Rather than a patchwork of individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students is implemented throughout a school, including classroom and non-classroom settings. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining universal (school-wide), targeted (classroom/small group), and intensive (individual) systems of support for all students by making problem behavior less effective and desired behavior more functional (see figure below).
Denver Public Schools began implementing PBS in 2005, and approximately half of the district's 150 schools are currently implementing PBS with the help of 10 district coaches under the direction of manager Katherine Goebel. Please explore our site to learn more about PBS in Denver Public Schools!
Eight Practices of School-wide Positive Behavior Support
- Establish Administrative Leadership: State, district and school leaders' active support
- Develop Team-Based Implementation: Special and general education staff plan and implement
- Define Behavioral Expectations: Concrete, positive behaviors that every student can remember
- Teach Behavioral Expectations: Explain, model, practice and process
- Acknowledge and Reward Appropriate Behavior: For students and adults
- Monitor and Correct Behavioral Errors: Consistent redirection and consequences for a continuum of behaviors
- Use Data for Decision Making: Who, What, When, Where, & How Often
- Build Parent Collaboration: With schools and communities
Major Components of School-wide PBS
- Common approach to discipline
- Positively stated expectations for all students and staff
- Procedures for teaching these expectations to students
- A continuum of procedures for encouraging demonstration and maintenance of these expectations
- A continuum of procedures for discouraging rule-violating behavior
- Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the discipline system on a regular and frequent basis
