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APBS Board Elections: Nominations Requested Nominations for the APBS Board of Directors are now being accepted. Board members engage in important work related to developing the capacity of the APBS to serve its mission and membership. To that end, we would encourage you to consider running for the Board of APBS. The current Board represents a wide variety of people related to positive behavior support (PBS). The Board has reviewed information related to the affiliations of the Board and the overall membership of the organization (e.g., schoolwide applications, agency personnel). (more)

Aligning and Integrating Family Engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) (more)

January 2017 Coaches' Meeting took place at Chesapeake College with nearly 200 people in attendance from throughout the state. Presentation materials are available below:

Recognition 2017 applications are now available online. To obtain password information to gain access please contact your POC. Download the opening document and scoring rubric here then choose one of the attachments below to submit. (Be sure to click Save, not Open when prompted.) Applications must be submitted by your POC to PBIS Maryland no later than March 14, 2017.
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze

The Southeastern School Behavioral Health Conference presented by The South Carolina School Behavioral Health Community April 27 and 28, 2017 Myrtle Beach, SC at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center (more)
"Departments of Justice/Education Release Tools To Help States Implement School Resource Officers". (more)
Material for the September 2016 Coaches' Meeting is now available.
- General Content
  - Keynote: Current Status and Future Directions
  - Creating Positive School Climate through Data based Tools
- Coaching 101
  - BOQ Monitoring Tool
  - Here's What So What Now?
  - Coaching 101
  - Coaching 101 handout
  - Snapshots
- Coaching 201
- Coaches Meeting Evaluation

U.S. Department of Education Releases Guidance to Schools on Ensuring Equity and Providing Behavioral Supports to Students with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) today issued guidance in the form of a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) that emphasizes the requirement that schools provide positive behavioral supports to students with disabilities who need them. It also clarifies that the repeated use of disciplinary actions may suggest that children with disabilities may not be receiving appropriate behavioral interventions and supports. When schools fail to consider and provide for needed behavioral supports through the Individualized Education Program (IEP), it is likely to result in children not receiving the free appropriate public education to which they are entitled under federal law.

“All students, including those with disabilities, should have the supports and equitable educational opportunities they need to be successful in school,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “It’s our duty as parents and educators to ensure that children who show up at school to learn get the maximum out of their educational experience. This guidance will help schools create a safe, supportive learning environment for those students who need additional behavioral supports and services to help them thrive.”

Current law allows educators to remove students with disabilities from their classrooms if the student violates a code of conduct. Data indicates students with disabilities are disciplined at far higher rates than their non-disabled peers. The DCL includes two resource documents to assist teachers and school leaders. The Department is providing supports to assist teachers with classroom management strategies and assist schools in implementing school wide behavioral efforts to create safe and effective environments where all students are given an opportunity to positively engage in their education.

To better address school discipline and to shine a spotlight on inequities, the Department has updated its school discipline webpage, #Rethink Discipline. This online tool contains data, graphics, and other information on the prevalence, impact, and legal implications of suspensions and expulsions; resources on effective alternatives; and ways to effectively create positive school climates. The webpage also highlights the disproportionate rate at which black students, particularly black males, receive out-of-school suspensions, and data on suspended preschoolers, by race and gender.

The Dear Colleague Letter, as well as additional resources, can be found on the Rethink Discipline website.
The VTPBiS State Team is currently recruiting someone to fulfill the role of Vermont PBIS/BEST Outreach Professional. (more)
The May 2016 Coaches Meeting took place on May 5 with a focus on getting back to basics. See the presentation here as well as a requested video.
- Back to Basics: Revisiting the Foundations of PBIS
- McClatchy video
National PTA endorses PBIS. See the statement. (more)
PBIS Maryland will host its Spring 2016 Coaches meeting with a focus on boosting tier 1 by using companion guides to enhance implementation. See available keynote and breakout material below (with more to come):
- Morning Session: CR Companion Guide
- Afternoon Sessions
  - Breakout A:
    - Early Childhood/SEFEL
  - Breakout B:
  - Breakout C:
    - Function Based Thinking WHY
Baltimore City Public Schools is seeking to higher a Project Manager and a Data Specialist as part of the newly awarded NIJ Coping Power in the City grant. Learn more about the positions. (more)
Recognition 2016 applications are now available online. To obtain password information to gain access please contact your POC. Download the opening document and scoring rubric here then choose one of the attachments below to submit. (Be sure to click Save, not Open when prompted.) Applications must be submitted by your POC to PBIS Maryland no later than March 14 March 18, 2016.
Gold
Silver
Bronze

Office of Learning Supports at the Colorado Department of Education is seeking to recruit a PBIS state-wide coordinator and MTSS specialist. (more)
Florida Center for Inclusive Communities Department of Child & Family Studies USF College of Behavioral & Community Sciences is providing a Post-Doctoral Fellowship Opportunity. (more)
Prevention Month 2015: “Unleashing the Collective Power of Communities”:A Webinar for Parents on Evidenced Based Strategies to Prevent Substance Use on Tuesday, October, 6, 2015 from 2:00-3:30 EST. See the flyer to register. (more)
In the May/June 2015 issue of PAGE ONE, the publication of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the Feature Story entitled “How Some Georgia Schools are Realizing Healthy Jumps in Graduation Rates” has good stories and pertinent information about how some schools in Georgia have significantly improved their graduation rates. There are valuable lessons in the article. I’d also like to bring to your attention the section of the story on page 10 (attached) that highlights Kendrick High School in Columbus, a Title I school, that increased its graduation rate from 48.9 percent in 2011 to 69.4 percent in 2014. The administrators give significant credit for this improvement to improving school climate through the implementation of PBIS and RTI. The principal said, “Test scores improved, the overall culture was transformed and the graduation rate improved.” (more)
MSDE is seeking to fill two Project AWARE positions. To learn more about these position follow these links: Administrative Specialist III, Project AWARE Support Assistant and Education Program Specialist I, Maryland AWARE Coordinator.