Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Implementation Research Articles

Translating School Faculty Experiences Using PBIS into Recommendations for Practice.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a behaviorally based framework that seeks to improve student outcomes in schools. This framework is implemented at differing levels of intensity within a school based on students' unique needs. Special education teachers and school psychologists are integral pieces of PBIS implementation. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, these service providers may face unique challenges in implementing PBIS principles in schools, particularly due to new or adapted role demands and increased feelings of burnout. The current study examined special education teachers' and school psychologists' perceptions of their schools' practices related to PBIS in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic within five dimensions of understanding and school-based support, as well as overall satisfaction with PBIS in their school. Opportunities for professional development and the presence of PBIS teams emerged as major contributors to faculty satisfaction; however, only about half of participants indicated access to these resources. Special education teachers indicated higher levels of satisfaction with their administrative support and school communication practices when compared to school psychologists. Best practices and reflections from interview participants are discussed.

Effects of the universal positive behavioral interventions and supports on collective teacher efficacy

AbstractThere is a rich literature about the benefits of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for schools. However, evidence on teacher‐related outcomes is relatively limited. The current study examines the effect of the PBIS Tier 1 implementation on collective teacher efficacy (CTE). Participants were 530 teachers from 60 primary schools in Cyprus and Greece, who completed the Collective Teacher Efficacy Belief Scale (CTEBS) before and after a 1‐year PBIS implementation. The Greek language version of the instrument was tested and validated. Results were in line with the original two‐dimensional structure of instructional strategies and behavioral management, with adequate internal consistency (ω = 0.89 and ω = 0.87, respectively). Multilevel analyses showed that premeasurement and Tier 1 implementation fidelity along with selected teachers’ demographic characteristics accounted for a considerable amount of variance of CTE's both dimensions (30.84% and 25.43% for instructional strategies and behavioral management, respectively). The results suggest that PBIS Tier 1 training and subsequent implementation contributes to teachers’ collective belief that they can provide quality teaching opportunities and manage unexpected behaviors as a team. Schools are encouraged to consider the application of whole‐school approaches for improvement and actively engage all school staff in their efforts. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.

Classified Staff and the Implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports: A Case Study

Guided by normalization process theory, our qualitative case study explored classified staff members’ perceptions of their role in the implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in schools within a large urban US school district. The authors’ analysis reveals that classified staff members’ gleaned knowledge of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and their role in implementation haphazardly through the trickle-down of secondhand, informal information from certified staff (administrators and teachers). This practice limited staff members’ understanding of roles, tasks, and responsibilities in implementation (individual specification) and the shared understanding of PBIS (communal specification). To the extent that classified staff members were internalizing PBIS practices (e.g., positive reinforcement for meeting behavior expectations), informants described their use as commonsensical but not due to any formal training opportunities provided to them. District and school leaders triangulated this finding, describing classified staff members as integral to PBIS implementation but providing no explicit, purposeful, and consistent plans to include them. In terms of policy and practice implications, we recommend that schools and districts implementing PBIS or any other school- or district-wide initiative be inclusive and strategic, involving classified staff in their exploration of possible initiatives, decision-making, planning, training, and evaluation. Educational leaders who opt to exclude classified staff members formally in their districts and schools’ collective efforts to implement school-wide initiatives do not fully leverage valuable human resources.

Validation of a Measure of District Systems Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

District leadership teams perform key roles in building the systems to support schools in the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). However, there is a lack of measures for assessment and progress monitoring specific to district PBIS systems. To address this gap, we evaluated the validity of a measure of implementation of district PBIS systems, the District Systems Fidelity Inventory (DSFI). Using 183 school districts and 760 schools implementing PBIS, we found the DSFI to have good evidence of structural validity for measuring nine aspects of district systems (Leadership Teaming, Stakeholder Engagement, Funding and Alignment, Policy, Workforce Capacity, Training, Coaching, Evaluation, and Local Implementation Demonstrations). We also found DSFI subscales to be moderately related to school-level PBIS implementation fidelity, providing evidence of convergent validity. We describe how leadership teams can use the DSFI to improve PBIS implementation and student outcomes.

