Sunrise
PBS Overview
Adapted from Chris Borgmeier, PhD
& Kimberly Ingram, PhD
Positive Behavior Support
PBS is a broad range of systemic &
individualized strategies for achieving
important social & learning outcomes
while preventing problem behavior with
all students.
Positive Behavior Support

Is based on decades of research from the fields
of:
 Behavioral
theory
 Effective Instruction
 Systems Change
PBS is



Not specific practice or curriculum…it is a general
approach to preventing problem behavior
Not limited to any particular group of students…it
is for all students
Not new…it is based on long history of behavioral
practices & effective instructional design &
strategies
Components of SW PBS
1.
School-wide System



SW-PBS Team
School Rules
Define & Teach:





2.
Expectations
Routines
Acknowledgment System
Consequences & Decision
Making
Handbook
Focus of Year 1
Classroom Support


3.
Training/ Support
opportunities
Individual Teacher Support
Individual Student
System


Targeted Group
Interventions
FBA/BSP – Intensive
Individualized
Interventions
Years 2-3: Continuing Development
1.
School-wide System



SW-PBS Team
School Rules
Define & Teach:





2.
Expectations
Routines
Acknowledgment System
Consequences & Decision
Making
Handbook
Classroom Support


3.
Training/ Support
opportunities
Individual Teacher Support
Individual Student
System


Targeted Group
Interventions
FBA/BSP – Intensive
Individualized
Interventions
Focus of Years 2 & 3
PBS: Defining Features
Teaching Expected Behavior




Increase Structure and Predictability by explicitly
teaching Behavioral Expectations and Routines.
Reduce the mystery and chaos by making expectations
explicit through formal teaching
Develop a “United Front” across all staff through
consistent language & expectations
Increased Structure + Decreased Chaos = Fewer
Problems
PBS: Defining Features

Acknowledging Socially Competent (Expected) Behavior
 Teaching alone is not enough, we also need to
regularly Reinforce students for following
expectations

Improving the School Climate
 By increasing the number of Positive Interactions
between staff and students we are improving the
school climate & building relationships.
PBS: Defining Features

Responding to Inappropriate Behavior

Consistency among staff


Deciding on consequences for each type of behavior



Office-managed problem behavior versus Staff-managed problem
behavior
E.g., re-teaching school rules at “Rule School” for multiple displays
of ‘Staff-managed Behavior’
When does a staff-managed problem turn into an office-managed
problem?
Using data for Decision Making

Deciding on a system to collate data (eSIS, Excel, paper and
pencil) – that will allow team to quickly examine data summaries
and trends
Teaching Behavioral Expectations
& Routines

Basic Strategy for Establishing Behavioral
Routines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Explain
Specify Student Behaviors
Model Desired Behavior
Lead - Student Practice – each individual student
should get an opportunity to practice the routine
Test/ Monitor
Follow-up -- reinforce & review regularly
Teaching Behavioral Expectations
& Routine



Make lessons fun and engaging, just like any lesson
should be
Make instruction developmentally appropriate
Lessons can be more challenging with older kids;




may rely more on verbal explanation of rules, with practice as a
response for not following rules & regular reinforcement for following
rules
Although, practice is always very valuable
Choose skills to teach wisely
Presentation & attitude are important
Acknowledgment Systems

Purpose:
 To reinforce school rules, behavioral expectations & positive
behavior
Negatives
Positives

Promote a more positive school environment
 School-wide 5:1 positive/negative interaction ratio
 Regular school-wide celebration of positive behavior

Increase positive interactions between staff & students

Prompt busy adults to remember to reinforce positive behavior
School-wide Foundation

It is important that an Acknowledgment system is
accessible to ALL students all the time

Schools can also have other systems for
recognizing students
 Classroom
reward system in addition to school-wide
system
 Perfect attendance
 Honor Roll
Positive
Behavior
Support
Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior
Positive
Behavior
Support
Social Competence &
Academic Achievement
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Staff Behavior
PRACTICES
Supporting
Student Behavior
Acknowledgment Systems

Big pay-off for limited expense
 Immediate
reinforcement with tickets that are
accessible to all students
 Link with school wide celebration of positive
 Lottery system helps to keep incentives cheap



behavior
Lot of kids have chance to win… but pay out is cheap
Small tangible rewards
Public recognition is often powerful
Acknowledgment Systems

Research shows that when we



1) Set our standards for reinforcement high (set a high level of
performance) and
2) Don’t give rewards each and every time behavior(s) occur
(make it unexpected)
The likelihood that behavior decreases over time (e.g.decrease in intrinsic motivation) does not occur

Cameron, J., K.M., Pierce, W.D. (2001). Pervasive Negative Effects of Rewards
on Intrinsic Motivation: The Myth Continues. The Behavior Analyst, 24, 1-44.
(Meta-analysis that examines two previous meta-analysis (Cameron & Pierce
(1994) and Deci, Koestner & Ryan (1999)) - with differing results pertaining to
effects of praise and tangible rewards on intrinsic motivation.
Focus of Acknowledgment System

Beginning of year


Heavy emphasis on reinforcing all school rules & expectations
As year progresses and specific areas of concern come
up in the school

Can begin to target specific behaviors or areas that the data has
shown to be difficult


i.e. hallway behavior, appropriate language, etc.
Returning from breaks, or entering months in which there
were higher referrals in previous years

May want to re-teach expectations & remind staff to boost up use
of acknowledgments
Frequently Asked Questions

Should we track Positive Referrals?
 Track


it broadly, not individually
Are teachers going through enough referral pads?
How many should be given out?
 Better
to err on the side of more than less
 Need to be genuine & verbally paired w/
reason, not handed out indiscriminately
Frequently Asked Questions

Shouldn’t students be expected to do these things
without being rewarded?
1)
2)
3)
4)
Sure, BUT students are bringing a varied set of experiences
and skills to school, unfortunately some students may not get
enough acknowledgment at home
How many of you feel you get acknowledged often enough for
the work you do?
This system should not replace regular verbal praise and pats
on the back for students …all this system provides in addition
for most students is a small piece of paper
This system is as much to help remind the adults to catch kids
doing the right thing in school… we get busy and too often get
caught up focusing on predominantly negative behavior

(5 to 1 ratio)
P B S I n c i d e n t T ri a n g l e
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Office vs Staff Managed
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