Marana Unified School District, 2002

What is PBIS? PBIS is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, and it is an approach schools can use to improve school safety and promote positive behavior while at school. PBIS can be thought of as a framework for delivering universal (whole-school or schoolwide) and additional tiers of behavior support to improve educational outcomes for all students (Horner & Sugai, 2015). With PBIS, schools and educators teach children about behavior, just as they would about other subjects, like science or math. This approach also helps schools decide how to respond to a child who misbehaves (Lee, 2014).

As a newly elected school board member at my local grade school, I myself do not have any experience with PBIS, but the school in which I serve does impliment PBIS. I have heard this topic come up several times in the past couple of months with regards to social-emotional learning in the school and the positive impact it has had and the potential it has for our students. The following is my own exploration to better understand PBIS in the educational setting.

Below is an example of PBIS in action.

PBIS is most effective when implemented as a system approach, or universal, because it emphasizes the creation of systems that support the adoption and durable implementation of evidence-based practices and procedures, and fit within on-going school reform efforts. An interactive approach that includes opportunities to correct and improve four key elements is used in schoolwide PBIS, focusing on: 1) outcomes, 2) data, 3) practices, and 4) systems (OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017). The diagram below demonstrates how these key elements work together to build a sustainable system:

OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017

Outcomes in the diagram above indicate academic and behavior targets that are endorsed and emphasized by students, families, and educators. They answer the question: what is important to each particular learning community.

Practices are defined as interventions and strategies that are evidence based. They answer the question: how will you reach the goals?

Data consists of information that is used to identify status, need for change, and effects of interventions. Data answers the question: what data will you use to support your success or barriers?

Finally, systems are those supports that are needed to enable the accurate and durable implementation of the practices of PBIS. Systems asks what durable systems can be implemented that will sustain this over the long haul? (OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017).

In past years, schoolwide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. Research shows that the implementation of punishment, especially when used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective and counterproductive. Therefore, introducing modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student’s educational experience. Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a more positive and proactive approach than waiting for misbehavior to happen before responding reactively. Thus, the purpose of schoolwide PBIS is to establish a new climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm (OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017).

Critics of PBIS largely have four main areas of concern: 1) PBIS creates a negative school environment, 2) PBIS is demeaning, 3) PBIS fosters materialism, and 4) PBIS promotes labeling (Bruhn et al., 2014). This work and the following information is geared to show how ultimately if PBIS is implemented with fidelity through positive interactions, teaching, and reinforcing of expectations, and data driven supports, it is more likely that students' behavioral and academic needs will be met.

When PBIS is implemented in the classroom, it can be referred to as classroom PBIS, positive classroom behavior support (PCBS), positive and proactive classroom management, or a variety of other synonyms. The same critical features come together to promote desired outcomes for students and educators in the classroom. Building a warm, welcoming classroom is a great positive behavior incentive system that focuses on prevention instead of punishment, and it sets the tone for desired behavior that supports learning.

13 PBIS Strategies to Build a Welcoming Classroom to Promote Positive Behavior as described by India King:

1. Clarify your vision for the space – think about what you want kids to accomplish in your classroom, then develop a classroom design that helps students reach this vision
2. Make the room look and smell good – have a clean, organized, and good smelling classroom that makes students feel great
3. Have snacks in your class – sometimes students misbehave or struggle to stay focused because they are hungry, so have school approved snacks in your class to discreetly share with students if they are in need of an energy boost
4. Strategically set up desks and assign seats – proximity is a great behavior management tool, so ensure that every kid can see and hear the teacher from their seat
5. Post an agenda – let students know what to expect by posting an agenda
6. Consider product vs process – fill your room with choices because students don’t all learn or operate the same way
7. Language is everything – what you say matters, so use statements to affirm the space and the students
8. Have a break or cool down space – have a little area where students can catch their breath for a minute to rest and take a break
9. Have classroom jobs – give students a place in the classroom, so that they have a connection and identify in the space
10. Have a classroom pet – give kids someone to love
11. Bring in trendy decorations to celebrate culture – affirm your students by creating a classroom that celebrates students’ greatness and the greatness of their lives
12. Have a teacher mailbox – keep a space where students can leave you notes, enabling them to feel less fear to express their need
13. Post student work – celebrate student success by posting their work in class

