What is Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support ?

Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support provides a model for a schoolwide approach for implementing a system of discipline based in proactive teaching and prevention.  Students learn appropriate behavior in the same way they learn to read – through instruction, practice, feedback and encouragement. 

Why use SW-PBS?

Schoolwide discipline has often focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies.  Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positve strategies is ineffective.  Introducing, modeling and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important aspect of a student’s educational experience.  Teaching behavioral expectations and rewarding students for following them is a much more positive approach than waiting for misbehavior to occur before responding.

How does the SW-PBS process work?

When setting up a SW-PBS schoolwide system of discipline, the following steps should be followed:

• Establish a schoolwide leadership team to guide and direct the process.  The team should be made up of an administrator and other key stakeholders.
• Secure administrator agreement of active support an participation.
• Secure a commitment and aagreement from at least 80% of the staff for active support and participation.
• Conduct a self-assessment of the current schoolwide discipline system.
• Create an implementation action plan that is focuses on data-based decision making.
• Establish a way to collect office referral and other data on a regular basis to evaluate the effectiveness of schoolwide PBS efforts. 

For more information, you may contact Betty Ennis (417-) or Susanna Hill (417-895-1380), SW-PBS Consultants at the Southwest Regional Professional Development Center in Springfield, MO.   SW-PBS is an intitiative supported by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.