Apoyos para conducta en las escuelas: una guía para familias: 2025-2026 Seminario Web

Very good afternoon and welcome to the webinar this afternoon today, organized by Spetex and Partners Resource Network. Today's topic is behavioral supports in the school environment. Tools for parents, guardians and caregivers This presentation is by Courtney Gorman, a specialist in special education behavior at the Texas Education Agency. The presentation in Spanish will be given by their servants, Ginette Aguirre and Joan de la Garza Randall. We also have Margeana Antunez, from Partners Resource Network. We'll talk with you today about behavioral supports at school and how to understand your rights while advocating for your son or daughter. A few reminders before we begin. This webinar is being recorded and the recording will be posted on our Spectex site. The chat function is only available if you need technical support. However, you can ask questions in the question and answer section. The presenters will review their submissions, which will help us with clarifications and frequently asked questions in the future. There will be no live Q&A today. Now a little bit about SpectX. SPECtX is your Texas special education information center. We are a collaborative project between the educational services center of region ten and the Texas education agency. We help parents understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, and we facilitate collaboration when there are concerns between parents and the school district. We also serve as a resource for educators. We support by phone, email or live chat for families and professionals. We do webinars like today's and we also provide resources. Now we'll hear from Maridiana Antunez for more information from the partners resource network. Go ahead, Marianna. Thank you very much, Ginette, and very, very good afternoon to everyone who is participating in this webinar today. I'm Marianna Antunez and I represent the Partners Resource Network. Partners Resource Network is a nonprofit organization that operates the Texas network of information and training centers for parents. These OPTIs are funded by the Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. In Texas, these four projects, PTIs, are known as PACT, PATH, PEN and TEAM. Our mission is to empower and support Texas families and people with disabilities and special health care needs. We do this through policies, services, local resources, as well as state and national guidelines. PRN provides training, information and personalized assistance at no cost to Texas families and youth. We serve parents of children and youth with disabilities from birth to twenty-six years of age, as well as youth between fourteen and twenty-six years of age who exercise self-defense. Thank you, Bargiana, for your valuable information, and welcome again. This webinar is talking about behavioral supports in the school environment, tools for you, parents, guardians and caregivers. Our agenda for today begins with a brief review of the rights of parents and guardians, including a notice about protective procedures. We will discuss school discipline considerations for students with disabilities. In addition, we'll talk about school-based behavioral supports, including specific strategies for autism that can be adapted for both home and school. Next, we'll talk about protections for you and your son or daughter in the special education process. Let's talk about something really important, notice about protective procedures. The notice about protective procedures are legal protections for students with disabilities and their families throughout the special education process. These protections are designed to ensure that families are informed, can actively participate in decisions, and are treated fairly at every step of the process. Procedural guarantees give families the right to take part in decisions about their son or daughter's education, to receive clear information in their primary language, to give or deny consent to evaluations and services, to review their son and daughter's educational records, and to have mechanisms to resolve disputes between parents and schools, such as mediation, due process and state complaints. Schools are required to provide you with a copy of the notice about protective procedures at certain times, such as when your son or daughter is first referred to a special education evaluation, if there is a disciplinary change of placement when the first state complaint or the first due process complaint is filed in a school year. And when you, as a parent, request a copy. These rights are designed to ensure that your voice is heard and that your son or daughter receives the support they need in a fair and respectful manner. Another right is prior written notice. Now, what is prior written notice? PWN stands for its acronym in English. The written advance notice is a formal letter from your school that explains any changes being considered for your son or daughter's special education services. This is required by law to ensure that you understand what is happening and why before changes are made. Prior written notice is important because it gives you clear information about what the school proposes or refuses to do, helps you make informed decisions about your son or daughter's education, and gives you time to ask questions or express disagreement before changes occur. You should receive a PWN whenever the school proposes a new service, such as adding speech therapy, changes an existing service, such as reducing the time of a support class, and rejects a request you have made for a service or support. Typically, prior written notice includes what the school wants to do or doesn't want to do, why they're making that decision, what information they used to decide, such as test results or in teacher forms, and other options considered and why they didn't choose. You have to review and understand the notice before you agree. You can request clarification or request a meeting about the notice. You can also disagree and use the dispute resolution options, if necessary. There is also due process. Sometimes, parents may disagree with the school's decision on discipline, especially if it involves a change of placement or the result of a demonstration determination review, or MDR, for its acronym in English. If that happens, you have the right to challenge the decision by requesting a due process hearing. This is a formal procedure designed to resolve disputes between families and schools. Both parties present their case and an impartial hearing officer