OVERVIEW - PROJECT GOALS - MODEL DEMONSTRATION SITES - MODEL TEACHER ACTIVITIES -
BEST TEAMS INSTITUTE -  CONTACT INFO

Since the passage of P.L. 94-142, public school services for students with behavioral disorders have expanded significantly. However, both quality and quantity of services for these students lag behind the level of services provided to other student with disabilities. It is clear that providing quality services to students with behavioral disorders requires improvements in the following areas:

	identification of the best practices for serving students with behavioral disorders and wide adoption of those practices,
	increasing the availability of services, particularly social and behavioral interventions, on a school-wide basis, and
	development of collaborative efforts across school, community, and home settings in an effort to maximize the success of students with behavioral disorders.

Consistent with these broad national goals, the purpose of B.E.S.T. is to develop a coordinated range of effective services for these students. This project will continue to establish model demonstration sites in Utah school districts, improve training opportunities for teachers, develop and disseminate replicable effective educational practices, and produce validated instructional materials that can be efficiently disseminated to interested teachers, schools or school districts. In addition, this project will make a concentrated effort to develop practices and procedures that efficiently coordinate with other provider agencies such as social services, mental health and health to provide a comprehensive system of transagency services for students with behavior problems.

PROJECT GOALS

The specific objectives of the B.E.S.T. Project are to:

	develop a comprehensive system of education and support services for students with behavioral disorders,
	provide appropriate and effective educational programs to students with behavioral disorders in the least restrictive environment,
	enhance professional development opportunities through inservice training and technical assistance,
	increase communication and professional exchange among teachers,
	disseminate validated instructional materials and practices, and implement a coordinated set of services between education, mental health, social services, health, and justice/corrections.

B.E.S.T. is a comprehensive staff development project across the continuum of educational services from regular education settings to self-contained settings. A major project emphasis is to establish model demonstration sites that can be used as a means of providing training experiences to teachers and other staff at the model demonstration sites and at other settings beyond the model site.

MODEL DEMONSTRATION SITES

Model demonstration sites have been established to provide training opportunities to all interested in the project. It is intended that the model demonstration sites are consistently modified and improved over time by the participating school districts and their teachers. The model demonstration sites vary between the primary and secondary grades, between rural and urban districts, and between regular, resource, and self-contained settings. A major emphasis of the project is to provide appropriate and effective educational programs to these students in the least restrictive environment. The basic components of the model demonstration sites are:

	Effective Assessment and Screening: Assessment procedures are cost effective and lead directly to interventions (e.g., behavior checklists, meaningful academic assessment, social skills assessment).
	Motivation Systems: Each classroom and/or school incorporates a motivation system to improve student performance. The positive nature of the motivation systems include such interventions as high rates of positive feedback to students, skill-building level systems, public posting systems, and others.
	Improving Behavioral Deficits: Each model site focuses on basic academic, social, and self-control skills. High academic engagement time, social skills curricula, and self-management programs are emphasized for secondary students, a major emphasis is designing and implementing appropriate vocational/transition programs for students with behavior problems.
	Reducing Behavioral Excesses: Each model site has designed preplanned consequences for reducing behavioral excesses such as aggression, noncompliance, arguing, and tantrumming. Appropriate interventions include classroom rules, precision requests, group contingencies, and others. Each site also has in place a crisis management procedure for severe behavioral episodes.
	Generalization-Reintegration: Each model site has a reintegration plan that begins when a student is first placed in special education. This reintegration plan includes a systematic classroom level system, parent training, and a strategic approach to monitoring each student in a regular education setting.
	Evaluate the Models Through Individual Student Progress Reviews: Periodic progress reviews are scheduled for students in the model classrooms to assess progress in terms of the student’s IEP goals and to determine the effectiveness of classroom interventions.

These are the basic components of the model demonstration sites for students with behavior problems. Other components to be developed in subsequent years of the project include interagency coordination practices and procedures, systematic training of new teachers and students, and B.E.S.T. practices product development and dissemination.

