Expert Instruction: The Teach by Design Podcast

PBISApps
  • 5.0 (9)
  • How To
  • Updated Monthly

Expert Instruction is the PBISApps Teach by Design podcast where we talk to experts from the educational field - researchers, practitioners, community members - about their work. Each episode connects with that month’s Teach by Design article, taking you deeper into your own exploration of the topic. Expert Instruction gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective to hear how the research can work in your school, too. Visit PBISApps: www.pbisapps.org

  1. May 19

    Ep. 60: Mythbusters - Districts Use Your Data as a Gotcha

    We're coming to you LIVE from the NWPBIS Conference in Tacoma, WA to explore another PBIS myth. Joining us today are Becky Gawenit and Charisse Elliott. Becky is from Battle Ground Public School District in Battle Ground, WA. She's been a part of that district for the last 18 years as either a school psychologist or as a district MTSS coach. Charisse is a behavior program associate with Salem-Keizer Public Schools in Salem, OR. In her role, she works as an advocate for what teachers, students, and families need by focusing on systems to create supportive, inclusive learning environments. In this installment of our Mythbusters series, we discuss whether districts use the data you submit as a gotcha. We talk about how data work best when they inform the decisions you make, but when you submit those same data to the district, they seem work as a punishment. Charisse and Becky help us understand that finding the middle ground involves trusting relationships, honest coaching, and a culture prioritizing improvement over accountability.

    42 min

  2. May 6

    Ep. 59: Rethinking Fidelity — Making Behavior Support Plans Work in Real Classrooms

    We continue our exploration of Tier 3 support by focusing on an important and often misunderstood part of behavior support plans: measuring fidelity. Joining us today is Rose Iovannone. • Rose is a research professor at the University of South Florida and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She also serves as director of the University of South Florida Interdisciplinary Center for Evaluation and Intervention, where she supports individuals with complex needs from early childhood through young adulthood. In addition to her research, Rose works closely with educators through training and professional development to support practical, real-world implementation of behavior support systems. In this episode, Rose helps us reframe fidelity as a way to evaluate whether a behavior support plan is actually feasible, effective, and aligned with classroom realities, rather than a measure of teacher performance. She also gives us actionable ideas for how teams can build buy-in, start small, and integrate fidelity into their ongoing problem-solving process. For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links: • Expert Instruction Ep. 58: Tier 3 Supports in General Education Classrooms • Teach by Design: The Fit Check Your Behavior Plan Needs • Prevent–Teach–Reinforce (PTR) Model • Technical Adequacy Tool for Evaluation (TATE)

    35 min

  3. Mar 26 ·  Bonus

    Crisis Prevention Bonus Series Ep 1: Belonging as a Crisis Prevention Tool

    Some of the most important systems and practices you can implement are the proactive things you do to prevent behavior from escalating. This episode is part of a special Crisis Prevention Series produced in partnership with the Center on PBIS Crisis Prevention Workgroup, where we explore how PBIS systems can support schools in preventing, preparing for, and responding to crises. When we talk about preventing crises, we’re talking about: Your response to the needs in your schoolwide communityHow you ensure physical and emotional safety in your buildingThe interventions you implement to support student outcomesHow you help everyone know how to respond if a crisis occursAll of this starts by considering the culture you foster schoolwide. In this episode, we’re talking about how creating a culture of belonging can play a foundational role in your school’s crisis prevention strategies. Joining us today is our special co-host from the Center on PBIS’ Crisis Prevention workgroup, Janelle Hughes and our guests, Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims, Dr. Becky Millspaugh, and Kelly Perales. Nikole is an educational leader, consultant, and speaker known for her expertise in equitable practices, systems transformation, and leadership coaching. Kelly is the co-executive director of the Midwest PBIS Network and an implementer partner with the Center on PBIS. She provides professional development and technical assistance for state and local leaders on PBIS implementation. Becky is a project consultant for the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit and a school improvement facilitator for Montgomery County Schools in Pennsylvania. She provides professional learning and data analyses strategies for complex mental health support planning for teams across the Commonwealth.

    33 min

  4. Mar 17

    Ep. 58: Tier 3 Supports in General Education Classrooms

    We continue our exploration of Tier 3 support by focusing on the way systems make it possible to get students the level of support they really need. Joining us today are Mara Lynaugh and Jess Olson. Mara is a member of our PBISApps training team. She brings to the team over 25 years of experience in public education as a special education teacher and a Student Services coach where she supported schools to implement multi-tiered systems and practices focused on meeting students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs. Her passion for helping educators, students, families, and community partners create learning environments where every student achieves their goals. Jess is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and doctoral student in Special Education at the University of Utah. Her work centers on helping schools implement function-based, individualized behavior support with strong alignment to PBIS and a clear focus on teacher implementation fidelity. Before this, Jess spent several years as a district BCBA, partnering with educators and school teams across general and special education to design behavior support plans, coach implementation, and build sustainable routines that fit the realities of busy classrooms. Tune in to hear Jess tell the story about how she and her colleagues implemented a system of support that allowed the three of them to manage their work in a district of 60,000 students spread across 92 schools. It’s an approach that resulted in fewer students referred to special education for their behavior and more students getting the support they needed right within their general education classrooms. For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links: Expert Instruction Ep. 57: Mythbusters — Functional Behavioral Assessment is Only for Special EducationAdditional resources from Jess’ story including powepoint presentations, meeting templates, data review questions, and moreBasic FBA Training

