Appendix C: Behavior Team Leader Protocol 

Protocol A: 

Behavior Team Leader (Fall 2015; Spring 2016; Spring 2017)

These questions are from the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET)1and Individual Students 

Systems Evaluation Tool (ISSET) 2and stay the same at each wave.

Date:

Interviewer_ID: District_ID: School_ID: STAFF_ID:

Introduction (Introduction Will Be Repeated Each Wave)

Good morning/good afternoon. My name is [name] and I work with the Multi-Tiered Systems of 

Support for Behavior (MTSS-B) study team. 

We are conducting interviews with behavior team leader to learn their thoughts about behavior 

support practices at their school. We anticipate the interview will take about [30 minutes (BAU 

schools)/ 45 minutes (program schools)]. 

Before we begin, I would like to ask you to review this consent form and let me know if you 

agree to be interviewed and if I can audio-record the interview. We record the interviews to 

ensure that we do not miss any relevant information. All the information we collect is 

confidential, and you, your school, or anyone working at or attending your school will not be 

identified by name. You can ask me to stop recording at any time. (Review consent form.)

Do you have any questions before we begin?

First, let’s talk about your Behavior Support Team and the processes associated with the team. 

1) How many people are on the team and what are their roles in your school? 

2) Is there a process for requesting assistance from the team for a student that may need extra 

behavior support? Yes No 

If yes, what is the process? 

__________________________________________________________ 

(Get copy of Request for Assistance forms) 

3) Have at least 4 of 5 of the most recent requests for assistance received support (meeting held 

or had an FBA conducted/started and/or intervention planned) within 10 school days of the 

request? Yes No 

 

1

Sugai et al., 2005 

2 Anderson et al., 2014. 
4) Do any BST team members attend annual professional development training in targeted and 

intensive interventions? Yes No 

If so, how many?

5) When the team meets to complete an FBA, does the team include individuals with knowledge 

about: 

The student? Yes No 

The setting in which the problem behavior usually occurs? Yes No 

An understanding of functional behavior assessment and building behavior support plans 

linked to the functional behavior assessment? Yes No 

What about when the team meets to complete a BSP, does the team include individuals with 

knowledge about: 

The student? Yes No 

The setting in which the problem behavior usually occurs? Yes No 

An understanding of functional behavior assessment and building behavior support plans 

linked to the functional behavior assessment? Yes No

Now let’s talk about Targeted and Intensive Interventions: 

A targeted intervention is defined as an intervention designed for students who are not 

responding to universal interventions. These interventions are implemented in a similar 

manner for all students receiving it. Eligible students might need additional social, academic, 

and/or organizational support. 

An intensive individual intervention is defined as an intervention for students who need 

individualized behavior support. 

6) Does your school have any targeted interventions available to students who might need them? 

Yes No If yes, what are they? 

__________________________________________________ 

Do you have anything written down that describes these interventions? Yes No 

(If no, skip targeted interventions questions 7, 8, 18-21) 

Which one is most commonly used? ____________________________ (When referring to the 

school’s targeted intervention for the remainder of the interview, use the name provided by the 

BST Leader.)

7) In reference to (the most commonly used targeted intervention) (Get written information 

about this intervention to score for documentation.) 
a. Is the intervention organized around SW expectations or SW academic goals?

Yes No 

b. Is the intervention available for students to enter at any time? Yes No 

c. When students are identified for the intervention do they begin the intervention within 3 

school days of determination? Yes No 

d. Do student assessment/progress data prompt the need for modification? Yes No 

e. Does the intervention include structured prompts for what to do during the day (relevant 

situations)? Yes No 

f. Do students on the intervention receive positive feedback from staff on a daily basis? 

Yes No 

g. Does the intervention include a weekly check-in with the student’s family? Yes No 

h. Are orientation materials available for students entering the intervention? Yes

No 

i. Are orientation materials available for staff/substitutes/volunteers that have students using 

the intervention? Yes No 

j. Do students using the intervention have daily opportunities to use their new skills? Yes

No 

If yes, tell me about that process. Give me an example.

8) Who manages, coordinates and monitors the (most commonly used targeted intervention, their 

program name)? 

