What Is the PBIS Framework?

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) represents a powerful application of the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework in educational settings.

As a comprehensive public health approach, PBIS promotes safe, positive, predictable, and effective learning environments that include and benefit all students.

Recent research demonstrates that when schools implement PBIS with fidelity, they see significant improvements in behavior, well-being, attendance, and academic performance, while experiencing reductions in harassment, bullying, and disciplinary actions that exclude students from learning opportunities (Santiago-Rosario et al., 2023).

PBIS implementation prioritizes equitable practices, data, and systems to enhance meaningful outcomes for all students.

Equitable implementation intentionally uses practices, data, and systems to allow each and every student, in all types of schools, to (a) access high-quality safe and affirming learning environments, (b) engage in a full range of educational opportunities, (c) access effective supports based on their

Although identified outcomes frequently include improvements in school climate and/or students’ SEB or academic performance, outcomes should always be locally meaningful, collaboratively defined, and aligned with specific strengths and needs within the school.

The clear identification of outcomes guides teams in the selection of practices, the use of data for decision-making, and the development of systems within the PBIS framework.

Practices are the evidence-based supports and interventions provided to students to address valued outcomes and goals. In the PBIS framework, practices are organized within a continuum.

Universal, or Tier 1, practices are provided to all students to proactively support student SEB needs and to proactively promote connection and belonging.

Targeted, or Tier 2, practices are provided to small groups of students who are identified as needing supplemental support.

Individualized, or Tier 3, practices are intensive and individualized to support students who need support beyond what is offered in Tiers 1 and 2.

Data guide decision-making and all aspects of implementation. Leadership teams use multiple sources of data (e.g., attendance, discipline, academic, staff/student/family surveys, and rates of students experiencing homelessness) to assess strengths and needs within the school community and select a continuum of evidence-based practices that are aligned with documented needs and valued school and community outcomes.

Teams then assess the implementation fidelity and student outcomes associated with selected practices and adjust implementation supports and intensity to improve effectiveness for each and every student.

Systems, in PBIS, represent the infrastructure that supports implementation and sustainability.

They also include action planning routines; procedures to ensure selected practices and data are used consistently and effectively; and procedures for ensuring the active engagement of students, staff, and families in all elements of implementation.

Practices, data, and systems are implemented across a continuum of prevention and support from universal (Tier 1), to targeted (Tier 2), to individualized (Tier 3; see Figure 2).

As the intensity of need increases, the precision with which systems and data are used to support implementation must also increase.

A representative leadership team guides PBIS implementation. These teams are organized across the tiers of support and are representative of the school and community. This ensures a range of expertise and experiences are considered in implementation and data-informed decision-making at the school and district levels.

Effective teams develop clear communication systems, roles, and operating procedures to ensure all team members are fully included in decision-making processes.

Leadership teams intentionally implement practices, data, and systems in a way that ensures all members of the school community can meaningfully participate, experience belonging and success, and achieve valued outcomes.

Teams focus on both supporting and monitoring individual student success for all students and identifying and removing systemic barriers to access or achievement.

When PBIS is implemented with fidelity, it includes active use of data to guide implementation and engagement with students, families, and community members to support the development of intervention components and to monitor and adjust implementation as needed.

FIGURE 2 | SAMPLE PRACTICES, DATA, AND SYSTEMS WITHIN A TIERED SYSTEM OF DELIVERY INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT TARGETED SUPPORT PROACTIVE AND PREVENTATIVE SUPPORT

Aligned with Tier 1 and 2 supports • Designed with student and family individualized instructional support plan

Uses multiple sources of data including Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) to: • Inform individual supports • Monitor individual student plan implementation and impact and adjust plan as needed

Organize and support educators’ awareness and implementation of individualized support plans • Monitor Tier 3 support needs and provide feedback to inform adjustments to Tiers 1 and 2 • Monitor screening, entry and exit criteria, and intervention effectiveness for all Tier 3 supports

Aligned with Tier 1 supports • Explicitly teach targeted SEB skills • Increase opportunities for practice with both positive and corrective instructional feedback using at least a 5:1

Identify students who may benefit from Tier 2 supports • Establish and monitor entry and exit criteria for Tier 2 interventions

Organizes and supports educators’ awareness and implementation of Tier 2 supports • Monitor Tier 2 support needs and provide feedback to inform adjustments to Tiers 1 and 3 • Monitor individual student and aggregate performance and adjust • Monitor intervention effectiveness for all Tier 2 supports

Prioritize connection and belonging • Codesign schoolwide and classroom-wide expectations • SEB skill instruction for all students • Structures to support a culture of acknowledgment and appreciation • Clearly defined instructional and supportive responses to student behaviors

Uses multiple sources of data from both within (e.g., climate surveys, attendance, academics, discipline) and community (e.g., social determinants of health) to: • Inform the design of Tier 1 systems and practices • Monitor implementation and impact of Tier 1 practices and systems

Process for assessing individual student needs and level of support • District-wide access to external agency supports (e.g., mental health)

The specific practices implemented within each tier are selected and supported by the leadership team.

Core universal, or Tier 1, practices include intentional efforts to prioritize belonging and connection for all, clearly codefining and teaching schoolwide and classroom expectations, developing systems of acknowledgment and appreciation, and clearly defining instructional and supportive responses to behaviors that do not align with established expectations and values.

Core, Tier 2, or targeted practices include systems for identifying students needing additional supports and a range of small group interventions designed to support student internalizing and externalizing SEB needs.

Intensive and individualized, or Tier 3, practices are guided by an individualized comprehensive assessment used to inform a plan of support developed in partnership with students and families.

These include preventative strategies and supports to develop healthy SEB competencies/skills and prevent concerning behaviors.

Core practices across tiers are progress monitored at the student and system level to ensure implementation fidelity and intended impact.

For more information on PBIS implementation, its essential elements, and the tiered system of delivery, see the PBIS Implementation Blueprint (Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 2023) or visit the topic-specific pages for Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Equitable Supports at www.pbis.org.