PBIS

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

What is Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)?

PBIS is a framework that guides school teams in the selection, integration and implementation of evidence-based practices for improving academic, social and behavior outcomes for all students. The PBIS process emphasizes four integrated elements: data for decision making, evidence based interventions and practices that support varying student needs (multi-tiered), systems that efficiently and effectively support implementation of these practices, and continual progress monitoring to ensure outcomes are met.

PBIS is not a curriculum or a one-day training. PBIS is a systems change process that requires on-going commitment in order to create effective systems for teaching and addressing behavior and social-emotional skills.

Credit: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Professional Development and Coaching Opportunities

Tier 1 PBIS

At a universal level of prevention, support for all students is established through the development and maintenance of nurturing, responsive relationships and high-quality environments. Positive, supportive relationships among staff, families, and children are emphasized. Attention is focused on scheduling, classroom organization, differentiated lesson planning, and explicit instruction of behavioral expectations.

Ohio's Online Proessional Development
Tier 1 TFI Rubric with Action Plan

Tier 2 PBIS

Tier 2 PBIS is characterized by an emphasis on the development of social-emotional competencies. Intervention at this level is focused on small groups of students who are in need of additional support in order to engage in school-wide expectations. Starting with screening students for need, teams use decision rules with multiple sources of data to determine which students would benefit from Tier 2 support. For approximately 5-15% of students, targeted group interventions (Tier ll) include Social Academic Instructional Groups (SAIG), Check-in, Check-out (CICO), and other behavioral supports IN ADDITION to the universal supports provided to all students. Participating students may exhibit difficulty in social situations and/or challenging behaviors. The interventions incorporate explicit and focused instruction targeting skills such as expressing emotions, developing empathy, self-regulation, social problem-solving, and interactions with peers and adults. Families are informed and active participants.

TFI Tier II Rubric with Action Plan

Tier 3 PBIS

Tier 3 PBIS is characterized by assessment-based, individualized intervention developed to address persistent challenging behavior and support the development of social emotional competencies and behavioral skills. We as educators, are aware that about 1-5% of students in most schools will need intensive (Tier lll) academic and/or behavioral interventions. The family is actively involved in the assessment and intervention process.

TFI Tier III Rubric with Action Plan

PBIS Classroom

Just like with school-wide implementation, when PBIS is implemented in the classroom outcomes improve, and PBIS is sustained. PBIS classroom practices are preventative and responsive. Classroom PBIS practices, where fidelity is measured, leading to fewer disruptions, improved student behavioral and academic outcomes, and more time spent teaching. Evidence based practices, systems to support classroom implementation, data to guide decision making about classroom PBIS implementation are required for successful outcomes.

National Center on PBIS
Supporting and Responding to Behavior
PBIS Technical Guide on Classroom Data

Early Childhood PBIS

Early Childhood extends from birth to age 8, 3rd grade. We look at this part of the educational continuum differently from the rest of the school-age continuum that extends to the 12th grade. At this level, we want to make sure that how we’re doing things is developmentally appropriate. Within each of these grade levels from PS to 3rd grade, there are no discrete categories where PBIS is very different within each grade.

But need to keep in mind that K might look much more like preschool than like 3rd grade.

DEW: Early Childhood PBIS
Early Childhood PBIS Fact Sheet
Early Childhood Quick Check
Early Childhood Checklist
Early Childhood TFI Companion

Opioid Mitigation Strategies within a PBIS Framework

PBIS teams can examine current trends and statistics on opioid use to incorporate mitigation strategies that can be implemented within your PBIS plan. Planning should include strategies to address the mental health needs of students negatively impacted by opioid use.