Does this person have formally allocated time apart from their other job responsibilities 

for this coordination? Yes No 

Is that documented in their job description? Yes No 

If yes, ask to see the job description. (If yes, ask for a copy) 

9) Are office discipline referral data reviewed and used to identify students who currently are not 

receiving an intervention but who might benefit from a targeted or intensive intervention? 

Yes No 

If yes, how often? ______________

10) Do you have a process for determining if a student begins a targeted intervention? Yes

No 

If yes, tell me about the process. 

How about a process for determining if a student begins an intensive intervention? Yes

No 
If yes, tell me about the process. 

11) Do you monitor the outcomes for students receiving targeted and intensive behavior support? 

 Yes No 

If yes, how often? ____________

12) If a behavior support plan focuses on a problem behavior that places a student or others at 

physical risk, does the team have a strategy for identifying risk and implementing a safety 

plan if needed? (H6) Yes No (see BSPs for documentation) 

13) Does a team (school-wide or BST) review data across all students across the school (e.g., 

ODR patterns, formative evaluation) to determine whether the school needs to develop or 

modify their existing targeted and intensive interventions? Yes No 

If yes, how often? _________

14) Does the school-wide team monitor the number of students on targeted and/or individual 

supports? 

Yes No

If yes, how often? ____________ 

15) Once it has been determined that a student needs targeted and intensive support, is there a 

process for notifying and including family members? Yes No 

If yes, is the process written down for both targeted and intensive? Yes No (ask to 

review) 

Once an intervention has been implemented, do parents continue to receive information 

about their child’s progress? Yes No 

16) Do you notify staff members involved with those students? Yes No 

If yes, is the notification process written down for both targeted and intensive? Yes 

No 

(ask to review)

Once an intervention has been implemented, does staff continue to receive information about 

their student’s progress? 

Yes No

17) How are decisions made about how to monitor and when to modify or discontinue a targeted 

intervention? 

_______________________________________________________________ 

Are there written decision rules or a process for how this happens? Yes No

(ask to review them)
18) How much time does the (most commonly used targeted intervention) require per day for 

instructional staff to implement/monitor (this refers to instructional staff who implement the 

program with students during the school day)? 

______________________ 

19) How do you train or orient staff, volunteers, substitutes, students and families about the 

(most commonly used targeted intervention)? _______________________________ 

Do you have anything written down that describes this orientation or training? 

Yes No 

(ask to review it)

20) Does the team collect and review data at least once a year to evaluate that the (most 

commonly used targeted intervention) is being implemented as planned (with fidelity)? 

Yes No 

Protocol B:

Behavior Team Leader of Program Schools Supplement (Fall 2015)

I would now like to ask you a few questions about the readiness activities that took place last 

spring and early summer to establish the infrastructure to implement MTSS-B in your school. 

1. As part of the readiness activities last spring, your school established a School 

Leadership Team (SLT). Did you find the CSBS trainer helpful in the process of 

creating the SLT?

a. If Yes, then ask: How did he/she help you or the school staff to establish the 

team? [Probe: For example, did you see a webinar about the MTSS-B study in 

general and about the role of the SLT? Did you discuss the roles and functions of 

the team members with the CSBS trainer?] 

b. If No, then ask: What kind of additional support would have been helpful in 

establishing the SLT?

2. Did your school modify the office discipline referral process and forms last spring?

a. If Yes, then ask: Did the CSBS trainer provide support for modifying the process? 

For example, did the CSBS trainer: i) provide you with an example ODR form, 

and ii) explain why the forms needed to be changed?

i. If Yes, then ask: Was the support helpful? Can you give examples? Can 

you think of any additional supports that could have been helpful?

ii. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your 

school staff? 
b. If No, then ask: Could you explain briefly why the office discipline referral 

process was not changed? For example, did the CSBS trainer agree that the 

process was close enough to the process they usually recommend?

3. Your school was provided with the SWIS behavior monitoring system to document and 

monitor student behavior. How did you find the process of getting the system set up for 

your staff? 

