UpSlope Solutions®

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Best Practices for Modifying Employee Behavior^© (BPMB) and Employee Discipline in an Education Environment^© (EDEE) workshops are research-backed staff development opportunities for administrators and supervisors needing to address staff conduct and/or productivity concerns more proactively, effectively, and defensibly. The workshops within these powerful multimedia programs equip participants with a comprehensive framework of best practices for transforming their daily supervisory activities into opportunities to more positively impact student achievement.

Delivered over one to three days in either live or virtual formats, these workshops establish core learning with concise attorney-led tutorials and provides dozens of opportunities to collaboratively practice new management skills and concepts using re-enactments of actual disciplinary cases from across the country. Along the way, practical implementation tools are incorporated to help put research into practice back home.

The following is an overview of each of the workshops in these programs:

Workshop 1: Setting Expectations

For principals and other supervisors, this workshop provides video-based re-enactments of actual cases that model how to better manage behavioral expectations using informal and formal actions.

For HR directors, this workshop introduces a rubric-based method for (1) evaluating case facts during investigations and (2) selecting responses that are fair, reasonable, and consistent across the school system.

For superintendents, this workshop explores methods for modifying the underlying behaviors associated with staff conduct and productivity concerns and underscores how to set expected behaviors in the school system.

Workshop 1: Setting Expectations

Workshop 2: Reinforcing Expectations

For principals and other supervisors, this workshop explores how an employee code of conduct inspires school leaders to justify their reasons for modifying employee behavior.

For HR directors, this workshop details (1) the framework for the code, (2) the procedures that need to be in the code for supervisors to properly handle conduct and/or productivity concerns, and (3) how to implement the code.

For superintendents, this workshop blueprints the design of searchable code-related administrator guides using federal law, state statutes, board policies, and master agreements (in collective bargaining states).

Workshop 2: Reinforcing Expectations

Workshop 3: Upholding Expectations

For principals and other supervisors, this workshop provides specific steps for investigating issues and using progressive discipline proactively, effectively, and defensibly.

For HR directors, this workshop explores how to (1) create clear disciplinary procedures, (2) structure documentation examples, and (3) compile and evaluate disciplinary data to reduce the potential for disciplinary bias.

For superintendents, this workshop explains how practicing the principles of uniformity, knowing your role, solid documentation, the docket, timeliness, and mutual respect can reduce disicplinary operational risk.

Workshop 3: Upholding Expectations

Solution features

Relevant for school supervisors in all 50 U.S. states
Activity-based adult learning in an easy to understand, "to-the-point" format
Includes dozens of tutorials and case scenarios
Integrated best practices from multiple professional domains
Compatible with negotiated agreements in bargaining states

Solution benefits

Provides direct support for accountability-related initiatives intended to increase student achievement
Addresses staff conduct and/or productivity concerns more equitably, reasonably, and consistently
Increases leadership capital in a frequently-cited problem area for most school leaders in which they have received little or no formal training
Creates a context for meaningful dialogue, peer collaboration, and group problem solving around school system "pain points"
Reduces one of the more common operational risks within the school system