It is critical that students receive the supports they need, early. Allowing a student to engage in inappropriate behaviors too long can make it much more difficult help the student to get back on track. Dr. Terry Scott (2016) describes this as trying to stop a snowball that is rolling downhill. The longer it is allowed to roll, the harder it is to change its trajectory.
McIntosh, Frank, and Spaulding (2010) have found that students who have two or more office discipline referrals (ODRs) by October are on track to have six or more ODRs by the end of the school year, indicating that these students may benefit from tier 2 or tier 3 supports. By providing these students with function based supports early in the school year, schools can increase the likelihood that the students’ behaviors will improve during the remainder of the school year. Consider adding the October Catch to your decision rules for identifying students for additional supports!