4. Did the CSBS trainer support you and/or your staff getting started with SWIS? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Was the support helpful? Can you give examples? [Probe: For 

example, did he/she get you a copy of the licensing agreement? Answer questions 

about the system? Help you identify appropriate staff for SWIS training? Make 

sure that staff could log into the system?] Are there any additional supports that 

could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your school 

staff?

5. How many people from your school participated in the trainings for the Schoolwide 

Information System (SWIS)? 

6. These school staff were trained by CSBS in the use of SWIS. In your opinion, how 

useful was the training? How do you know it was useful? [Probe: Was the training long 

enough and covering enough content? Was the training hands on with real examples 

using the software?]

7. In your opinion, do the school staff feel ready to use the SWIS system at this stage? 

a. If Yes, then ask: How do you know? Can you give examples? [Probe: For 

example, have you or your staff started to use the system? Is someone assigned to 

enter ODRs? How about someone assigned to regularly print out reports? Are you 

or your staff using or planning to use them during SLT or other meetings?] Can 

you think of any other supports that could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your school 

staff?

8. Has your school contacted CSBS for additional support regarding SWIS? 

a. If Yes, then ask: On what topics? Why was extra support needed? Was the extra 

support helpful? Can you give examples? [Probe: For example, did the trainer 

provide responses in a timely manner? Answer questions about the system? Was

the trainer knowledgeable about the system? (For example, did the trainer explain 

how to change passwords? How to locate additional resources? How to export and 

import data to the system?)] Can you think of any other supports that could have 

been helpful?
b. If No, then ask: Is there a kind of support that would have been helpful to your 

school?”?

9. As a school implementing the MTSS-B program in this study, your school was assigned 

an MTSS-B coach. Do you know who the assigned MTSS-B coach is for your school?

a. If Yes, then ask: What is the name of the MTSS-B coach?

b. If No, say: OK—we will make sure the coach comes to your office next time 

he/she is around.

10. What is the role of the MTSS-B coach in your school? [Probe: What do you think the 

coach is supposed to do?]

11. How did the CSBS trainer explain the role and function of the MTSS-B coach? Was the 

CSBS trainer helpful in explaining the role and function of the MTSS-B coach? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Was the support helpful? Can you give examples? [Probe: Did 

you receive information about the role of the MTSS-B coach? Do you know how 

often the coach will be in your school? Were you given information about areas in 

which the coach will provide support to your teams?]

b. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your school 

staff?

12. Were there any other types of support that you or your school staff received from the 

CSBS trainer before the summer trainings took place? 

a. If Yes, then ask: What type of support? Was the support helpful? Can you give 

examples? [Probe: For example, technical assistance via email? Phone calls?] Can 

you think of any other supports that could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of additional support would have been helpful for your 

school staff?

13. You, your school’s SLT and the MTSS-B coach were trained during the summer by

CSBS. As part of this, you and your school’s SLT and coach were expected to start 

creating your school plan for implementing MTSS-B. Can you tell me about the process 

of creating and finalizing the plan? Did the CSBS trainer help you set up a process, 

after the summer trainings to finalize the school’s implementation plan and to prepare 

the school for the kick-off meeting? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Was the support helpful? Can you give examples? [Probe: For 

example, technical assistance via email? Phone calls?] Can you think of any other 

supports that could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of additional support would have been helpful for your 

school staff?
14. In your opinion, are you and your staff ready to implement MTSS-B Tier I? 

a. If no, then ask: Why do you not feel ready? What challenges do you anticipate 

facing? What additional support would have been helpful for your school staff. 

These were all the questions I had. Is there anything else you would like to share with me about 

the support you have received for implementing the MTSS-B program? Thank you so much for 

your time.

Protocol C:

Behavior Team Leader of Program School Supplement (Spring 2016)

I would like to ask you a few questions about the support activities that have taken place over the 

last few months to implement MTSS-B in your school. I would especially like to learn about the 

activities the CSBS trainer engaged in over the last two months and their usefulness for MTSS-B 

implementation in your school. I would like to ask a set of questions about the kind of activities 

the trainer could be engaged in. Are you ready? 