    44 min

  5. Feb 17

    Ep. 57: Mythbusters - Functional Behavioral Assessment is Only for Special Education

    When targeted interventions don't improve the behavior you hope to see, what's the next step? Today's guest might tell you to check the function of that behavior. Today, we're talking with Dr. Chris Borgmeier and exploring the myth: Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a process only meant for special education. Chris is a Professor and the Doctoral Program Director in the College of Education at Portland State University. He is co-author of the Basic FBA to BIP training series and developed the Basic FBA to BIP e-learning series. His research focuses on using multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) to support students with challenging behavior. He has been a trainer and consultant for MTSS for Behavior implementation across the North America and internationally. During our conversation, we talk about where this myth comes from and how schools can use the elements of FBA to make function-based thinking a schoolwide practice. For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links: ABC TrackerPractice Brief: When to Use Functional Behavioral Assessment? Best Practice vs. Legal Guidance

    38 min

  6. Jan 20

    Ep. 56: Support for Staff Implementing Tier 2 Supports

    When we talk about Tier 2 support, we usually talk about the support we offer students. Today, we're talking about the ways we support the adults in our building to implement Tier 2 with fidelity...and maybe even a little enthusiasm. Back with us again are our colleagues Dr. Billie Jo Rodriguez and Noah Van Horn. Billie Jo is an Associate Teaching Professor and the School Psychology director of clinical training at the University of Oregon, a nationally certified school psychologist, and a doctoral board-certified behavior analyst. She has over 20 years of experience supporting students with diverse needs and helping schools implement increasingly intensive function-based supports. Noah is a nationally certified school psychologist and PBIS coach for Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, OR. He is also a trainer and PBIS coach for the NWPBIS Network. In addition to his work leading district initiatives to support PBIS, he is a lead trainer for district professional development on topics ranging from Tier 1 practices to more intensive, individualized support.For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links: Expert Instruction - Ep. 54: Mythbusters - Student Behavior is More Significant Now Than EverTiered Fidelity InventoryOverview of Tier 2 SupportCooking with Fidelity: How Smart Adaptations Improve Tier 2 OutcomesTier 2: A District-Level Systems Guide

    46 min

  7. 12/16/2025

    Ep. 55: Favorite Things Replay - Tier 2 Decision Making

    In this episode, we're sharing some of our favorite things from past lists...including one of our favorite episodes. This month, we're revisiting a conversation from 2021 with Drs. Erin Chaparro and Ginny Joseph about Tier 2 teams and the foundations of decision making at the Tier 2 level. Dr. Chaparro is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Oregon and the Principal Investigator for the TIPS project. For more than a decade, Erin has worked with districts and schools to implement multi-tiered systems of support for literacy as well as PBIS. She is also the co-author of the book Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education. Dr. Ginny Joseph is the Coordinator of PBIS and Mental Health at Orange County Department of Education. She trains and supports school teams implementing a multi-tiered framework for behavior supports. Her experience ranges from function-based support planning, to using data to drive decisions, to planning behavioral support for small groups of students. For more information about some of the resources mentioned in this episode, check out these links: Favorite Things 2025PBISApps CommunityEp. 16: Adding Student Voice to Leadership TeamsEp. 43: Mythbusters - Rewards Don't Work to Improve Student OutcomesAn overview of the TIPS modelTIPS Meeting Minutes TemplateTiered Fidelity Inventory

    49 min

  8. 11/18/2025

    Ep. 54: Mythbusters - Student Behavior is More Significant Now Than Ever

    We're continuing our year-long series exploring the way data play a crucial role in our PBIS implementation. In this episode, we’re going to put those data to use as we look to address the myth that student behavior is more significant now than ever before. Joining us are Dr. Billie Jo Rodriguez and Noah Van Horn. Billie Jo is an Associate Teaching Professor and the School Psychology director of clinical training at the University of Oregon, a nationally certified school psychologist, and a doctoral board-certified behavior analyst. She has over 20 years of experience supporting students with diverse needs and helping schools implement increasingly intensive function-based supports.Noah is a nationally certified school psychologist and PBIS coach for Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, OR. He is also a trainer and PBIS coach for the NWPBIS Network. In addition to his work leading district initiatives to support PBIS, he is a lead trainer for district professional development on topics ranging from Tier1 practices to more intensive, individualized support.This episode doesn't start the same way our other mythbuster episodes start. Where we typically look to bust the myth, this myth isn't so easily busted. If student behavior truly is on the rise, we ought to look for ways we can reverse the trend. One way is to lean into our multi-tiered systems and start layering on Tier 2 support for groups of students who might benefit. Listen in as we hear from these coaches how their schools have started small, implementing efficient, practical strategies, to improve student outcomes and make every classrooms feel just a little calmer. For more information about the resources shared in this episode, check out the following links: Schoolwide Information System (SWIS)Check-In Check-Out SWIS (CICO-SWIS)SWIS Data Summary 2024-25PBISApps CommunityYour Data Story Doesn't End Here: Tier 2 Can Flip the ScriptWebinar: CICO in Practice: A Proven Tier 2 Behavior Intervention That Builds Connections

    54 min
See All (62)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Expert Instruction is the PBISApps Teach by Design podcast where we talk to experts from the educational field - researchers, practitioners, community members - about their work. Each episode connects with that month’s Teach by Design article, taking you deeper into your own exploration of the topic. Expert Instruction gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective to hear how the research can work in your school, too. Visit PBISApps: www.pbisapps.org

Information

You Might Also Like