Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support
Students behave in unexpected ways when they do not know the behavioral expectations, when they are not fluent in the skills of expected behaviors, or when unexpected behaviors consistently helps them to achieve a needed purpose, or function. These functions have been simplified into two broad categories: To gain adult attention, peer attention, or access to an object or an activity, or to avoid adult attention, peer attention, or an activity.
Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support (SW-PBS) applies this science of behavior in a framework of evidence based practices to prevent unexpected behaviors from occurring schoolwide (universal supports or Tier 1), and to provide targeted (Tier 2) and individualized intensive (Tier 3) supports to those students who need them. It is a framework because schools adapt their implementation of SW-PBS to fit the unique cultural context of their school, while remaining true to the science of behavior.
Systems, Data, Practices and Outcomes
The evidence based practices of SW-PBS are basically the same at all three tiers: they are just intensified based on the needs of the students. These practices are:
- Clarifying and teaching Expectations and Rules
- Clarifying and teaching Routines and Procedures
- Encouraging Expected Behaviors
- Discouraging Unexpected Behaviors
- Actively Supervising students
- Providing students with Opportunities to Respond
- Manipulating Activity Sequencing and Providing Choice
- and Adjusting Task Difficulty
In addition, SW-PBS teams develop and implement systems to support staff so that these practices are implemented in all settings.
Finally, SW-PBS teams at all three tiers monitor adult actions and student outcomes, to solve problems. In this way, they improve implementation of adults and outcomes for students.
MO SW-PBS Handbook and Foundational Content
The MO SW-PBS Handbook provides an overview of SW-PBS, emphasizing those elements that are consistent across all three tiers of support. Accompanying Implementation Guides for each tier are designed to guide teams as they develop and implement SW-PBS at each of the specific tiers. MO SW-PBS is developing virtual learning modules that correspond with the content of the Handbook and the Implementation Guides.