What is PBIS?
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) is a school-wide system that is developed by a school with the goal of teaching the behavioral expectations in all school settings. This evidence-based program reinforces students who display expected behaviors and provides support for students who are having difficulty with their behaviors.
Lincoln-Erdman Elementary School began implementing PBIS in the 2012-2013 school year. All elementary schools in the Sheboygan Area School District have been using this model. Currently, PBIS is being used in thousands of schools across the country and world.
Lincoln-Erdman Elementary School began implementing PBIS in the 2012-2013 school year. All elementary schools in the Sheboygan Area School District have been using this model. Currently, PBIS is being used in thousands of schools across the country and world.
Why is it important to teach positive behavior?
In the past, school-wide discipline has focused mainly on reacting to the specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies including reprimands, loss of privileges, office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective. Teaching, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important step of a student’s educational experience. The purpose of a school-wide PBIS is to establish a climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm.
What are the benefits of PBIS?
- Increased classroom instruction time, which leads to increased academic performance
- Decreased behavioral disruptions
- Consistency of expectations for all students in all school settings
- Improved school climate
How does PBIS work?
PBIS offers three tiers of behavioral support to students. In the first tier, behavioral expectations are established and taught to all students. In the second tier, students needing additional support are offered group level interventions. Students needing significant support for behavioral challenges are provided evidence-based interventions tailored specifically to their needs in the third tier.