Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

PBIS: Definition

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, multi-tiered framework to improve and integrate data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes.

Learn more about PBIS at Center on PBIS.

Parent Resources

• Parent Center Resources on Positive Behavior Supports, Functional Behavioral Assessment, and School Discipline
• Supporting Families with PBIS at Home: Resource brief on supporting families with positive behavioral interventions and support at home

National PBIS Resources

• Dear Colleague Letter on the Inclusion of Behavioral Supports in Individualized Education Programs
• Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Project
• Midwest PBIS Network
• Northwest Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Network
• PBISApps
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Culturally Responsive PBIS Resources (CR-PBIS)

Effective and evidence-based implementation of PBIS requires that all systems and interventions are designed to be culturally responsive to the community they are designed to serve. Without thoughtful and appropriate adaptation, PBIS implementation can inadvertently reinforce systems of oppression.

• Anti-Racism and Equity in SWPBIS Resources (Northwest PBIS)
• Beyond the Color of Discipline: Radical Possibilities for Culturally Responsive School Discipline (Stanford University)
• Culturally Responsive PBIS Foundations (Florida PBIS Project)
• Culturally Responsive Tiered Fidelity Inventory (OSEP Technical Assistance Center)
• Learning Labs for CR-PBIS (University of Wisconsin)
• PBIS Cultural Responsiveness Field Guide (National PBIS Technical Assistance Center)

Tier One - Universal Foundational Supports for All Students

Instruction and supports at this level are universally designed, culturally responsive and differentiated. They are reviewed for efficacy routinely, and instruction is adjusted based on data. Before considering additional supports, teams should consider if universal instruction has been provided with fidelity.

• Center on Positive Interventions and Supports: Practice Briefs: Practice briefs summarize the research PBIS practices and offer strategies for implementing them across settings. Think of these as how-to resources with references, citations, and practical applications

• Ci3T (Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered Model of Prevention): Ci3T models of prevention assist schools in creating a comprehensive systems-oriented approach to (a) integrate efforts to support the academic, behavioral, and social competencies of all students; (b) promote collaboration and teaming between all school and community stakeholders; and (c) support educators’ efficacy and well-being through data-informed professional learning, clear expectations for staff and students, and supportive, positive environments
• National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII): NCII builds capacity to support implementation of intensive intervention in literacy, mathematics, and behavior for students with severe and persistent learning and/or behavioral needs, often in the context of their multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) or special education services. NCII’s approach to intensive intervention is data-based individualization (DBI), a research-based process that integrates the systematic use of assessment data, validated interventions, and intensification strategies.
• What Works Clearinghouse: The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews existing research on different programs, products, practices, and policies in education, providing educators with information to make evidence-based decisions.

Tier Two - Secondary Supports for Some Students

Some students need instruction and support in addition to universal instruction and support provided to all students. Tier Two practices stem from a strong foundation of Tier One support. With school-wide systems in place, schools can identify which students need additional support.

• Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
• Emotional Learning/Mental and Behavioral Health Interventions: Post COVID-19 (NASP)

Tier Three - Individualization and Intensification of Supports for a Few Students

Some students need individualized approaches to instruction and support.

• Basic FBA to BIP
• Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports - Tier 3 Resources
• Collaborative and Proactive Solutions
• Collaborative Problem Solving
• IRIS Center Functional Behavior Assessment Module
• National Center on Intensive Intervention - Behavior Support for Intensive Intervention Module Series

Contact

Lisa Joy Bateman