Key PBIS Concepts, Principles, and Terminology

Sugai ver March 30 2013

“Big Ideas” / Description / Notes
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) / / a.k.a. “School-Wide Positive Behavioral Supports” (SWPBS)
Response to Intervention /
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support /
Evidence-based Practice /
3-Tiered Prevention Logic /
Tiered-based Prevention / /
  • Label behavior….not people
  • Label interventions….not people

Continuum of Behavior Support / / Primary Prevention Tier
Secondary Prevention Tier
Tertiary Prevention Tier
Academic & Social Behavior “Relationship” / Algozzine, B., Wang, C., & Violette, A. S. (2011). Reexamining the relationship between academic achievement and social behavior. Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions, 13, 3-16.
Burke, M. D., Hagan-Burke, S., & Sugai, G. (2003). The efficacy of function-based interventions for students with learning disabilities who exhibit escape-maintained problem behavior: Preliminary results from a single case study. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 26, 15-25.
McIntosh, K., Chard, D. J., Boland, J. B., & Horner, R. H. (2006). Demonstration of combined efforts in school-wide academic and behavioral systems and incidence of reading and behavior challenges in early elementary grades. Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions, 8, 146-154.
McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., Chard, D. J., Dickey, C. R., and Braun, D. H. (2008). Reading skills and function of problem behavior in typical school settings. Journal of Special Education, 42, 131-147.
Nelson, J. R., Johnson, A., & Marchand-Martella, N. (1996). Effects of direct instruction, cooperative learning, and independent learning practices on the classroom behavior of students with behavioral disorders: A comparative analysis. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4, 53-62.
Wang, C., & Algozzine, B. (2011). Rethinking the relationship between reading and behavior in early elementary school. Journal of Educational Research, 104, 100-109. / “Viewed as outcomes, achievement and behavior are related; viewed as causes of each other, achievement and behavior are unrelated. In this context, teaching behavior as relentlessly as we teach reading or other academic content is the ultimate act of prevention, promise, and power underlying PBS and other preventive interventions in America’s schools.”
Algozzine, Wang, & Violette (2011), p. 16.
Prevention Logic for All /
Applied Behavior Analysis /
Systems Perspective / /
Team-Facilitated Implementation / /
  • Lead and facilitate with team
  • Establish agreement before implementation
  • Develop doable action plan
  • Monitor implementation accuracy
  • Monitor progress continuously

PBIS Implementation Blueprint /
Implementation Fidelity & PBIS /
School Leadership, Mediating Factors & Student Outcomes /
Actions of Effective School Leaders / / Effective leaders do 4 things really well (Buckinham & Coffman, 2002)
  • When selecting someone, they select for talent…not simply experience, intelligence, or determination.
  • When setting expectations, they define right outcomes…not the right steps.
  • When motivating someone, they focus on strengths…not on weaknesses.
  • When developing someone, they help him find right fit…not simply the next rung on ladder. (p. 67)

Intervention Emphases / /
  • Smallest # that has the greatest and most durable student benefits
  • Empirically-evidence based
  • Outcome-determined
  • Invest in the long term for routine implementation
  • Modify based on student behavior responsiveness

Data Decision Making Systems /
Research and Practice /
Effective Implementation + Effective Practices = Maximum Student Outcomes /
Implementation Phases /
Successful Organizations /
A Behavioral Perspective of “Culture” & Context / /
PBIS Evidence-Base / Bradshaw, C.P., Koth, C. W., Thornton, L. A., & Leaf, P. J. (2009). Altering school climate through school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Findings from a group-randomized effectiveness trial.Prevention Science, 10(2), 100-115
Bradshaw,C. P., Koth, C. W., Bevans, K. B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). The impact of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools.School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 462-473.
Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in elementary schools.Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12,133-148.
Bradshaw, C. P., Reinke, W. M., Brown, L. D., Bevans, K. B., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). Implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in elementary schools: Observations from a randomized trial.Education & Treatment of Children, 31,1-26.
Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., & Leaf, P. J. (in press). Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on child behavior problems. Pediatrics.
Horner, R., Sugai, G., Smolkowski, K., Eber, L., Nakasato, J., Todd, A., & Esperanza, J., (2009). A randomized, wait-list controlled effectiveness trial assessing school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, 133-145.
Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C. M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for school-wide positive behavior support. Focus on Exceptionality, 42(8), 1-14.
Waasdorp, T. E., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (in press). The impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) on bullying and peer rejection: A randomized controlled effectiveness trial. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. /
  • Reduced major disciplinary infractions
  • Improvement in aggressive behavior, concentration, prosocial behavior, & emotional regulation
  • Improvements in academic achievement
  • Enhanced perception of organizational health & safety
  • Reductions in teacher reported bullying behavior & peer rejection
  • Improved school climate

