Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) is a proactive approach to put behavioral/social skills strategies in place for all students while also building in support for those at risk for and/or those who receive special education services.
Partnerships
Missouri Schoolwide PBS (MO SW-PBS) is supported through an active partnership among the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), The University of Missouri Center for SW-PBS, and the
11 regional professional development centers in Missouri. These partnerships encourage active and consistent information, training opportunities, and consultation to schools and districts in our state. MO SW-PBS personnel may be contacted through the information provided in the
Personnel Directory. The MO SW-PBS staff and leadership team members also collaborate with the
National PBIS Center.
Through this association we are able to access and participate in a variety of training and research opportunities, and to communicate with other state SW-PBS personnel across the U.S.
MO SW-PBS collaborates with other state agencies and groups to improve and expand efforts related to teaching proactive behavior to diverse populations of students in various settings. Some of these partnerships include:
- SW-PBS was represented on the MO Transformation Workgroup that created recommendations for school mental health, which was presented to the Children’s Services Commission and Governor Nixon in February 2010.
- The Department of Mental Health Division of Children’s Protective Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities and MO SW-PBS continue to work together to develop common Tier 3 training content and a dissemination plan. The Kansas Institute for PBIS is also a member of this team.
- MO SW-PBS collaborates with the Missouri Prevention Center (MPC), University of Missouri, to enhance mental health services provided to children and staff.
- Participation in the Missouri 3 Tiered Initiative which includes academics, professional learning communities, SW-PBS and special education.
There is much to learn from the many other states that support SW-PBS.
The National PBIS Center and the
Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS)
sponsor networking groups to help states collaborate on shared topics of interest. MO SW-PBS personnel participate in these networks.
The St. Louis, Missouri Special School District (SSD) employs SW-PBS support staff, who provide coordination and technical assistance to over 100 schools. The Missouri SW-PBS initiative appreciates the collaboration and working relationships that have been developed with the districts' staff. Additionally, MO SW-PBS is working collaboratively with more than 50 district-wide groups or teams to support efficient and effective adoption and maintenance of SW-PBS. Listing of 2010-2011 district-wide SW-PBS.
Because of the wide variance in resources available to our school districts in Missouri, the following two criteria have been identified by MO SW-PBS as those that demonstrate commitment to a district-wide initiative:
1. A district-level team oversees the SW-PBS work within the district (does not have to be a team specifically dedicated to this, but one that identifies SW-PBS as one of the team responsibilities)
2. A district-level person is assigned as a facilitator for all schools within the district that are implementing SW-PBS (recommended that all or part of the facilitator FTE be officially designated for this responsibility, but is not required)
