School-Wide PBIS
School-wide PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) is a proactive, team-based framework utilized by teachers, staff, and administrators as a tool to define and positively acknowledge appropriate behaviors while teaching social skills and expectations in order to create and sustain a safe, positive, and effective school. Emphasis is placed on prevention of problem behavior, development of social skills, and the use of data-based problem solving for addressing existing behavior concerns. Positive acknowledgement, correcting behaviors, and utilizing proactive discipline from staff members is crucial to the success of PBIS. Students are taught strategies to make appropriate choices in all areas of the school. PBIS is a preventative support for students and teachers using proactive discipline in order to maximize instruction and student learning.
PBIS methods are research-based and have been proven to significantly reduce problem behaviors. The focus is a school-wide PBIS system meaning attention is not only focused in the classroom, but also in such areas as on the playground, in the halls, in the cafeteria, and in the bathrooms.
Tiers of Support
In all areas, the key of focus is on prevention. This is based on the idea that when students are taught clearly defined behavioral expectations and provided with predictable responses to their behavior, both positive and corrective, 80-85% of the students will meet those expectations (Tier 1). The other 15-20% of the students who do not respond to the universal interventions will receive additional support through group (Tier 2). Finally, a few students with the most severe needs receive intensive and individualized behavior supports (Tier 3).
Focus will then be put on analyzing the discipline referral data in order to identify problem areas, develop interventions, positively acknowledge student who are displaying appropriate behavior and communicate this to staff, students, and parents.
The key components of an effective school-wide PBIS System involve:
- Clearly defining and teaching a set of behavioral expectations
- Consistently acknowledging and rewarding appropriate behaviors
- Constructively addressing problematic behavior
- Effectively using behavioral data to assess progress
The ultimate goal is to increase student academic performances, decrease problem behavior, increase safety, and establish positive school climates through research-based strategies and systems.