makes the final decision. Schools can also request a due process hearing. For example, if the school believes that keeping a student in their current placement could be dangerous for the student or others, it can request a hearing to change the placement. Most importantly, due process provides parents and schools with a fair and legal way to resolve serious disagreements. Another useful option for resolving disputes is mediation. This is a voluntary process where TEA provides an independent mediator trained to help you and your son or daughter's school resolve disputes about the special education program or your son or daughter's eligibility. It's always preferable that a parent and the school can reach an agreement on the best way to resolve disputes, and mediation gives you an opportunity to try. Next, let's explore key discipline considerations for students with disabilities in school settings. Every school district in Texas has a code of student conduct. This is a set of rules that explains how students are expected to behave and what happens if those rules are violated. It is based on state law and district policy. The code lists potential consequences, from minor actions such as warnings or detention, to more serious measures such as suspension or placement in an alternative program. The goal is to keep schools safe and ensure that all students can learn. Chapter thirty-seven of the Texas Education Code is where you will find the state law that explains how schools handle discipline. This law requires districts to adopt a student code of conduct. It establishes clear rules about when a student can be removed from class, suspended, placed in a disciplinary alternative education program, or DAEP, or expelled. The law also requires schools to consider factors such as self-defense, intent, street status, state guardianship, and whether a student has a disability before deciding on consequences, regardless of behavior. In addition, it ensures that parents are notified when serious actions occur and that discipline is handled fairly. What happens when a student violates a school rule? When a student violates the code of conduct, they may be removed from their regular classroom. This may mean that another intern is being sent or that you have been suspended from school for a period of time. This is called disciplinary removal. If the behavior is minor, such as talking out of turn or not following instructions, the school usually begins with simple steps to help the student correct their behavior. These can include private conversation or warning. For example, a teacher or staff member talks to the student to explain what they did wrong and how to correct it. A call to parents, where the school contacts you to let you know what happened. A meeting with parents, sometimes a face-to-face meeting helps everyone work together to support the student. And arrest. The student spends extra time at school, usually after school or during lunch, to reflect on their decisions. These steps seek to correct behavior without removing the student from learning. Other examples include delays or violations of the dress code. If the behavior is more serious, such as fighting, repeated interruptions, or major violations of school rules, the consequences can be stronger, including in-school suspension, or ISS, for its acronym in English. In this example of a student, he stays in school, but is removed from his regular classes for a while. There is also an out-of-school suspension, or OSS, for its acronym in English. The student is sent home for certain days. Transfer to an alternative school or campus or DAEP, for its acronym in English. In this case, the student moves to a different program focused on discipline and behavioral support. And expulsion. The student is removed from school for a longer period. It's the most serious consequence. These measures are used when safety or learning is at risk, and schools follow state law and district policies when making these decisions. Schools don't make these decisions at random. Disciplinary consequences seek to protect the learning environment, to address behavior fairly, and to give students the opportunity to correct their actions. For serious or repeated conduct, Texas law allows class removal or placement in an alternative environment. These measures help maintain a safe learning environment. Before we discuss discipline considerations for students with disabilities, let's start with the basics. The law that grants rights to students with disabilities in school is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, for short. IDEA is a federal law that ensures that students with disabilities have access to free and appropriate public education, often called FAPE, FAPE, for its acronym in English. This means that schools must provide the supports and services that your daughter or son needs to learn and succeed, just like any other student. IDEA also includes important protections for your son or daughter's rights, even when it comes to discipline. These protections ensure that if your son or daughter's behavior is connected to their disability, the school responds in a way that supports them rather than unfairly punishes them. These rights don't disappear, even if a student is suspended or expelled from school. Although there are different types of disciplinary withdrawals, the three most common school retreats are in-school suspension, ISS, out-of-school suspension, OSS, and expulsion. If a student with a disability is removed from their current educational placement for more than ten consecutive school days, such as being sent to an alternative disciplinary education program, DAEP, for thirty days or being expelled, that is considered a change of placement. You might hear this called a long-term retreat. But it's not just about long retreats. If a student has several shorter retreats, such as some suspensions that add up to more than ten school days in a year, that can also count as a change of placement. If a student has multiple short-term withdrawals, such as several suspensions that together exceed ten school days in a school year, this can also be considered as a change of placement under I d e a. However, it's not just about the total number of days. Federal law explains that a series of withdrawals can also constitute a change of placement if they form a pattern. Determining if a pattern exists is based on certain factors, such as the length of each retreat, the total time the student has been removed, and the proximity of the retreats to each other. This determination is made by the school on a