What is PBIS?

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based three-tiered framework for improving and integrating all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day. It is a way to support everyone – especially students with disabilities – to create the kinds of schools where all students are successful.

Three Tiers of Support

PBIS is a multi-tiered framework – three tiers, to be exact. Each tier aligns to the type of support students need. These three tiers are:

Tier 1: Universal Prevention (All students)

Tier 1 systems, data, and practices impact everyone across all settings. They establish the foundation for delivering regular, proactive support and preventing unwanted behaviors. Tier 1 emphasizes prosocial skills and expectations by teaching and acknowledging appropriate student behavior.

Tier 1 foundational systems include:

• An established leadership team
• Regular meetings
• A commitment statement for establishing a positive school-wide social culture
• On-going use of data for decision making
• Professional development plans
• Personnel evaluation plan

Tier 1 practices include:

• School-wide positive expectations and behaviors are taught
• Established classroom expectations aligned with school-wide expectations
• A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior
• A continuum of procedures for discouraging problem behavior
• Procedures for encouraging school-family partnership

Tier 2: Targeted Prevention (Some=about 5% of students)

Tier 2 systems, data, and practices provide targeted support for students who are not successful with Tier 1 supports alone. The focus is on supporting students who are at risk for developing more serious problem behavior before those behaviors start. Tier 2 supports often involve group interventions with 10 or more students participating. The support at this level is more focused than Tier 1 and less intensive than Tier 3.

Tier 2 foundational systems include:

• An intervention team with a coordinator
• Behavioral expertise
• Fidelity and outcome data are collected
• A screening process to identify students needing Tier 2 support
• Access to training and technical assistance

Tier 2 practices include:

• Increased instruction and practice with self-regulation and social skills
• Increased adult supervision
• Increased opportunities for positive reinforcement
• Increased pre-corrections
• Increased focus on possible function of problem behaviors
• Increased access to academic supports

Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized Prevention (Few=about 3% of students)

At most schools, there are 1-5% of students for whom Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports have not connected. At Tier 3, these students receive more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all.

Tier 3 foundational systems include:

• A multi-disciplinary team
• Behavior support expertise
• Formal fidelity and outcome data are collected

Tier 3 practices include:

• Function-based assessments
• Wraparound supports
• Cultural and contextual fit