What is SW-PBIS?

School-wide PBS (Positive Behavior Interventions and  Supports) is a process for creating safer and more effective schools.  SW-PBS is a systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school wide, and classroom discipline systems.  The process focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students.  Rather than a prescribed program, SW-PBIS provides systems for schools to design, implement, and evaluate effective school-wide, classroom, non-classroom, and student specific discipline plans.  SW-PBS includes  procedures and processes intended for:

· ALL students, ALL staff and in ALL settings

· Non-classroom settings within the school environment

· Individual classrooms and teachers, and

· Individual student supports for the estimated 3-7% of students who present the most challenging behaviors.

SW-PBIS is not a program or a curriculum (there is no kit). It is a team-based process for systemic problem solving, planning, and evaluation.  It is an approach to create an environment where school-based teams of educators are trained:

· Systems change

· Effective behavior management principles and practices; and

· Applications of research-validated instruction and management practices. 

                                                                                                                                     *www.pbis.org       

                                                                                                                                     *Maryland PBS Initiative

Fundamentals of PBS

1.  Establishing clear expectations for all students in all settings of the school

2.  Identifying positively stated rules for each expectation tailored to every setting of the school

3.  Teaching students these expectations and rules

4.  Reinforcing students who behave according to the school's expectations/rules

5.  Differentiating between minor (classroom-managed) and major (office-managed) behaviors

6.  Developing specific consequences for students who choose not to conform to school     expectations/rules

7.  Ongoing evaluation of behavioral data and academic data