MODEL TEACHER ACTIVITIES

In addition to maintaining a model demonstration site, the model teachers involved in the B.E.S.T. Project will be encouraged to participate in several various types of activities. These activities include:

	On-site training that include instruction in schoolwide and classroom management strategies, social skills instruction, developing positive parent relationships, and dealing with difficult behaviors. The model teachers provide observation, facilitation, and assistance in the development of an action plan to teams participating in the on-site training. Follow-up activities are also provide to encourage implementation of the strategies learned in the trainings.
	Technical assistance in the form of staff inservice, conference presentations, mentor groups, participation in the B.E.S.T. Teams Institute trainings, and SWAT (StateWide Assistance Team).
	On-going development of classroom products, Technical Assistance manuals, and other activities that will assist in meeting the project goals and objectives.
	Participation in the B.E.S.T. Teacher Retreat and contributions to the B.E.S.T. Times Newsletter.

THE B.E.S.T. TEAMS INSTITUTE

The Institute is conceptualized to encourage and promote problem-solving at the local level to increase the likelihood that Teams will implement effective strategies that are geared to each Team’s specific capabilities and needs. The focus of the Institute is on developing an expertise at the school, district or region level that will allow teams to provide technical assistance with any type or severity of behavioral problem that may arise. An agenda of instructional sessions have been constructed that will address topics of concern and assist teams in creating the technical support needed for solving tough student problems. Additionally, on-site observations in a variety of settings will be provided to augment the instruction. The following is a summary of the opportunities provided by the Institute and total commitment from districts and team members that will be necessary to maximize the success of participation in the Institute.

The B.E.S.T. Teams Institute is an important component in the overall design and mission of the B.E.S.T. Project. The primary purpose of the Institute is to enhance the capacity of schools to provide high quality, appropriate services to students with behavioral disorders. It is anticipated that through the B.E.S.T. Teams Institute participants will:

	enhance their knowledge and skills concerning best practices for working with students with behavioral disorders,
	engage in ongoing professional development activities through Institute seminars and workshops, conferences, professional literature, and on-site technical assistance opportunities,
	create a structure for continual exchange of information and ideas among Institute teams, and
	develop and disseminate effective practices for use with students with behavioral disorders.

THE B.E.S.T. TEAMS INSTITUTE PROVIDES:

	Monthly workshops that will include instruction from local and nationally known presenters, observation and on-site practical experience in dealing with difficult student behavior problems.
	Related resource materials for each team that provide additional information on topics such managing difficult behavior, consultation techniques, etc.
	The opportunity to network and share successes, resources and effective strategies with other teams and B.E.S.T. project participants.
	Availability of experts for consultation and technical assistance concerning specific student cases.

DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE:

	12-15 days of released time during the year for team training sessions. Districts will be required to pay for substitutes for those team members that will require them.
	3-5 days of released time during the year for on site observations.
	2-3 days of released time during the year for on site technical assistance by your team in your school, district or region.
	Mileage reimbursement for travel to and from the training and observation sites.

EXPECTATIONS OF TEAMS

	Attendance at all instruction and observation sessions during the year.
	Implementation across the year of the skills learned and documentation of use of those skills.
	Development of an action plan for conveying information acquired to colleagues through inservice, individual consultation, etc.
	Availability for technical assistance in your school, district or region on an on call basis.

Several factors should be considered when making the selection of team members. Guidelines for selecting team members are listed below.

GUIDELINES FOR TEAM MEMBER SELECTION

Each team member should:

	be a master educator.
	have a desire to work collaboratively with other team members.
	be able to model effective strategies in dealing with problem behavior.
	demonstrate appropriate communication and interpersonal skills that will facilitate the ability of the team to effectively work with other educators in solving problems.
	be open to new and innovative ways of dealing with problems.
	be respectful of colleagues and students and show sensitivity to their individual needs.

For more information on the BEST Project please contact the following:

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