De-escalation Basics™
This schoolwide, online, on-demand training course equips all educators and support staff with the foundational skills and confidence to reduce disruptions and keep students on track for academic success.
Focus on School Safety and Success
De-escalation Basics is a cost-effective solution designed to empower your entire staff—from teachers to cafeteria workers—with the tools to create more positive and productive learning environments.
How De-escalation Basics Works for You
Online, On-Demand Format
Less Than 1 Hour
Post-Training Resources
View a De-escalation Basics Demo
Get a first-hand look at De-escalation Basics, including an overview of the lessons and the resources you’ll have access to after training.
Support Safer Bus Routes with De-escalation Basics™ for Bus Drivers
School bus drivers are often the first and last point of contact in a student’s day. This 25-minute, online course equips drivers with essential de-escalation skills to confidently manage escalating behavior and promote a calm, safe environment on every route.
More to Explore
Techniques for All Roles and Risk Levels
Our industry-leading programs provide the skills to recognize, prevent, and respond to crises in the workplace. Our customized training solutions ensure the right staff receive the right level of training for their role and risk level.
Reframing Behavior
Unpacks neuroscience research to help build a positive, supportive learning environment.
Verbal Intervention Training
Instills the confidence and skills to verbally de-escalate disruptive behaviors.
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training
Provides the skills to safely disengage and intervene in crisis situations.
De-escalation Basics enhances your current CPI training and complements your existing schoolwide framework for supports. For schools utilizing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), De-escalation Basics is a Tier 1 training solution, giving staff skills to support all students.
Frequently Asked Questions About De-escalation Basics
CPI Verbal Intervention™ Training teaches several evidence-based verbal de-escalation techniques designed to effectively address challenging behavior. The program focuses on non-restrictive verbal interventions, including limit-setting strategies that help de-escalate disruptive situations.
The training incorporates a common de-escalation communication framework and emphasizes proactive verbal de-escalation strategies. These techniques are grounded in the Crisis Development Model℠ CPI's proprietary 4-step framework that transforms crisis situations into opportunities for positive outcomes.
The approach goes beyond surface-level techniques by helping participants understand the underlying factors that drive behavior, including the effects of trauma and brain psychology on both the person in crisis and the responding individual. This comprehensive understanding enables more effective intervention by addressing root causes rather than just symptoms.
The Verbal Intervention™ Training is specifically designed to instill confidence and skills for verbally de-escalating disruptive behaviors in low-risk crisis situations. By combining evidence-based methodology with practical application, the program equips staff to identify, respond to, and prevent challenging behaviors through targeted verbal intervention techniques.
CPI offers a pre-training online curriculum that you must complete before your live training begins. This online training reviews course content, explores CPI modules in greater depth, and provides essential facilitation strategies to maximize your training experience.
You will receive an email invitation to access this online training approximately 10 days prior to your scheduled live training event . This online component is a required prerequisite that must be completed before attending the in-person portion of your training.
CPI offers training for schools and teachers through our Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® program. This evidence-based training equips educators with proactive de-escalation strategies to create safer, more positive learning environments.
Our approach involves training select teachers to become Certified Instructors for your school. These Certified Instructors then conduct ongoing trainings with their colleagues using CPI courses and materials. This train-the-trainer model ensures sustainable implementation and skill reinforcement throughout your educational organization.
The training provides teachers with essential tools for safe de-escalation, helping to decrease office referrals while increasing staff morale. School districts that have implemented CPI training report significant improvements including:
- More positive school culture and reduced disciplinary issues
- Decreased classroom disruptions and increased staff confidence
- Reduced fights, assaults, and out-of-school suspensions
- Improved academic achievement and positive peer-to-peer relationships
Our world-renowned Global Professional Instructors deliver engaging, interactive training sessions that prepare educators to begin each school year with effective strategies for managing challenging behaviors.
CPI also offers additional training options such as Reframing Behavior™, De-escalation Basics™, and De-escalation Basics™ for Bus Drivers to support a schoolwide culture of safety.