Building Classrooms That Prevent Behavior Before It Starts
Presented by: Charles R. Toussaint, Jr.

This Tier 1 session will focus on evidence-based co-teaching and classroom management practices that increase behavioral and cognitive engagement for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Participants will explore how collaborative instructional models, structured classroom routines, differentiated instruction, and positive behavior supports can improve student participation, self-regulation, and access to grade-level content. The session will highlight practical strategies to strengthen teacher collaboration, increase student engagement, and create proactive classroom environments that support diverse learners. Drawing from current research and classroom-based examples, attendees will examine how co-planning, role clarity, targeted feedback, and culturally responsive practices contribute to positive academic and behavioral outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on scalable Tier 1 supports that can be implemented immediately across inclusive educational settings. 

1. Identify evidence-based Tier 1 co-teaching and classroom management practices that promote behavioral and cognitive engagement for students with disabilities. 
2. Apply collaborative instructional strategies, structured routines, and differentiated supports to increase student participation and self-regulation in inclusive classrooms. 
3. Develop an action plan for implementing proactive, engagement-focused practices that improve access to grade-level curriculum and positive behavioral outcomes for diverse learners.

Targeted Interventions to Support Student Behavior
Presented by: Dr. Kimberly Vannest

Explore practical, evidence-based strategies that improve student behavior and learning. Learn how anxiety and depression affect academic performance and adapt cognitive behavioral interventions across grade levels. This session will prepare educators to implement high-leverage, evidence-based practices in small groups or differentiated classroom settings.

1. Explain anxiety’s and depression’s impact on learning and self-regulation.
2. Describe core CBT components for Tier 2 implementation.
3. Adapt behavioral and cognitive approaches for school-based Tier 2 supports.

Functional Assessment-Based Interventions: From Start to Finish
Presented by: John Umbreit, Ph.D.; Kathleen Lynne Lane, Ph.D. BCBA-D, CF-L2; and Elise Sarasin, M.S.E.

In this session, we will introduce a step-by-step approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating Functional Assessment-Based Interventions (FABI; Umbreit et al., 2007, 2024) to support students with intensive behavioral intervention needs. Participants will learn how to (a) identify students who might benefit from a FABI, (b) conduct a functional assessment, (c) collect baseline data, (d) develop a function-based intervention, and (e ) test intervention outcomes, with an emphasis on practical ways to measure treatment integrity, social validity, and student outcomes. As part of this well-tested, systematic approach (Sarasin et al., 2026), we introduce two practical tools: the Function Matrix for determining the maintaining function and the Function-based Intervention Decision Model to guide intervention design. We will connect participants with free-access, on-demand resources for use in their own contexts.

1. Describe a five-step process for conducting Functional Assessment-based Interventions (FABIs) for students requiring behavioral interventions.
2. Practice using the Function Matrix to analyze multiple sources of data to determine why a challenging behavior occurs.
3. Demonstrate how to use the Function-based Intervention Decision Model to inform function-based intervention development.

From Research to Reality: Building District-University Partnerships That Transform MTSS for Behavior
Presented by: Chad Rose, Ph.D.; Kimberly Merath; Melissa Temke; Heather Smith

Evidence-based practices improve student outcomes only when they are implemented with fidelity and sustained over time. This interactive capstone session brings together university researchers and district leaders to share practical lessons from more than ten years of collaborative work designing, implementing, evaluating, and refining behavioral supports within a large urban school district. Participants will explore how shared leadership, collaborative problem-solving, professional learning, implementation coaching, and continuous data use have helped build sustainable systems that support students across Tiers 1, 2, and 3.

Rather than focusing on a single program or initiative, this session emphasizes the principles and practices that enable districts and universities to build lasting partnerships that translate research into meaningful improvements for educators and students. Participants will leave with a practical framework for developing collaborative partnerships and strengthening the implementation of behavioral MTSS in their own schools and districts.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the essential components of successful district-university partnerships that support sustainable implementation of behavioral MTSS.
2. Examine practical strategies for building educator capacity through collaborative leadership, professional learning, implementation coaching, and data-informed decision-making.
3. Apply a partnership framework to strengthen the implementation and sustainability of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 behavioral supports within local schools and districts.