Staff Buy-In to SW-PBIS
Kevin J. Filter, Ph.D.
Minnesota State University, Mankato
The good news
 PBIS works
< Randomized control trial evidence
< Other national studies
< Local evidence
 PBIS is available
< 15 years of PBIS
< 9 years of PBIS in MN
The “other” news
 PBIS requires effort from teachers/staff
<
<
<
<
Teach behavior expectations
Acknowledge appropriate behavior
Consistent use of school’s discipline procedures
In the classroom, non-classrooms settings, and with
individual kids
 Other things in school require effort, too
< Teaching
< Committees, meetings
< Other initiatives
The reality
 PBIS only works when implemented with fidelity
< 80% overall
 80% teaching in year 1
 80% reward system in year 2+
The BOTTOM LINE
We need staff to buy-in to PBIS in
order to implement with fidelity and
achieve desired outcomes
LET’S TALK ABOUT BUY-IN
What is buy-in?
 A willingness to
participate in the
specific tasks
associated with
PBIS
< Measured by PBISSIM
 Teach behavior
expectations
 Acknowledge
appropriate behavior
 Consistent use of
school’s discipline
procedures
 In the classroom,
non-classrooms
settings, and with
individual kids
What do we know about PBIS buyin?
 Study of 1,200+ teachers/staff in MN in Spring
2012 using PBIS-SIM
 Included
< Cohorts 5, 7, and 8
< Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
 44.2% of schools from cohorts 5, 7, & 8
participated
< Approx. 40.5% of staff in each school participated
Gender
Male
Female
Grade
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Cohort
K-12 School
Others
Cohort 5
Cohort 7
Cohort 8
Distribution of Scores
Average Buy-In Scores
Mean
Percent Buy-In
Standard
Deviation
16.15
89.7%
3.00
Elementary
16.61
92.2%
2.50
Middle School
15.83
87.9%
2.78
High School
15.58
86.6%
3.67
Cohort 5
15.67
87.1%
3.67
Cohort 7
16.38 (16.34 in
2011)
91.0% (90.7%)
2.70 (2.71 in
2011)
Cohort 8
16.13
89.6%
2.93
OVERALL
GRADE LEVEL
COHORT
Hypothesized Predictors of Staff Buy-in
8
Opportunity to provide input on PBIS-related activities in your
school
Current knowledge of PBIS
Being a member of the PBIS team
Degree of influence that the administrator in your school has
with staff in terms of the implementation of PBIS
Receiving acknowledgement for your successful teaching or
behavior management in the past year
Receiving any kind of professional acknowledgement for the
appropriate behavior of your students in the past year
Receiving any kind of professional acknowledgement for your
participation in PBIS-related activities in the past year
Regular opportunities for being acknowledged for your
successful teaching or behavior management
Number of times in the past year your school reviewed PBIS
activities or plans with you and other teachers/staff
Perception of PBIS success in your own school
Number of times in the past year your school reviewed schoolwide student behavior data with you and other teachers/staff
Perception of PBIS success in other schools
Cohort
7
5
Elem
School
Mid
All
High
What should we do to increase
buy-in?
 Assess buy-in in your school on an annual basis
(PBIS-SIM)
 Provide opportunities for teacher/staff input
 Increase knowledge of what PBIS is and how it
works
 Share data
 Acknowledge positive staff behavior in teaching
and discipline
More questions?
Please contact Dr. Kevin Filter
kevin.filter@mnsu.edu