Alternatively Certified Special Education Teachers’ Implementation of PBIS

Teachers are the primary conduit through which positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) are implemented. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate alternatively certified special education teachers’ implementation of PBIS. All participants were in their first or second year as teachers in classrooms for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students with disabilities. This study examines how alternatively certified special education teachers perceive and implement PBIS within their classrooms.

Examining Rural School Implementation of Positive Behavioral Supports Across Tiers

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a prevention-oriented multitiered system of support. In this article, we discuss how PBIS implementation might be different for schools in rural settings. We used two subsamples of an extant data set of 11,561 schools in 44 U.S. states reporting on PBIS implementation fidelity during the 2018-19 school year. We examined PBIS implementation in rural and nonrural settings using a subsample of 6,631 schools during their first five years of PBIS implementation (2014-15 to 2018-19 school years). Further, we used a subsample of 2,266 schools to examine differences in implementation for rural schools, specifically ( n = 1,215) in their first five years of PBIS implementation (2014-15 to 2018-19) compared to rural schools ( n = 1,051) implementing six or more years (2000-01 to 2013-14). Rural schools differ from other school locales in the implementation of Tiers 2 and 3 systems during initial implementation. When examining the implementation in rural schools implementing PBIS for five or fewer years to those implementing for six years or more, those implementing longer had higher scores at Tiers 2 and 3. Practical implications across all three tiers, special education, and rural locales are presented.

Student Perspectives on Implementation and Impact of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in Their Middle Schools

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based framework for promoting positive school climates and improving student social and behavioral outcomes. Yet secondary schools have lagged behind elementary schools in their adoption and implementation of PBIS. The transition from elementary to middle school is marked by a host of developmental and environmental changes that creates a critical window for establishing supportive school environments. We conducted a series of focus groups with middle school students ( N = 45) attending PBIS schools to learn about their views and understandings of PBIS, the perceived impact of these programs, the extent to which they were involved in PBIS, and their recommendations for improving their school’s program. Although middle school students’ understanding of PBIS was often focused on their acknowledgment system, students identified a range of impacts beyond improving student behavior. Students also expressed a desire for more (a) transparent communication between staff and students and (b) opportunities for students to be actively involved in their school’s program. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to increasing the uptake and impact of PBIS in secondary schools.

PBIS fidelity, school climate, and student discipline: A longitudinal study of secondary schools

AbstractCreating safe and supportive environments where students engage in prosocial behaviors is a priority and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) are used to achieve these goals. This study investigated relationships between PBIS fidelity, school climate, and office discipline referrals (ODRs). Participants were 204,701 students in 288 middle and high schools. Results indicated that additional years of PBIS implementation were related to greater fidelity, stronger school climate, and fewer ODRs. Findings also showed that students' perceptions of school climate in earlier years predicted fidelity and ODRs in later years. Further, ODRs reported during earlier years of PBIS implementation predicted fidelity and school climate in later years. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including considerations for how the whole‐school environment can affect PBIS implementation. Future research should investigate school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high school) and school diversity as moderators of the relationship between PBIS fidelity, school climate, and behavioral outcomes. Researchers and policymakers should use multidimensional school climate scales rather than relying only on unidimensional measures. Finally, since school climate influenced fidelity, schools that create safe/supportive environments can maximize the effective implementation of complex strategies like PBIS.

Proactively Pivot: Guidance on Adapting the PBIS Framework in Response to Crises to Support Students With Disabilities

Schools that employ evidence-based multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) frameworks, like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), invest in core system, data, and practice features to support students, families, and educators. A strong framework enables settings to enhance and adjust their implementation to meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities, in a range of contexts. Importantly, as schools pivoted among remote, hybrid, and in-person learning modes throughout 2020 and 2021, effective leadership teams used their PBIS framework to successfully navigate these transitions. Based on lessons learned during this period, we present three key recommendations to adapt implementation in response to crises: (1) leverage existing systems, (2) use data to guide decision-making, and (3) pivot practices. To illustrate these recommendations, we describe PBIS implementation in an alternative setting supporting students with disabilities and share examples of how educators used the PBIS framework to meet the challenges presented by new contexts.

