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PBS in Schools

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Everyone has the potential to be leaders in bringing school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) to your school or district. Although the general process is similar, the steps can vary depending on your role.

1. Find Out

  • Learn about the basic features of school-wide PBIS at PBIS School-Wide and Getting Started with PBIS.
  • Is your school (or other schools in your district) implementing PBIS? Ask your school principal. If not, ask about other schools you could visit to see it in action.

2. Build Support

  • Talk with other stakeholders about school-wide PBIS and its benefits. Ask whether they would be interested as well.
  • Talk with your school’s principal and determine their interest.
  • Talk with other families, community members, and students. See if they would be interested in partnering to bring about improvements.
  • Having support of the school board and other district and community leaders is beneficial before starting district-level implementation. At the school level, having support of the principal and at least 80% of staff is necessary before starting implementation.

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

Although you may not feel you can influence school practices, there are steps you can take on your own while you continue to build support from the larger school/community:

  • At home: See the page on Getting Started with Positive Behavior Support at Home.
  • In your community: See the page on Getting Started with Positive Behavior Support.
  • In your child’s classroom: Ask your child’s teacher(s) and other staff about expectations for student behavior (see this resource for classroom expectations). Ask for clarity for rules that are unclear. Ask when expectations are taught and revisited. Even if your child’s teachers are not implementing school-wide PBIS, they can still put positive classroom practices in place. See this resource of best practices to use in the classroom and consider sharing it with your child’s teacher(s). If you notice your child’s teacher(s) implementing any of these practices, compliment them to provide encouragement.
  • At your child’s school: Ask the principal about what proactive discipline strategies are in place. Consider suggesting that they view the Getting Started with PBIS in your School pages. Partner with them to promote a more positive approach. Other questions to consider:
    • What are the schoolwide expectations/rules?
    • How do you teach the schoolwide expectations and rules?
    • How do encourage and acknowledge students for following the expectations and rules?
    • How do you respond when students violate expectations and rules?
  • See next steps below for ideas about how you might promote a more positive approach to discipline in the school.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Ask to sit on the school-wide PBIS team. To be more effective, school teams should include family representation. Be ready to advocate for all students, not just a few.
  • If you are contacted about challenges in working with your child, ask what proactive strategies are being implemented to support them. If the problem behaviors are not improving, ask for a functional behavior assessment. Know your rights as a parent in the district.
  • Continue to discuss PBIS with other families, teachers, and school board members.
  • Tell others about how PBIS is working for your child at home. Share your journey with them. If you’re doing something worthwhile, they will want to know.
  • Find resources, such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.

1. Find Out

2. Build Support

  • Examine your current district or state discipline data. Do the data indicate a need for a coordinated effort? Assess office discipline referrals, exclusionary discipline like suspensions, and disparities in discipline by race/ethnicity or special education status.
  • Talk with your staff about school-wide PBIS and its benefits. Highlight the effects on school climate and student achievement. Determine whether they would be interested in supporting an initiative.
  • Talk with your parent-teacher organization, with students, families, and community members. Would they be interested in partnering on an initiative?
  • Identify durable funding sources. Common sources include Title IV block grants and State Personnel Development Grants (SPDGs) from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

  • Create a team. The first step is to assemble a district or state team to support school implementation. The team should include you, general and special education representatives, specialists, and family and community representation. It is also recommended that the team include student representation for implementation in high school.
  • Build a regular meeting schedule with a clear agenda and meeting norms. It should report to the district or state superintendent.
  • Use the PBIS Implementation Blueprint Self-Assessment or a fidelity of implementation measure (such as the TFI, TIC, or SAS) to assess what’s already in place and the next steps for implementation.
  • Although mandating PBIS implementation district or state-wide may seem tempting, it is much more effective to start with a set of pilot schools or a pilot district to become model implementers.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Implement district or state policy changes to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline and support positive school practices. See the PBIS policy guide for suggested elements.
  • Continue to assess implementation with the PBIS Implementers Blueprint Self-Assessment, every 2 to 3 months, to see progress and identify next steps.
  • Tell other administrators about your journey. If you’re doing something worthwhile, they will want to know.
  • Find resources such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.

1. Find Out

  • Are other schools in your district (or nearby districts) implementing? Ask your principal or district staff (such as a Director of Student Services) to arrange a visit.
  • Attend a conference on school-wide PBIS, such as the APBS Conference or National PBIS Implementers Forum.

2. Build Support

  • Talk with other staff about school-wide PBIS and its benefits. Ask whether they would be interested as well.
  • Talk with your principal about it and determine their interest.
  • Talk with students, families, and community members. Would they be interested in partnering in an initiative?
  • Inquire about your current school-wide discipline data. Do the data show a need for a coordinated effort?
  • Ask for professional development in school-wide PBIS.
  • In general, having the support of the principal and at least 80% of staff is necessary before starting implementation.
  • Assess how PBIS is aligned with existing district or state priorities.