1. Most schools participating in the study were encouraged to change their rewards and 

consequences system regarding student behavior and discipline. Was that true for you? 

Did you change the system in your school? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you briefly describe how the system changed? Did the 

CSBS trainer help you to modify the system? 

i. If Yes, then ask: What kind of supports did he/she provide? Can you give 

examples? [Probe: Did the trainer discuss the benefits or reasoning behind 

having positive reinforcement systems in place and changing the focus 

from negative consequences to positive reinforcements? Did the trainer 

provide examples of systems other schools have established? Technical 

assistance via email or phone?] Can you think of any other supports that 

could have been helpful?

ii. If No, then ask: What kind of additional support would have been helpful 

for your school staff?

b. If No, then ask: What were the reasons for not modifying your current 

rewards/consequences system? [Probe: Did the current system already align with 

the MTSS-B approach? Did you think that changing the system was 

unnecessary?]

2. Has the CSBS trainer conducted webinars about the classroom components over the last 

two months?

a. If Yes, then ask: Who participated in the webinars? Do you think your staff and 

teachers found the information in the webinars useful? Do you think they are 
using the specific strategies and tools? How do you know? Can you think of any 

other supports that could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: Do you know why the webinars did not occur?

3. Has the CSBS provider conducted any on-site trainings in your school over the last two 

months?

a. If Yes, then ask: Who participated in the trainings? What was the content of the 

trainings? Do you think your staff and teachers found the trainings useful? How 

do you know? Do you think they are using the specific strategies and tools 

covered in the trainings? Can you think of any other supports that could have been 

helpful?

b. If No, then ask: Do you know why the trainings did not take place?

4. Has the CSBS trainer specifically addressed MTSS-B implementation in classrooms 

during the site visits over the last two months?

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples? For example, did the trainer 

conduct a training on the Positive Behavior Game? Or did the trainer conduct 

classroom walkthroughs?

b. If No, move on to the next question.

5. Did the CSBS trainer help with analyzing student data, and did he/she use the data to 

help modify the school’s implementation plan?

a. If Yes, then ask: Who did the CSBS trainer work with to help with the analysis of 

student data from SWIS? Do you think your staff and teachers found the support 

from the CSBS trainer useful? How do you know? Do you think they are applying 

the skills they learned in analyzing student data and reports from SWIS? Can you 

think of any other supports that could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: Do you know why the CSBS trainer has not been helping staff to 

analyze student data?

6. Did the CSBS trainer address any specific problems that the school experienced with 

implementation (for example, a specific classroom struggling with behavior; a specific 

area in the school, such as the cafeteria)? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples?

b. If No, move on to the next question.

7. Was the CSBS trainer helpful in structuring and supporting faculty meetings where 

MTSS-B implementation was presented? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples? (For example, did he/she help 

with student data, preparing slides, and so on?)
b. If No, move on to the next question 

8. As a school implementing the MTSS-B program in this study, your school was assigned 

an MTSS-B coach. In your opinion, is the MTSS-B coach successfully integrating 

him/herself into the school? For example, do you believe teachers find the coach 

knowledgeable and a valuable source of support?

9. Has the MTSS-B coach supported the SLT and school staff in implementing the MTSSB program? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Has the coach been helpful? Can you give examples of the 

activities the MTSS-B coach has engaged in? [Probe: For example, has the 

MTSS-B coach attended or participated in the SLT meetings? Provided one-onone coaching or small group trainings to the school staff? Helped with analyzing 

student behavior data?] Can you think of any other supports that could have been 

helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your school 

staff?

These were all the questions I had. Is there anything else you would like to share with me about 

the support you have received for implementing the MTSS-B program? Thank you so much for 

your time.

Protocol D:

Behavior Team Leader of Program School Supplement (Spring 2017)

I would like to ask you a few questions about the support activities that have taken place over the 

last few months to implement MTSS-B in your school. I would especially like to learn about the 

activities the CSBS trainer engaged in over the last two months and their usefulness for MTSS-B 

implementation in your school. I would like to ask a set of questions about the kind of activities 

the trainer could be engaged in. Are you ready? 