An Ex Post Facto Study Examining Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Across School and Community Variables From an Inclusive Innovation Perspective

Schools implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) with fidelity demonstrate a wealth of student and school benefits. At the same time, there exists limited research from an inclusive innovation perspective: examining whether schools and communities have equitable access to PBIS based on sociodemographic school and community variables. This article presents the results of an ex post facto research design examining PBIS implementation and access across sociodemographic school and community variables from an inclusive innovation lens, examining data from schools ( N = 489) in the state of Georgia. The significant interaction effects revealed that between both PBIS and non-PBIS schools, those located in suburban areas had significantly higher median household incomes compared with rural and urban schools. Additional findings included the following: PBIS rural schools had higher household incomes and lower percentages of free/reduced-price lunch than non-PBIS schools in rural communities, and PBIS schools included significantly higher proportions of students who identified as White compared with non-PBIS schools.

Ten Common Misses in PBIS Implementation

The success of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) frameworks relies upon educators supporting and implementing PBIS plans. However, common staff-level perceptions exist that may interfere with successful implementation, which we refer to as misses. In this article, three types of misses representing common sets of staff concerns for PBIS implementation are discussed: misunderstandings, misapplications, and misalignments of educator philosophies. We discuss common misses, unpack them from the perspective of implementers, and provide suggestions for supporting staff. Common misses in PBIS can be prevented and successfully addressed when they occur through staff engagement, professional development, and implementation support.

PBIS Implementation Fidelity and Student Outcomes in an Urban School District

The purpose of our study was to examine Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation fidelity and student outcomes for secondary schools in a large, urban school district placed under a corrective action plan due to disproportionate suspension practices for students of color. Drawing upon data over a four-year period on PBIS implementation fidelity, discipline referrals, suspensions, and standardized test scores, we employed repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and revealed improved outcomes in the first year, but improvements did not continue over time. Additionally, academic outcomes did not show any significant increases. The study concludes with implications for policy, practice, and future research.

Administrators’ Perception of Their Role in School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Implementation

School administrators are called upon to enact and maintain school-wide systems and programs that promote student safety and success. The positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) framework is a popular school-wide approach for teaching, maintaining, and addressing student behavior through a three-tiered framework with the aim of reducing challenging behavior and enhancing opportunities for learning by all students. Thus, the purpose of this study was to learn more about how elementary school administrators set the stage for, and participate in, school-wide PBIS implementation. Ten elementary school administrators who were successfully implementing the PBIS framework were interviewed. Analysis of the interviews revealed that administrators indicated that their primary responsibilities in the PBIS implementation process included maintaining the fidelity of systems, rationalizing system for staff, moving the school-wide implementation forward, and building capacity within and across teams and that, central to the success, was continued communication with stakeholders, including teachers.

Scaling Up Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Costs and Their Distribution Across State, Districts, and Schools

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a widely used multitiered prevention framework that embeds a systems approach for establishing behavioral supports for all students, across all levels of need, to achieve social, behavioral, and academic success. A growing body of research has documented the effectiveness of PBIS in schools with regard to a range of student outcomes; however, few studies have rigorously examined the costs to implement PBIS. Further, as many states have scaled up PBIS, consideration of the costs borne by different organizational structures is critical for understanding PBIS implementation fidelity and sustainability. This study utilized an ingredients-based costing approach capitalizing on both qualitative and quantitative data from multiple stakeholders to examine the total societal costs to implement multiple tiers of PBIS. Also examined were the distribution of costs across the school, district, and state levels using the same ingredients-based costing approach. Findings suggest an annual cost of $48.16 per student, the bulk of which occurs at the school level (average cost $27,363 per year).

