Positive Behavior Supports (PBS)
http://www.pbis.org/school/default.aspx
School-wide Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS) is a proactive approach to eliminate challenging behaviors and encourage positive social behaviors. The goal of PBS is to create safe and effective schools. When PBS is used, there is a decrease in need for more intrusive interventions, like punishment or suspension. Decision making with PBS is always data-based, using functional behavior assessment and monitoring the impact of interventions. Like Response to Intervention, PBS is a three-tiered approach. It is designed to provide general behavior instruction to all students and gives increasingly intense interventions to struggling students.
Tiers
1. The first tier of PBS is primary prevention, which is school-wide instruction. At this tier there are rules, routines, and arrangements that are developed and taught by the school. The purpose of this is to prevent initial behavior problems that a school might expect. A school team will work to create school-wide behavioral expectations. An example of this might be “Respect Yourself, Others, and Property.” It is important in tier one for school staff to be consistent in language, practices and reinforcement. If a student doesn’t respond to the school-wide behavioral interventions in tier one, they may be moved to tier two.
2. Often at tier two, students will be in small groups that provide targeted interventions. For secondary prevention, interventions may include a social skills club, check in/check out, a simple behavior plan, behavior contract and other similar strategies. If a student does not meet his or her behavioral goals at tier two, then they may be referred for tier three.
3. This tier focuses on meeting the needs of students who have demonstrated ongoing patterns of problem behavior. The people who know the student best will develop interventions so his or specific needs can be met. A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) will be conducted and a behavior plan will be created. This will ensure that the students behavioral needs will be met. At tier three the focus should be on decreasing problem behaviors but also teaching replacement, positive skills.
Positive Behavioral Supports have been proven to be effective in schools. When used correctly, it can decrease problem behaviors and increase student capacity for learning.
Tiers
1. The first tier of PBS is primary prevention, which is school-wide instruction. At this tier there are rules, routines, and arrangements that are developed and taught by the school. The purpose of this is to prevent initial behavior problems that a school might expect. A school team will work to create school-wide behavioral expectations. An example of this might be “Respect Yourself, Others, and Property.” It is important in tier one for school staff to be consistent in language, practices and reinforcement. If a student doesn’t respond to the school-wide behavioral interventions in tier one, they may be moved to tier two.
2. Often at tier two, students will be in small groups that provide targeted interventions. For secondary prevention, interventions may include a social skills club, check in/check out, a simple behavior plan, behavior contract and other similar strategies. If a student does not meet his or her behavioral goals at tier two, then they may be referred for tier three.
3. This tier focuses on meeting the needs of students who have demonstrated ongoing patterns of problem behavior. The people who know the student best will develop interventions so his or specific needs can be met. A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) will be conducted and a behavior plan will be created. This will ensure that the students behavioral needs will be met. At tier three the focus should be on decreasing problem behaviors but also teaching replacement, positive skills.
Positive Behavioral Supports have been proven to be effective in schools. When used correctly, it can decrease problem behaviors and increase student capacity for learning.