Tiered Systems and Practices /
General Tier II Features /
Function-based Support /
Organization /


PBIS Generic Teaching Matrix: Rules, Settings, and Behavioral Examples

Behavioral Expectations (Rules) / Typical School Settings
1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Self-Assessment of Classroom and Non-Classroom Settings

Supervision Self-Assessment[1]

Name______/ Date______
Setting □ Hallway □ Entrance □ Cafeteria
□ Playground □ Other______/ Time Start______
Time End ______
Tally each Positive Student Contacts / Total # / Ratio[2] of Positives to Negatives: _____: 1
Tally each Negative Student Contacts / Total #
  1. Did I have at least 4 positive for 1 negative student contacts?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I move throughout the area I was supervising?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I frequently scan the area I was supervising?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I positively interact with most of the students in the area?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I handle most minor violations of behavior expectations quickly and quietly?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I follow school procedures for handling major violations of behavior expectations?
/ Yes No
  1. Do I know our school-wide behavior expectations (positively stated rules)?
/ Yes No
  1. Did I positively acknowledge at least 5 different students for displaying our school-wide behavior expectations
/ Yes No
Overall active supervision score:
7-8 “yes” = “Super Supervision”
5-6 “yes” = “So-So Supervision”
<5 “yes” = “Improvement Needed” / # Yes______

Action Planning

The purposes of this assessment are to (a) determine the extent to which effective non-classroom management practices are in place and (b) develop an action plan for enhancement/maintenance based on this information. This assessment and action plan can be completed as a “self-assessment” or by an observer.

  1. Pick a typical non-classroom setting[3] that has a specific learning outcome/objective.
  2. During the activity, count number of positive and negative student contacts that occur during the activity.
  3. After the activity,
  4. Sum the number of positive and negative contacts and calculate the ratio of positive to negative contacts.
  5. Assess whether each nonclassroom management practice was evident.
  6. Sum the number of “yes” to determine overall classroom management score.
  7. Based on your score, develop an action plan for enhancement/maintenance.

Action Plan
# / Current Level of Performance / Enhancement/Maintenance Strategies[4]

Classroom Management Self-Assessment

Teacher______Rater______/ Date______
Instructional Activity / Time Start______
Time End ______
Tally each Positive Student Contacts / Total # / Tally each Negative Student Contacts / Total #
Ratio[5] of Positives to Negatives: _____ to 1
Classroom Management Practice / Rating
  1. I have arranged my classroom to minimize crowding and distraction
/ Yes No
  1. I have maximized structure and predictability in my classroom (e.g., explicit classroom routines, specific directions, etc.).
/ Yes No
  1. I have posted, taught, reviewed, and reinforced 3-5 positively stated expectations (or rules).
/ Yes No
  1. I provided more frequent acknowledgement for appropriate behaviors than inappropriate behaviors (See top of page).
/ Yes No
  1. I provided each student with multiple opportunities to respond and participate during instruction.
/ Yes No
  1. My instruction actively engaged students in observable ways (e.g., writing, verbalizing)
/ Yes No
  1. I actively supervised my classroom (e.g., moving, scanning) during instruction.
/ Yes No
  1. I ignored or provided quick, direct, explicit reprimands/redirections in response to inappropriate behavior.
/ Yes No
  1. I have multiplestrategies/systems in place to acknowledge appropriate behavior (e.g., class point systems, praise, etc.).
/ Yes No
  1. In general, I have provided specific feedback in response to social and academic behavior errors and correct responses.
/ Yes No
Overall classroom management score:
10-8 “yes” = “Super”
7-5 “yes” = “So-So”
5 “yes” = “Improvement Needed” / # Yes____

Action Planning

The purposes of this assessment are to (a) determine the extent to which effective general classroom management practices are in place and (b) develop an action plan for enhancement/maintenance based on this information. This assessment and action plan can be completed as a “self-assessment” or by an observer.

  1. Pick a teacher-led/directed activity that has a specific learning outcome/objective.
  2. During the activity, count number of positive and negative student contacts that occur during the activity.
  3. After the activity,
  4. Sum the number of positive and negative contacts and calculate the ratio of positive to negative contacts.
  5. Assess whether each classroom management practice was evident.
  6. Sum the number of “yes” to determine overall classroom management score.
  7. Based on your score, develop an action plan for enhancement/maintenance.

Action Plan
# / Current Level of Performance / Enhancement/Maintenance Strategies[6]

[1] Draft 3-10-04 Sugai

[2] To calculate, divide # positives by # of negatives.

[3] Setting or activity in which academic instruction or teacher/staff-directed activities are not available to engage students (e.g., cafeteria, playground, common areas, bus, hallways, parking lots, assemblies, sporting events).

[4] What? When? How? By When?

[5] To calculate, divide # positives by # of negatives.

[6] What? When? How? By When?