A Mixed-Methods Approach for Embedding Cost Analysis Within Fidelity Assessment in School-Based Programs

This mixed-methods study describes a framework for conducting cost analyses of school-based programs leveraging fidelity data and applying the ingredients method. We illustrate this approach by applying it to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), drawing on multiple sources of data from a sample of U.S. 77 schools that were trained in PBIS. We concluded that the average per school cost of PBIS was US$53,216.00 (median = US$36,698), with an average per-pupil cost of US$90.00 (median = US$58.00), which is considerably less than other school-based prevention models. The cost did, however, differ by implementation level, such that high-fidelity implementation tended to cost more than low-fidelity implementation. We provide a case illustration to elucidate some of the cost drivers of PBIS implementation. Specifically, these data highlight the variability in the amount of training and coaching by the specific evidence-based program implemented within the tiered PBIS framework. Through this case illustration, we demonstrate the utility of tracking costs of school-based program within the context of fidelity data collection. The findings also suggest the potential cost savings of PBIS, both when compared with other evidence-based interventions as well as the known costs of negative school outcomes like dropout.

A Systematic Review of Tier 1 PBIS Implementation in High Schools

An emerging body of research shows Tier 1 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can be successfully implemented in high schools to improve school climate and graduation rates and reduce problem behaviors. However, high schools are often hesitant to adopt PBIS because of contextual barriers such as school size, organizational culture, and student developmental level. Resistance to high school implementation is also related to teachers perceiving PBIS as less socially valid for high school students. Although previous systematic reviews of Tier 1 have examined implementation and effects, none have exclusively focused on the unique contextual needs related to high school implementation. In this review, we synthesized 16 published research studies conducted at the high school level, described how authors addressed the unique challenges of implementing PBIS in high schools, reported findings related to academic and behavioral outcomes, and made recommendations for future research and practice based on our findings.

A Systematic Review of Tier 1 PBIS Implementation in Alternative Education Settings

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a multitiered system of support for behavior used in many schools across the world. Researchers have begun adapting and evaluating Tier 1 of PBIS for students placed in alternative education (AE) settings. The purpose of this review is to synthesize these evaluations. We systematically searched two electronic databases to find potential studies of Tier 1 PBIS in AE settings. We screened 47 full texts, 19 of which met all inclusion criteria. Most studies (16 of 19, 84%) evaluated student behavioral outcomes, while seven studies (37%) evaluated academic outcomes alone or in addition to behavioral measures. Overall, restraints and seclusions generally decreased following Tier 1 implementation, but behavioral incident changes were variable and academic outcomes only improved for students enrolled continuously throughout the studies. The findings of this review support the need for continued evaluations of Tier 1 in AE settings using more rigorous methodologies and metrics that account for rolling admissions. The observed reductions in restraints and seclusions are promising for students and practitioners given the poor outcomes associated with these consequences.

Developments in the Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Australian Schools

Education jurisdictions across Australia have significant experience with initiating and building the implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in schools. This column describes the nature of the Australian education system and contextualizes the way PBIS had been implemented. Future directions to enhance the scaled implementation of PBIS across Australia are also presented.

Funding PBIS Implementation Through ESSA Title IV, Part A Funds

School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is an approach for establishing the systems needed to implement and sustain evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS has been shown to reduce unwanted behaviors, reduce bullying, increase academic achievement, and improve perceptions of school safety. Because of its effectiveness, many administrators and educators at the state and local level seek multiple ways to fund PBIS implementation efforts. One potential source of federal funding includes Title IV, Part A funds from the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). A 2018 survey on how districts planned to use their Title IV, Part A funds found that 63% said they planned to use a portion of their allotment on making students safer. When asked how they planned to use their Title IV, Part A funds to improve student health and safety, 61% of districts reported they planned to spend them on PBIS. To assist interested State Educational Agencies (SEAs) and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), this document provides background details on ESSA and answers common questions about its use to fund PBIS.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Secure Care Juvenile Justice Settings: Feasibility and Sustainability

The success of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in typical schools has led to interest in applying PBIS in alternative settings, including secure care programs for incarcerated juveniles. PBIS holds promise for positively impacting youth behavior in this context. In this discussion article, we describe unique characteristics of secure care and strategies to enhance PBIS implementation and sustainability.