case-by-case basis, considering the student's specific behavioral circumstances and disciplinary history. When a change of placement occurs, certain legal protections are activated to ensure that the student's educational rights and needs continue to be addressed. The school must continue to provide services that help the student to keep up with the general education curriculum and to work to achieve the objectives in their individualized education program or I e p. These services may occur in a different environment, but support must continue. When a student with a disability is faced with a change of placement due to a disciplinary retreat, the school must have a special meeting called a demonstration determination review, or MDR. This meeting is part of the ARD committee process, admission, review and retirement, and must include the parent or guardian. During the MDR, the team closely examines the behavior that led to the discipline and answers two important questions. First, the conduct is, the conduct in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship with the student's disability, or the conduct in question was the direct result of the LEA's failure to implement the IEP. LEA is the acronym for the local education agency, commonly known as the school district. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that decisions are fair and consider the student's needs. To answer these questions, the team examines a variety of information including the student's evaluation, the IEP, and the behavior intervention plan, if any, their current placement, notes and observations from teachers and staff, any other information that the parent or guardian wishes to share, and this process helps to ensure that students are treated fairly and that their disability is considered when making decisions about the discipline. Now let's look at the MDR questions. Was the first question, the behavior in question, caused by or was it directly and substantially related to the student's disability? This question asks, did the behavior occur because of your son or daughter's disability? For example, if your son or daughter's disability was affected in impulse control or emotional regulation, and behavior was related to these challenges, then the answer might be yes. The team examines whether the disability directly influenced behavior, not just whether the child has a disability. The second question, was the conduct in question the direct result of the failure by the LEA, or the district, to implement the IEP? This question asks, did the school stop providing the supports and services in your son or daughter's IEP, and was that what led to the behavior? For example, if the IEP says that your child must have a behavioral support plan or additional help from an adult and they weren't provided, that could have contributed to the behavior. The team checks if the school followed the IEP as written. Now, there are special circumstances. There are some situations in which the school is allowed to take immediate action, even before going through the usual process of determining if the behavior is a manifestation of the student's disability. These are called special circumstances, and they apply when a student's behavior involves a gun, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury to another person. In these cases, the school may transfer a student to a different educational environment, such as the alternative disciplinary education program, DAEP, for up to forty-five days. This can happen even if it is later determined that the behavior is a manifestation of the student's disability. But even during this time, the student still has the right to receive educational services and support through their IEP. The goal is for them to keep learning and progressing, even in a different environment. Now, about students not eligible for special education. In cases where a student has not been officially identified as someone with a disability or does not yet have an IEP, they may continue to have protections under special education law during disciplinary actions, but only if one of the following points had already occurred before the conduct violation occurred. The parent or guardian expressed written concerns to a teacher or administrative staff member that the child might need special education services. Or the parent requested an evaluation. Or a teacher or other school staff expressed specific concerns about the child's academic or behavioral performance to appropriate school personnel. In these cases, schools must treat the student as if they already had a disability and ensure the same disciplinary protections, including the list of a demonstration determination review, MDR. This requirement helps ensure that students are not left without support simply because the evaluation process has not yet been completed. Let's start by taking a look at behavioral supports and how they're developed to support children. Let's take a moment to think about behavior in a different way. Behavior isn't just something that children do. Often, it's the way they communicate. When a child acts in a disruptive way, they may be trying to tell us something they don't have words for yet. For example, if a child throws an object, it's not necessarily an act of defiance, it could be their way of expressing frustration or of pointing out, I need help. That's where behavioral supports come in. These are tools and strategies that help children learn more appropriate ways to express themselves. Instead of throwing something away, a child could learn to say, I need a break, or use a signal to let the teacher know that they are being overwhelmed. When we use behavioral support plans effectively, we not only help children manage their emotions, but we also prevent major problems, such as suspensions or crisis situations. It's about teaching skills, building trust and creating a safe space for learning. This pyramid shows how schools support student behavior using a system called MTSS, which stands for multilevel support system. At the base, level one, these are the universal supports that all students receive, such as general school expectations, routines, and positive efforts. This is the basis for creating a safe and supportive environment for all. At level two, moving up, we provide more specific or targeted support for students who need a little extra help, such as small group interventions or reviews with a counselor to work on specific skills, such as managing emotions or staying focused. At the top, level three, intensive supports for students with more significant needs