Check In/Check Out (CICO)

What is CICO?

CICO is an adult facilitated tier 2 support that is used to decrease attention-seeking behaviors. It is most effective with students who are reinforced by adult attention, as this intervention is designed to provide students with consistent, scheduled adult attention each day.

Students who participate in the intervention are assigned an adult facilitator. This adult facilitator should be someone the student likes and respects; there are many options of who this person could be: a counselor, school psychologist, teacher, custodian, librarian, etc. The student checks in with that adult each morning, and out with them at the end of the day. As such, the adult facilitator must be someone who is on campus regularly and is available for the check ins twice a day.

The adult facilitator supports the student by providing them with unconditional positive support, prompting and pre-correction, and helps get the student off to a good start to school. They help remind the student of the key behaviors they are working on increasing and reminders for the reinforcers they can access when the goal is met.

However, checking in and out with the adult facilitator is only one component of the intervention. The student also checks in with their teacher(s) at designated points each day. For an elementary student, this may be before morning recess, before lunch, and before the end of the day. For a middle or high school student, this may be at the end of each period. The purpose of these check ins is for the teacher to identify how the student did on the targeted behaviors. Typically, a Daily Progress Report (DPR), picked up from the adult facilitator each morning is used to facilitate this.

Benefits of CICO include:

  • Unconditional positive regard and daily feedback provided by an adult facilitator
  • Behavioral momentum (i.e., getting the day off to a good start)
  • Pre-correction (i.e., cutting problems off before they start)
  • Performance feedback (i.e., letting the student know how they are doing in real-time, throughout the day)
  • Positive reinforcement (i.e., recognizing and rewarding the student)
  • Goal specification and attainment (i.e., increasing student’s motivation and awareness of behavior)

Key Components of CICO

  1. Assignment of an adult facilitator who the student likes
  2. Unconditional positive regard (facilitator does not get involved with discipline)
  3. Daily contact by the adult facilitator with the student in the morning and afternoon
    • Encouragement, pre-correcting problems, feedback
  4. Progress monitoring form (DPR) to serve as a basis for performance-based feedback throughout the day
  5. Positive reinforcement for improved behavior and attainment of goals
  6. Praise, public recognition, access to desired privileges/rewards

CICO Resources