Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) & Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

PBIS is a multi-tiered framework for schools to meet the social-emotional, behavioral and academic needs of students to create school communities that are safe, positive, consistent, and equitable.

PBIS In A Nutshell

School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a framework for schools to support the academic, behavioral and socio-emotional needs of all students.

Critical elements include:

• Use of student data (such as attendance, academics, or office discipline referrals) to make decisions and address concerns

• Set expectations for student behavior; regularly teach and communicate these to students and staff

• School-wide guidelines and expectations for behavior that are consistent across campus (such as in classrooms, cafeteria/lunch area, restrooms, gym/locker rooms, and before/after school)

• Training educators and school staff to prevent and respond to challenging behavior

• Systemic evaluation of fidelity (Did we do what we said we would do?)

• High ratios of positive to negative feedback.

• A multi-disciplinary team-based approach to create consistent expectations across the school community

• A multi-tiered system of interventions that promotes positive behavior, and responds appropriately and consistently to problem behaviors

In 2019-2020, 27 schools in ABC Unified School District are implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) to create safe and equitable school environments that promote student learning and success.

Each PBIS school has a team of 5-7 staff (including principals/administrators, teachers, psychologists, counselors, social workers/mental health professionals, student intervention assistants, and secretaries) who lead PBIS implementation on their campuses. The district PBIS coaches provide 4-6 days of training annually for the teams, in addition to on-site support and consultation. 

The end goals of PBIS are to minimize the lost instruction time for students who are suspended, minimize classroom disruptions and create a positive, safe, consistent and predictable school climate for all students. Schools who have implemented PBIS have experienced high levels of increased academic achievement, lower dropout rates, increased attendance rates and decreased suspension rates for all students.

In ABC, PBIS is supported using LCFF funds and supports District LCAP goals for Priority areas 5 and 6, School Climate and Student Engagement.