School districts find success with Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support framework

The Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of Special Education Programs supports schools and educators as they work to create a school culture that prioritizes a safe and positive learning environment. The office uses Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS), as a framework to help educators provide behavioral strategies to all students.

PBIS is effective because it is proactive, preventative, and comprehensive. The framework differentiates levels of support through tiers. Every student is served under Tier I: the PBIS team establishes school-wide expectations, and administrators and school personnel develop clear, concise rules for all areas of school property. All students are explicitly taught the expectations and rules they will have from all adults at the school. Once the rules are clear to all students, teachers provide prompt, positive feedback for those who are following the rules.

For example, a school may have a rule for walking, not running, in the halls. At the beginning of the school year, each teacher will take her class to the hallway, demonstrate the appropriate way to walk in the hall, and then have the students practice the correct way expected of them. Administrators may use other reminders of expectations as well – for example, posters or videos. Then, when a teacher or other school personnel is in the halls and sees students following the rules, they will make a point to acknowledge to the students that they are doing well. If a student is found running in the hall, the staff will remind them of the rules and have them demonstrate the correct way.

“The great thing about PBIS is schools develop their own expectations and rules, based on the needs of their district and students,” said Rebecca Cain, a PBIS implementation specialist with the DOE. “We encourage districts to have the same expectations in all of their buildings so students will know what’s expected of them as they move through grades or if they would need to move to a different building within the district.”

When Tier I of PBIS is fully integrated within a school district, 80-85 percent of students are able to successfully follow the rules without a problem. Those who need more than an explicit explanation of the rules may need an additional layer of support from Tier II. Tier II supports may include additional academic support, communication between the school and a student’s family, structured check-in programs to increase relationships and monitor behavior, social skills groups, and an increase in positive reinforcements. “When implemented with fidelity, those additional supports should assist 10-15 percent of students to experience behavioral success,” said Cain.

Occasionally, Tier II supports are not effective. When that happens, Tier III comes into play. “Most of the time, Tier III interventions are developed by doing a Functional Behavior Assessment to determine the root causes of the behavior, and the skills the student is missing which is leading to the behavior,” said Cain. “Tier III interventions may include intensive and explicit training of social skills, dealing with conflict, expressing needs in a positive way, taking breaks when frustrated, and many other skills depending on the individual student’s needs.”

Explicit teaching of the rules and appropriate follow-up when the rules are not followed is a vital part of implementing PBIS. Another less visible yet equally important aspect of PBIS is data collection. Schools collect data throughout the school year on student behavior. Using that information, administrators can ensure that continuous improvement is being made.

Chamberlain Elementary School implemented PBIS in 2019, and over the years since, the school has used data to enhance Tier I practices. “We have noticed a dramatic shift in culture in recent years. This includes a greater amount of teacher and student buy-in,” said Principal Patrick Purdy. “All staff and students are active participants, and they are versed in expectations and consistent language.”

Using data analysis, the school has been able to identify problem areas, and, with the PBIS system in place, all staff have been able to address those areas in a unified manner. “Overall, our school has seen improvement, growth, and positivity from our stakeholders, staff, and students,” said Purdy.

Over the past 18 years, the DOE’s implementation specialists have worked with 50 South Dakota school districts to implement PBIS. They are now currently working with 19 school districts to implement the system, with an additional four districts to begin implementation in the 2025-26 school year.

To learn more about PBIS, visit the DOE website, or email Rebecca Cain.