Positive Behavior Intervention Supports
School Wide Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (SW-PBIS) provides an operational framework for implementing an integrated academic and behavior model of support for all learners.
SW-PBIS is not a curriculum, intervention or practice. It is a decision-making framework that guides selection, integration and implementation of the best evidence-based practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students. Emphasis is placed on prevention of problem behavior, development of pro-social skills and the use of data-based problem solving to address existing behavior concerns. School-wide PBIS increases the capacity of schools to educate all students using research-based school-wide, classroom and individualized interventions.
A PBIS school incorporates a few simple systems practices that are crucial to sustaining the program over time. These include:
The establishment of a representative, school-based PBIS team with a strong administrative presence and district-level support. The PBIS team uses the “framework” of school-wide PBIS to design that school’s unique set of practices.
PBIS activities are embedded into existing school activities such as a school improvement process, student assistance teams and evaluation framework. Professional development should include effective practices that promote understanding and implementation in applied settings.
The school establishes a system for using behavioral data (e.g., office discipline referrals or some other method of incident reporting). These data are systematically analyzed within a problem-solving framework and used in a robust way to guide the design and implementation of additional behavior supports across three tiers.