include strategies that are highly individualized, often part of a behavioral intervention plan and may include one-to-one support or specialized services. The goal of this system is to find the student where they are and to give them the right level of support to succeed, socially and emotionally. Special education is part of level three within MTSS. This means that your son or daughter already receives the most individualized level of support through their IEP. MTSS doesn't replace special education, but it works alongside it. For students with IEPs, they still have access to level one and two supports, in addition to their special education services. MTSS helps the school monitor progress and add additional supports, if needed. Your son or daughter's IEP team ensures that any MTSS strategy is aligned with their goals and services. You can consider MTSS as a safety net. Your son or daughter's IEP is the foundation, and MTSS adds layers of support so that nothing goes uncovered. A behavioral intervention plan, BBIP, is a detailed plan that addresses a student's individualized behavioral needs. A BIP or BIP is developed by the student's admission review and withdrawal committee, ARD, and is used to teach or reinforce positive behaviors. In general, whenever a student's behavior interferes with their own learning or those of others, IDEA law requires that the ARD committee consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports. These supports can include a BIP, a DEB. A BIP typically includes teaching strategies designed to increase appropriate behaviors, changes that can be made in the classroom or other school settings to reduce or prevent problem behaviors. Student supports that promote appropriate behavior, and consequence strategies that address problematic behavior. A BIP is a written plan that identifies problematic behaviors, explains why they occur, and details strategies to help your son or daughter succeed. It's part of I and p for students with disabilities. Now, a little more about how schools create behavioral intervention plans to support students who struggle with behavior. The first step is called functional behavioral assessment, or FBA, for its acronym in English. The FBA is considered an evaluation under special education law. The school cannot start the process without your written consent. Why? Because evaluations are part of your child or child's rights in special education, called protective procedures, which was the document mentioned earlier in the presentation. Every time the school wants to conduct an evaluation, you must explain what you plan to do and why, ask for your written permission before starting, and you have the right to say yes or no, and ask questions before accepting. Once you give your consent, the school performs the functional behavioral assessment. And FBA is a process that schools use to understand why a student shows challenging behaviors. The goal is to identify what is causing the behavior in order to create a plan to help the student succeed. During an FBA, the school team collects information in a variety of ways, both formal and informal. Some are observations, staff observe the student in different environments to see when and where the behavior occurs. Interviews, these are done to ask teachers, parents and sometimes the student questions about what they notice about behavior. They also review records, the team reviews attendance, discipline reports and other school data. And evaluations, which can be formal or informal tools, such as grading ladders or questionnaires to identify patterns. All of this information helps the team understand what causes the behavior and what the student may be trying to communicate with their actions. Now, the parents' role in the FBA is that both of you parents play a very important role and you can be invited to share your observations, tell the team what you see at home or in other settings outside of school. You can also participate in an interview, answer questions about your son or daughter's interests, routines, strengths and challenges. Complete a rating scale. This helps the team compare what's happening at home and at school. Your input is critical because you know your son or daughter best. The more information you share, the better the team can create a plan that works for him or her. The FBA does not seek to punish, but to understand and provide support. When the school knows the reasons behind their behavior, it can teach new skills and make changes that help your son or daughter thrive. After the FBA, you will receive a written report that explains what the team learned about your son or daughter's behavior, what could be causing the behavior, and recommendations for supports and strategies. This report becomes part of your son or daughter's educational record and will help guide decisions about services. Once the cause of the behavior is identified, the admission, review and retirement committee works together to create a plan with proactive strategies. These are actions designed to help the boy or girl before the behavior occurs, such as teaching routines, offering options, or adjusting the environment. An important part of the plan is teaching replacement skills. These are more appropriate ways for a child to express their emotions or manage frustration. For example, instead of shouting or cooing something, the child might learn to ask for a break or use a calming strategy. Finally, the school monitors progress, collecting data to see what works, what needs to be adjusted, and ensuring that the plan actually helps the child to create and succeed. The goal of a VIP BIP isn't just to stop unwanted behavior, but to teach skills that allow a child to thrive in school and beyond. Next, we'll explore some practical strategies designed to support your children with autism at home and at school. These strategies can help improve behavior and daily functioning. While these strategies are especially useful for children with autism, many of them can also be used with any child who is facing behavioral challenges. A useful strategy for supporting students with is called priming, early preparation. Prime means preparing students in advance for what is going to happen, so they feel more comfortable and less anxious. Priming helps students succeed by increasing the predictability of events. This is important because it increases a child's sense of control over their environment. Previewing expectations allows the child to process what is expected of him while he is calm, rather than in the midst of a transition or activity. The preview should