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

  • Although working at the whole school-level is recommended, you and your fellow staff can try it out in a specific non-classroom setting where there is a shared interest in improving behavior (for example, the cafeteria, playground, or hallways).
  • If you’re on your own for the time being, there are steps you can take in your area while you continue to build support from all staff:
    • Define and teach expectations. Pick 3 to 5 positively stated expectations that will work for your students (e.g., Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible). Teach the words, show examples, and provide practice with feedback. Post them and refer to them regularly with students.
    • Define and teach routines. Identify the common routines in your area. Teach the steps so that following them is clear.
    • Change the environment. What about the area might be interfering with positive behavior? Make changes to make it easier for students to do the right thing. Examples include changing the layout, moving materials, or using visuals (e.g., picture schedules, posted steps for common classroom routines).
    • Find resources in the APBS Member’s section on assessments, as well as the National TA Center’s documents on supporting behavior in the classroom.
  • For students with more significant needs than a good class-wide system can support, consider function-based support to teach students more prosocial ways to get their needs met. The National TA Center has materials about function-based support and supporting individual students.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Continue to assess progress and next steps using the fidelity tools (TFI, TIC, or SAS) described in Step 1.
  • Tell other staff. Share your journey with them. If you’re doing something worthwhile, they will want to know.
  • Connect with teachers and other school teams/committees. You’re going to need support to keep PBIS alive.
  • Find resources, such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.

1. Find Out

2. Build Support

  • Talk with teachers about school-wide PBIS and its benefits. Assess whether they would be interested as well.
  • Talk with students, families, and community members. Would they be interested in partnering in an initiative?
  • Inquire about your current school-wide discipline data. Do the data show a need for a coordinated effort?
  • Ask for professional development in school-wide PBIS.
  • In general, your support and at least 80% of staff are necessary before starting implementation.
  • Assess how PBIS is aligned with existing district or state priorities.

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

  • Although working at a whole school level is recommended, you can try it out in a specific non-classroom setting where there is shared interest in improving behavior (for example, the cafeteria, playground, or hallways).
  • Consider supporting staff who are interested in implementation to take these steps in their setting while you continue to build support from all staff:
    • Define and teach expectations. Pick 3 to 5 positively stated expectations that will work for students (e.g., Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible). Teach the words, show examples, and provide practice with feedback. Post them and refer to them regularly with students.
    • Define and teach routines. Identify the common routines in each setting. Teach the steps so that following them is clear.
    • Change the environment. What is it about the setting that might be interfering with positive behavior? Make changes to make it easier for students to do the right thing. Examples include changing the classroom layout, moving materials, or using visuals (e.g., picture schedules, posted steps for common classroom routines).
    • Find resources to support your staff in the APBS Member’s section on assessments, as well as the National TA Center’s documents on supporting behavior in the classroom.
  • For students with more significant needs than a good class-wide system can support, guide staff to consider function-based support for teaching students more prosocial ways to get their needs met. The National TA Center has materials about function-based support and supporting individual students.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Continue to assess progress and next steps using the fidelity tools (TFI, TIC, or SAS) described in Step 1.
  • Talk with your staff and other administrators. Share your journey with them. If you’re doing something worthwhile, they will want to know.
  • Connect with others on school teams/committees and professional organizations. You’re going to need support to keep PBIS alive.
  • Find resources, such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.

1. Find Out

2. Build Support

  • Talk with other stakeholders about school-wide PBIS and its benefits. Ask whether they would be interested as well.
  • Talk with a school principal about it and determine their interest.
  • Talk with other families, community members, and students. Would they be interested in partnering in an initiative?
  • Having support of the school board and other district and community leaders is beneficial before starting district-level implementation. At the school level, having the support of the principal and at least 80% of staff is necessary before starting implementation.

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

  • Begin by implementing PBS strategies in one school or program. Focus on creating measurable successes in this pilot setting. Once you have positive outcomes, share them with the broader community to establish a foundation for expanding PBS efforts.
  • Work closely with school leaders to align PBS with the school’s goals. Collaborate with community resources, such as local businesses, to sponsor recognition events for students or offer incentives that encourage positive behavior.
  • Organize forums or informational sessions for parents, community members, and stakeholders. Educate them about PBS, explaining how it can lead to better student outcomes. Gather their feedback to fine-tune efforts and build widespread support.
  • Use newsletters, social media, or school websites to regularly update the community on the progress of PBS implementation. Sharing success stories and data helps maintain engagement and demonstrate the positive impact on students.
  • Recognize achievements throughout the PBS implementation process. Public celebrations or awards create excitement, validate efforts, and encourage more stakeholders to get involved.
  • Strengthen relationships with organizations that serve children and families. This includes local nonprofit organizations, churches, libraries, and recreational centers, which can provide additional support for PBS initiatives and extend their impact beyond schools.
  • After achieving success in the initial program, gradually expand PBS implementation to other schools or programs. Continue to showcase positive outcomes and encourage broader adoption.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Tell other community members. Share your journey with them. If you’re doing something worthwhile, they will want to know.
  • Connect with your district administrators and other school board members. You will need district support to keep PBIS alive.
  • Find resources, such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.

1. Find Out

  • Do you have friends in schools with PBIS? What do they think about it? What does it feel like to go there?
  • Did you go to an elementary or middle school with PBIS?

2. Build Support

  • Talk with other students about PBIS and whether it might be a good fit for your school. Ask whether they would be interested as well.
  • Talk with your principal about it and see if they would be open to it.
  • Talk with teachers. Would they be supportive?
  • Talk with your family members. Ask if they would be interested in advocating for it?

3. Start Small but Think About the Big Picture

  • Start a student group or committee. Find a faculty advisor who can support you.
  • Ask your teachers and other staff about expectations for student behavior. Ask for clarity for rules that are unclear.
  • Try it out. Compliment your teachers and family members for something they did well and see what happens.

4. Take Next Steps

  • Tell more people about PBIS and what changes you would like to see in your school.
  • Suggest to your teachers and administrators that they use a school climate survey that might identify the need for positive approaches in the school.
  • Find resources, such as “Getting Started with PBIS” to guide you.