Conjecture claims

Siloed implementation like this can strain limited resources and may result in less effective and less efficient supports for students.

In instances of siloed implementation, school safety and prevention efforts may not be adequately monitored for effectiveness, fidelity, or impartiality in either referrals or outcomes.

Although some behaviors may seem inappropriate or maladaptive, they may be typical for adolescent behavior or in the context of identified mental health or developmental needs.

Depending on the information gathered and assessed, the student may need help or guidance coping with losses, developing resiliency to overcome setbacks, learning more appropriate strategies to manage emotions, or reducing the effect of stressors.

Support and management plans could seek to stabilize the student’s physical and emotional environment by addressing factors of concern and promoting positive factors, redirecting potential motives for harm to self or others while helping them toward more favorable outcomes, and creating a situation less prone to violence (see Figure 1).

Resources could include peer support programs or counseling to enhance social skills and/or emotional competency, life skills classes, tutoring in specific subjects, or mental health support.

Additional supports could address the impact of home life factors (e.g., adverse childhood experiences [ACEs]) experiences with bullying and/or harassment, or social services for housing and living stability.

While a multidisciplinary BTAM team can likely handle most reported incidents and concerning behaviors with school-based or community resources, some situations may necessitate law enforcement intervention due to the severity of the concern.

Inviting the student to actively participate in the support planning process can enhance buy-in and engagement.

Adding partners across teams can provide an expanded view of the two frameworks, the practices implemented to support students to better outcomes, and the data available to inform support strategies.

For example, integrating a member of the PBIS leadership team onto the BTAM team can help provide a greater level of awareness of the available behavioral data and the full menu of universal (Tier 1), targeted (Tier 2), and intensive (Tier 3) supports available to layer and match to student needs during the behavioral threat assessment and management process.

As well, integrating a member of the BTAM team onto the PBIS leadership team can help promote early identification of concerning and/or threatening behaviors and early intervention.

Moreover, training on additional topics, such as child development, conflict resolution, bullying prevention, students with disabilities, unintentional assumptions of student backgrounds, ACEs and trauma, mental health first aid, and specific schoolwide programs and practices can better position all officers to promote positive school climates and support the school’s Tier 1 prevention efforts.

While BTAM focuses on early intervention and proactive supports and is not intended to be a disciplinary process, it is important to recognize that it may coincide with disciplinary measures or temporary changes in placement that have implications for SWD.

Early identification and intervention can prevent or reduce the need for more intensive support later.

This individual can help the team understand procedural requirements (e.g., relevant timelines, evaluation procedures) and substantive requirements (e.g., when to convene the entire IEP team, interpretation of previous evaluations, the applicability of change of placement determinations). This expertise can help protect against over-referral to special education and ensure appropriate protections are in place throughout the BTAM process.

Because concerning behaviors may indicate unmet needs related to a disability,

Specifically, due process notifications and manifestation hearing procedures may be relevant for SWD who have engaged in concerning behaviors subject to disciplinary measures.