be brief and may include showing an image, reading a social story, reviewing a visual schedule, or simply reviewing the steps of an activity. An example at school could be that, before a fire drill, a teacher can explain to the student in a low voice what is going to happen, how the alarm will sound and what they should do. You can even go over the steps ahead of time. This helps reduce anxiety and makes the experience more predictable. An example for the house. If they go to a new place, such as a doctor's office or a birthday party, you can talk to your son or daughter beforehand about what he or she will see, hear and do. It can show you images, describe people you'll meet, or even simulate the situation so you know what to expect. Another good example of is using a visual schedule. This is a simple tool that shows the student what their day will be like, using images, symbols or words. It may include activities such as arriving in the morning, math class, lunch, recess, and returning home. For many students with autism, knowing what to expect reduces stress and eases transitions. It also gives them a sense of control and predictability. Visual schedules can be revised at the beginning of the day, before a new activity, or before a change in routine. They are especially useful when something unexpected is going to happen, such as a fire drill or the arrival of a substitute teacher. A simple, yet powerful, strategy that we use to support behavior is called first, then. It helps students understand the order of activities and what is expected of them. The idea is simple. We show or tell the student what to do first and what to do next. For example, first finish your math sheet, then you can play with the blocks. This clarifies expectations and increases motivation, especially when aftercare is a preferred reinforcer. A reinforcer is something that motivates your son or daughter to repeat positive behavior. It's a reward or outcome that makes the behavior more likely to happen again. Some examples of reinforcers Tangible objects, such as a favorite snack or toy. Activities, such as extra time at a game or choosing a fun activity Social praise, such as good work or a clash of hands The most important thing is that the reinforcer is meaningful to your son or daughter, something you truly value. Reinforcers help promote positive behaviors and develop new skills. The first-later strategy is especially useful during transitions or when the student is asked to do something they may not prefer. It gives them structure and something to look forward to. It works best when used with visual support, such as a simple card or image showing the two steps. And it's most effective when the afterlife activity is something that the student finds very motivating. An example for at home is to say, first, brush your teeth. Afterwards, you can watch your favorite show. This sets a clear expectation and associates a less preferred activity, which is brushing your teeth, with a reinforcer, watching a program. It helps the boy or girl understand what must happen first and gives him something to look forward to. If it's new to the boy or girl, you might resist it at first, but that's okay. Stay consistent, repeat the request, and show visual support again. Over time, you'll understand the pattern and respond more positively. Social narratives are short, simple stories that help children understand social situations and what is expected of them. They are written in a calm and reassuring manner using clear and positive language. These stories write about what is going on, how others might feel, and what the boy or girl can do in this situation. Instead of telling the child what not to do, social stories focus on statements in the first person, or me. For example, I can raise my hand when I want to speak, to encourage positive behavior. Reading the story before the situation occurs, similar to priming, helps the child feel more prepared and less anxious. By adding visual props, the story becomes even easier to understand. Social narratives are especially useful during routine changes, learning new skills, and situations where a child has difficulty picking up social cues. An example for the house. Before an assembly In one example, at school, before a school assembly, a teacher can read a social story that explains what an assembly is, how students are expected to feel in silence, and why it is important to listen to the speaker. And an example at home, if a child goes to the If a child goes to the dentist for the first time, a parent can read a story that explains what will happen during the visit, what the dentist might say or do, and how the child can stay calm and ask questions. Now, you can learn more about your rights as a parent if you can find the spedtech dot o r g page. There we have it, there you can access the overview of special education for parents, as well as the notice about the protection procedure. Before I conclude, I wanted to share some links that you might be interested in reviewing. Some of these links are in English, but many of what you can see on the screen are available in Spanish for you, and they will be on the slide that we are going to have for you. Thank you very, very, very much for your time, and we will return to Marjana Tunnels to share additional information about the partner resource network. Thanks a lot to Ginette and Joanne for all the explanation today. Behavior always, or with every discipline, is always one of the most popular topics among families. Before we finish and invite them to review or to contact us through the numbers they see on the screen and the e-mail address, we are going to place on the sheet, in the chat box, the links for the resources that, then, are added to this presentation today. Don't miss them, as there are a lot of interesting things there. Once again, partners resource network invites you to contact us, Spectec, if you have questions or require immediate information or help. Our next one, we finished this December with our series of webinars for this follow, we are very sure that in January when we return again, after the vacation, well deserved for everyone, they will get more information about planning workshops and webinars for families and young people with disabilities for the following year, the twenty-twenty-sixth. Very good afternoon and thank you very much. Thank you, Mariana. And if you have questions about special education or today's topic, contact us at SPECtX, we're your resource for special education information. We are happy to help. Our contact information is on the screen.