PBIS

What is PBIS?

Students enjoy watching a movie and eating popcorn

Third grade eat popcorn and watch a movie for their PBIS reward.

Positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS) is a system that is developed by a school for improving behavior. It is used:

With all students
Across all environments (classroom, lunchroom, restroom, school grounds.)
To help schools create effective learning environments.

PBIS consists of three steps:
Step 1: Identify and Teach Expected Behaviors

Identify expectations across all environments, particularly those areas where school data indicates that improvements are needed.
Provide examples of what behaviors are expected, including these areas: cafeteria, bus, and social areas such as they gym or playground/ball field.
Post the expectations throughout the building.

Teaching behavioral expectations means that the school PBIS team must identify what the expectations are in different locations across the school day. The team develops a teaching matrix of expected behaviors. These behaviors will be differ, depending on the specific environment.

Step 2: Positively Reinforce and Reward Expected Behaviors
When students meet school-wide expectations, school staff will note their success with positive reinforcement. This might include praise, punch cards, coupons, or another system that can be used for student incentives. It might include weekly drawings for rewards, special privileges, or recognition during student assemblies. All school staff members use this system.

Step 3: Enforce Meaningful Consequences for Violations

In addition to teaching and rewarding positive behaviors, the school will identify a consistent way to respond to problem behavior when it occurs. This will help everyone to know what behaviors violate the expectations. Problem behaviors typically fall under the categories of minor or major problems.

Minor behaviors are dealt with by building staff or the classroom teacher
Major violations are managed by administrative staff.