Create a positive caring school environment using School-Wide Positive Behavior Support

Goals: Education, Prevention, Intervention

Objectives: Increasing appropriate Social/Personal Skills, Reducing incidence of inappropriate behavior

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a process of creating a positive, safe, caring, school environment. PBS assist schools decreasing negative behavior and consequences, increasing positive behavior and consequences, as well as, improving academic achievement. Positive Behavior Support is based on Cognitive Behavior Theory. PBS is an evidence-based strategy that analyses the antecedent, behavior, and consequences the child receives. PBS teaches replacing negative behavior with positive behavior. It teaches how to understand why the behavior is occurring the function of the behavior based on functional behavioral assessments.

PBS can be used school wide or in individual classes. PBS use reliable and accurate discipline data to analyze the various types of negative behavior that is occurring, the time of day, the location, and what students and staff members are involved and brainstorm interventions.  The PBS Team develop 3-5 school wide rules and expectation.  Students are taught the rules and expectation through direct instruction, modeling, and role-play.  Individual and school wide incentives and rewards are given to students for exhibiting the expected behavior.  Individual student’s behavior is closely monitored through ongoing progress monitoring.

The implementation of PBS is a collaborative effort among all school stakeholder, professionals, students, and parents.  Positive Behavior Support is an effective strategy to increase positive behavior and reduce the occurrence of negative behavior in schools who implement PBS with fidelity.

One school’s  example of school wide PBS rules:

Be Responsible

Everyday Respect

Safety First

Take Care of Self, School, and Others