1. Has the CSBS provider conducted any trainings in your school over the last two 

months?

a. If Yes, then ask: Who participated in the trainings? What was the content of the 

trainings? Do you think your staff and teachers found the trainings useful? How 

do you know? Do you think they are using the specific strategies and tools 

covered in the trainings? Can you think of any other supports or training that 

could have been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: Do you know why the trainings did not take place?

2. Has the CSBS trainer specifically addressed MTSS-B implementation in classrooms 

during the site visits over the last two months?
a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples? For example, did the trainer 

conduct retraining or a booster session on the Positive Behavior Game? Or did the 

trainer conduct classroom walkthroughs?

b. If No, move on to the next question.

3. Did the CSBS trainer help with analyzing student data, and did he/she use the data to 

help modify the school’s implementation plan?

a. If Yes, then ask: Did the trainer help both with SWIS and the SWIS [CICO] 

component? Who did the CSBS trainer work with to help with the analysis of 

student data from SWIS and/or the SWIS [CICO] component? Do you think your 

staff and teachers found the support from the CSBS trainer useful? How do you 

know? Do you think they are applying the skills they learned in analyzing student 

data and reports from SWIS? Can you think of any other supports that could have 

been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: Do you know why the CSBS trainer has not been helping the staff 

to analyze student data?

4. Did the CSBS trainer address specific problems that the school experienced with the 

implementation (e.g., a specific classroom struggling with behavior; a certain area in 

the school, such as the cafeteria)?

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples?

b. If No, move on to the next question.

5. Has the CSBS trainer specifically addressed MTSS-B implementation in classrooms 

during the site visits?

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples? For example, did the trainer 

conduct retraining or a booster session on the Positive Behavior Game? Or did the 

trainer conduct classroom walkthroughs?

b. If No, move on to the next question.

6. Was the CSBS trainer helpful during the faculty meetings where the MTSS-B 

implementation was presented? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Can you provide some examples? (For example, did the trainer 

help with student data, preparing slides, and so on?)

b. If No, move on to the next question.

7. Has the CSBS provider worked with the Targeted Team regarding implementation of 

[CICO]? 

a. If Yes, then ask: What kind of supports did she/he provide? Can you give 

examples? [Probe: For example, has the provider helped the team to identify
students who are not responsive to Tier I and who would benefit from (CICO)? 

Helped the team to create behavior expectations for students? Modeled giving 

feedback to students?]

b. If No, then ask: What kind of additional support would have been helpful for your 

school staff?

8. As a school implementing the MTSS-B program in this study, your school was 

assigned an MTSS-B coach. In your opinion, is the MTSS-B coach successfully

integrating him/herself into the school? For example, do you believe teachers find the 

coach knowledgeable and a valuable source of support?

9. Has the MTSS-B coach been supporting the SLT, the Targeted Team, and the school 

staff in implementing the MTSS-B program? 

a. If Yes, then ask: Has the coach been helpful? Can you give examples of the 

activities the MTSS-B coach has engaged in? [Probe: For example, has the 

MTSS-B coach attended or participated in the SLT meetings? Provided one-onone coaching or small group trainings to the school staff? Helped with analyzing 

student behavior data? Helped the Targeted Team with day-to-day

implementation of (CICO)?] Can you think of any other supports that could have 

been helpful?

b. If No, then ask: What kind of support would have been helpful for your school 

staff?

10. In your opinion, how is the MTSS-B program implementation going in your school? 

[Probe: Are all elements implemented consistently? (SLT meets regularly, SWIS and 

behavior data are used for decision making), Do most teachers use the Positive 

Behavior Game in their classrooms? Are staff being supported by the MTSS-B 

coach?) Is it different as compared to last year? 

11. What barriers or obstacles do you believe have hindered implementation of the MTSSB program in your school? Was the CSBS trainer and/or the MTSS-B coach helpful in 

addressing these obstacles? Have there been specific features about your school that 

have helped in the implementation of the MTSS-B?

12. What are your plans regarding MTSS-B implementation next year? 

These were all the questions I had. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about the 

support you have received for implementing the MTSS-B program? Thank you so much for your 

time.