Implementing PBIS in the classroom refers to the positive and proactive classroom management supports for all students. This includes effectively teaching an evidence-based core curriculum and establishing, teaching, and emphasizing positive behavioral expectations. When students do not respond to the agreed upon classroom expectations, teachers respond to student behaviors in a way that upholds respect and a focus on instruction. In classrooms where PBIS is implemented effectively, the atmosphere is predictable, consistent, and conducive to academic and behavioral success (Olsen, 2015).

To achieve a classroom that is predictable, consistent, and conducive to academic and behavioral success, educators should implement the following foundation practices of PBIS:

Olsen, 2015

In order to effectively promote teachers’ implementation of proactive classroom PBIS practices, school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SW-PBIS) teams should invest in systems to support teachers, including explicit professional development, supportive and data-driven coaching, and staff recognition. Additionally, teachers should consider the following guiding questions to 1) ensure foundational practices are in place; 2) promote the consistent implementation of planned, preventative, and positive classroom PBIS practices; and 3) make decisions for responding to students’ problem behavior (OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017).

OSEP Technical Assistance Center, 2017

PBIS is made up of a three tiered system of support that provide supports and services based on students’ needs and how they respond to interventions (KOI Education, 2019).

The first tier focuses on fundamental, universal instruction and support. This focuses on clearly outlining expectations for all students that are consistent with school-wide expectations, teaching those expectations, providing consistent and meaningful consequences, both positive and negative, then using behavior data to observe and monitor the school climate and adjust supports to meet student need. In the first tier, procedures are also created for encouraging school-family partnerhips. 

The second tier focuses on targeted instruction, targeted intervention, and supplemental support. This tier is designed to support the needs of the some students, or students at risk and/or falling behind. In the second tier, all tier 1 practices are implemented, but taken a step further to increase instruction and practice with self-regulation and social skills, increase adult supervision, increase opportunity for positive reinforcement, increase antecedent manipulations, increase precision to minimze rewards for problem behavior, and increase access to academic supports. Again, these measures are only taken for a specialized group of students.

The third tier provides intensive individualized supports based on the unique student need, and focuses support on a few students. When practicing PBIS in the third tier, support is provided to the 1-5% of students who may have very serious problem behaviors and may require more intensive and individualized supports. The supports at this level are organized to reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors and improve life outcomes.

KOI Education, 2019

Although implementation of PBIS is ideal for today’s learners, common barriers persist across classrooms, schools, and districts, and often fall under the categories of staff training and staff buy-in. The following barriers may exist when planning for or implementing PBIS in a classroom or school:

Barriers at the District Level

1. Funding, support, time, and commitment are not invested into developing a framework that gives individual schools the support needed for PBIS practices to reach all educators and learners
2. PBIS in the classroom is not made a district-wide priority or requirement
3. District support staff with expertise in PBIS and student behavior are not assembled to provide ongoing coaching and training to build level staff

Barriers at the School Level

1. School-wide implementation of PBIS is not made a priority
2. Educators, support staff, and administrators do not receive pre-service and in-service training specific to classroom management and PBIS in the classroom
3. Time is not allocated for staff to meet, plan, and monitor implementation
4. Administration, educators, and support staff who do not buy-in to PBIS in the classroom practices and implementation with fidelity
5. Building level staff are not supported by external coaching and development, or there is a lack of internal coaching due to FTE allocation or limited personnel with PBIS and behavioral expertise

Barriers at the Classroom Level

1. Educators do not receive pre-service and ongoing in-service training specific to classroom management and PBIS in the classroom
2. Educators are not supported by external or internal coaching due to FTE allocation or limited personnel with PBIS and behavioral expertise
3. Educators do not buy-in to PBIS in the classroom practices and implementation with fidelity
4. Students demonstrate challenging behavior or have a lack of motivation for the program

Despite these potential barriers to PBIS in schools and in classroom implementation, educators can use specific strategies to address and move beyond barriers to implement PBIS successfully. A common strategy to overcome barriers to implementation is contextual fit. Meaning, for PBIS to be effective and efficient, strategies used should fit within the context of the classroom in which the strategies will be implemented. Considerations should include the educators strengths and experience and the needs of students (Olsen, 2015).

