Evaluating the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

Establishing and maintaining positive school-wide discipline will help teachers and administrators avoid the use of negative consequences for student behaviors. Discipline should be regularly and proactively addressed before major discipline infractions occur. An emphasis on prevention will result in fewer discipline violation if an entire school-wide system is instituted. Educational leaders are exercising the use of proactive approaches to establish a school climate in which appropriate behavior is the norm. Developing strategies and practices to circumvent discipline problems requires a uniformed process and team approach. Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a system that focuses on teaching constructive student behavior as opposed to a reactive approach to inappropriate behaviors. This purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of implementing PBIS on students in an elementary setting. The study examined the impact of PBIS on overall office discipline referrals (ODRs) and patterns that existed based on demographics. It also included an analysis of PBIS data to determine aspects of the implementation process that are functioning as planned and those that were not.