tier 3 interventions including relationship and skill building.
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