PBIS is not only a theory or a stated best practice, but it has shown improvements in discipline referrals. 

In a study conducted at North Elementary School in the Waukegan School District, researchers found that just after one year of teaching school-wide rules, working on classroom management, recognizing and achnowledging appropriate student behavior, and, when discipline was needed, choosing from a menu of more productive responses to misbehavior, NES experienced a 22% reduction in overall suspensions from 1998-1999 to 1999-2000. Office discipline referrals began to decrease as well but at a slower rate because of the novelty of the new office referral procedures (Netzel & Eber, 2003).

In a case study conducted in 2008, researchers examined the impact of PBIS on school organizational health using data from a large randomized controlled trail of PBIS conducted in 37 elementary schools. Longitudinal multilevel analyses on data from 2,507 staff showed a significant effect of PBIS on staff reports of the schools’ overall organizational health, resource influence, and staff affiliation over a 3-year period. This study indicated that changes in school organizational health are important consequences of the PBIS universal model, and might in turn be a potential mediator of the effect of PBIS on student performance (Bradshaw et al, 2008).

In addition to improving discipline referrals, PBIS has also been shown to improve academic success as well.

In a study analyzing outcomes from 2002 to 2006 in over 100 elementary schools found overall that school wide PBiS significantly improved social skills, decreased the amount of time and resources needed to address behavior problems, and resulted in higher test scores and academic achievement (Muscott, 2008). 

In a study of 22 New Hampshire schools found that after two years of implementation, 73% of PBiS schools had increased math scores on standardized tests. The schools also significantly lowered suspensions and office discipline referrals, allowing schools to recover hundreds of days of instructional time that had previously been lost to behavioral disruptions (Muscott, 2008).

Bradshaw, C. P., et al. (2008). The impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 462-473.

Bruhn, A. et al. (2014). Simple Strategies for Reflecting on and Responding to Common Criticisms of PBIS. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 27 (1). 13-23.

Eber, L., et al. (2009). "A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Effectiveness Trial Assessing School-Wide Positive Behavior Support in Elementary Schools." Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11 (3), 133-144.

Horner, R. H. & Sugai, G. (2015). School-wide PBIS: An example of applied behavior analysis. Implemented at a scale of social importance. Behavior Analysis Practice, 8, 80-85. doi:10.1007/s40617-015-0045-4

King, I. 13 Strategies that Build a Welcoming Classroom to Promote Positive Behavior. Retrieved from: https://www.kickboardforschools.com/blog/post/13-pbis-strategies-that-build-a-welcoming-classroom-to-promote-positive-beh

KOI Education (2019). PBIS = Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Retrieved from: http://www.koi-education.com/pbis/

Lee, A. (2014). PBIS: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/pbis-how-schools-support-positive-behavior

Marana Unified School District (2002). Positive Behavior Intervention & Support (PBIS). Retrieved from https://www.maranausd.org/domain/156

Miller, C. [Username]. (2015, October 7). What is PBIS [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnjpVoLInPk

Muscott, H., Mann, E., & LeBrun, M. (2008) Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in New Hampshire; Effects of Large-Scale Implementation of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support on Student Discipline and Academic Achievement. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, Vol. 10, 189-205.

Netzel, D. M., & Eber, L. (2003). Shifting From Reactive to Proactive Discipline in an Urban School District: A Change of Focus Through PBIS Implementation. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5(2), 71–79.

Olsen, J. (2015). PBIS Forum 15 Practice Brief: PBIS in the Classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/Forum15_Presentations/RDQ%204%20Brief%20-%20Classroom.pdf

OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (2017). Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports. Retrieved from: https://www.pbis.org

SanBdoCity Schools [Username]. (2016, September 16). PBiS In The Classroom [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwdAFU54RVM