Tips From Your School Psychologist

Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS)

Helping students maintain appropriate behavior is a priority for all educators and parents. Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a school-wide prevention program that uses behavior techniques to provide safe, supportive learning environments, promote positive life skills, and reduce negative behaviors. The PBIS process enables educators, parents and community members to work together to help all students know expectations and receive the necessary supports to develop appropriate behaviors and engage in learning. PBIS strategies also help improve school climate and safety.  

What Should PBIS Look Like in Your Child’s School?

• A leadership team, including administrators, teachers, parents and community members, helps develop and guide the implementation of PBIS strategies.
• The team establishes a set of core behavioral expectations and consequences for ALL students.
• The team identifies effective teaching strategies for teaching expectations to all students on a school-wide basis.
• Positive reinforcement is used to support students when they meet expectations.
• A set of consequences increasing in intensity and severity is used to correct misbehavior.
• Data is collected to assess the effective use and effect of the established procedures on behavior.
• Procedures are established to maintain and evaluate PBIS strategies school-wide over time.

Parents have an important role to play in the development, implementation, and success of a school-wide PBIS program. Many students spend as much or more active time at school than at home. It is important that the expectations at school be supported at home to reinforce skills, provide consistency, and avoid confusion.

What Can Parents Do to Help?

• Educate yourself about PBIS.
• Ask your school if they have implemented a PBIS program.
• Ask for information to learn about the program.
• Participate on the leadership team.
• Help the school team develop expectations and consequences that you can encourage your child to follow.
• Help reinforce to your child the importance of school-wide expectations at home, at school, and in the community.
• Teach the expectation.
• Provide examples of what the expectation looks like and what it does not look like at school and within your home.
• Reward them for demonstrating the expectation.
• Provide re-learning and consequences when they struggle.
• Volunteer to help with the school-wide PBIS activities.
• Demonstrate to your child that this program is worth your time as well his.
• Express your belief that the program will make the school a better place to learn and a safer place to attend.
• Offer to help with a PBIS reward activity.
• Help with school public relations efforts.
• Advocate for the PBIS program throughout the community.
• Help educate community members about the components and benefits of the program.
• Pursue community resources for creating and maintaining the program.
• Ask the community to invest in helping students learn to be responsible and make positive behavior choices.
• Communicate with your child’s teachers and administrators about the success and struggles he or she may be experiencing in school.
• Communicate with the school about aspects of the program you like and ones that cause you concern.

Adapted from: Positive Behavior Supports (PBS): Strategies for Parents and Teachers, Candace Cartwright Dee, Ph.D. and John Boyle, EdS, NCSP (2007)