Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a collaborative, assessment-based approach to developing effective interventions to decrease problem behavior and enhance quality of life. PBS emphasizes the use of proactive, educative, and reinforcement-based strategies, often building on the processes a school already has in place to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of both child and adult behavior. PBS uses a comprehensive, behavioral systems approach to proactively reduce problem behaviors, while teaching more appropriate behaviors. PBS is not a static set of interventions. It is a process that is based on the conceptual logic, and empirical support of a longstanding science of human behavior (Alberto & Troutman, 2001; Sugai & Horner, in press; Sugai et al., 1999)

Positive Behavior Support is designed for use at individual, classroom, and school-wide levels.

PBS is consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which advocates the use of positive behavior interventions and school-based disciplinary strategies that reduce or eliminate the need to use suspension and expulsion as disciplinary options. A great deal of research has demonstrated the efficacy of PBS in addressing the challenges of behaviors that are dangerous, highly disruptive, and/or impede learning and result in social or educational exclusion (Carr et al., 1999; Koegel, Koegel, and Dunlap, 1996)

Research supports PBS
  • An organizational, developmental approach is an effective strategy for schools with high occurrences of dangerous and problematic behavior (Cotton 2001; Gottfredson 1988, 1989; Gottfredson, Karweit, and Gottfredson, 1989).
  • Comprehensive school-wide programs have resulted in a reduction of challenging and/or problem behaviors in their schools (Flay 2000; Lewis et al., 1998; Metzler et al, 2001.; Sprague et al, 2001).
  • Schools that actively respond to problem behaviors and cultivate a positive, healthy environment have lasting effects on students’ long-term behaviors in adolescence and beyond (St Leger, 1999).
  • A positive school environment improves academic achievement (Bulach et al., 1995; Flay 2000).
  • Punishing problem behaviors without a positive school-wide system of support was associated with increases in aggression, vandalism, truancy, tardiness, and drop-outs (Mayer and Sulzer-Azaroff, 1991).
  • Effective schools invest in systems and strategies that prevent behavior problems rather than relying on compelling consequences to deter problem behavior (Furlong, Morrison, Chung, Bates, & Morrison, 1997; Walker et al., 1996).
  • An evaluation of a comprehensive behavior management program containing the same programmatic elements as a school-wide positive behavior support program showed effects at the target school on increased positive reinforcement for appropriate social behavior and on decreased aggressive social behavior among students. Also, discipline referrals were significantly decreased for 7th graders and for harassment among males. (Metzler et al, 2001)
  • In an investigation to document the effects of a universal intervention package comparable to a school-wide positive behavior support program, Sprague and his colleagues found reductions in office discipline referrals in the elementary and middle schools when compared to similar schools that did not implement the program. (Sprague et. al., 2001)
  • The proactive nature of PBS stands in sharp contrast to traditional approaches that have emphasized the use of aversive procedures that address problem behaviors with reactive, crisis-driven strategies. (Carr, Robinson, & Palumbo, 1990)
  • A comprehensive review of the research literature on positive behavior support with 230 individuals found PBS to be effective in reducing problem behavior in one-half to two-thirds of the cases, depending on the rigor of the analysis. (Carr et. al., 1999)
  • The review of PBS research also found that successful outcomes for individuals with problem behavior are durable and result in successful lifestyle change. (Carr et. al., 1999)
PBS in Florida

Florida’s PBS Project is funded by the State Department of Education to provide capacity-building information and technical assistance to schools implementing PBS at all levels. The Department within the University of South Florida that operates Florida’s PBS Project also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Education to assist schools in adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.

As of October 2002, twenty schools have been trained in school-wide positive behavior support. At the beginning of the second year of school-wide implementation, data is available for 5 schools. The summary information below refers to select schools with available data, including: Thompson Elementary, Wakulla High School, Timbercreek High School, McDonald Elementary, and St. Andrews Middle School.

Data have been summarized according to the variables that were provided by each school; all schools did not provide the same amount of data.

  • Data provided indicates a decrease in the overall number of office discipline referrals (see table 1).
  • Overall number of office discipline referrals in two schools decreased between 9% and 95%, depending on school and time of measurement.
  • Thompson Elementary in Indian River County reported the largest decrease in monthly office discipline referrals (ODRs). In August 2001 Thompson recorded 19 ODRs, and in August 2002 Thompson recorded only 1 ODR.
  • The decrease in ODRs at St. Andrew’s in Bay County was consistent throughout the school year, as well as across succeeding school years, as seen in table 2. Each August, St. Andrew reported a moderate increase in ODRs per day; however, the remainder of the school year was characterized by a decrease in the number of ODRs per day. Overall, the number of ODRs per day decreased from SY 1999/2000 to SY 2001/2002 (average decrease for the year was 3.63 fewer ODRs/month in SY 2001/2002). Furthermore, St. Andrew school experienced a 1.48 ODR/day per month decrease during August in school year 2001-2002.
  • The decrease in ODRs/day per month is evident in several other schools, as well (see tables 3 and 4). At Thompson Elementary in Indian River County, ODRs/day per month were greatly reduced between SY 2001/2002 and SY 2002/2003.
  • At McDonald Elementary in Hillsborough county, ODRs/day per month in 2002 were nearly half of what was obtained for the same time periods in 2001. While the overall number of ODRs/day per month may be relatively small, the percent change was still impressive.
  • Schools have been able to (1) objectively identify the most problematic behavior at their school, and (2) reduce the frequency of that behavior’s occurrence (see tables 5 and 6). For both schools that provided data on this measure, the most frequent problem behavior during the months of August through October 2001, was no longer the most frequent problem behavior at that same time during 2002. Furthermore, the overall number of occurrences of problem behaviors also decreased over that time period.
  • Thompson Elementary in Indian River County reports that so far this year, they have had only 16 out-of-school suspension days accounted for by 7 students, as opposed to last year’s 58 OSS days accounted for by 16 students. These numbers reflect OSS for the same time periods.
  • Also at Thompson Elementary, only 19 ODRs came from general education population students so far this year.
  • Timbercreek High School in Orange county has made PBS the focus of their first Proactive Advisement with Students meeting, placed posters throughout their campus with behavior definitions and reminders, and implemented a school-wide reinforcement system that was tied to the absence of serious acts of violence (fighting). The entire student body has met their goal once already this year, and has earned a double lunch shift as a result.
  • Wakulla High School in Wakulla County has received lots of positive feedback and support from their faculty and staff. The students appreciate the now tobacco-free, cleaner bathrooms. The student body was receptive to Wakulla’s behavior theme (“BE REAL”), and students are getting to class on time and promoting random acts of kindness. The general climate at the school “is changing to a more positive one.”
  • Florida’s School-wide Positive Behavior Support Project has provided individual schools throughout the state of Florida the necessary training and technical support to inspire obvious improvements in student behavior campus-wide. In addition, Florida’s PBS project has allowed each school to achieve success without reliance on outside experts; as a result of FL PBS training, school personnel have the tools they need to achieve their individualized institutional behavior goals.

Table 1

Monthly Office Discipline Referrals

/ August
2001 / August
2002 / % Change / Sept.
2001 / Sept.
2002 / % Change / Oct.*
2001 / Oct.* 2002 / % Change
St. Andrew School

Bay County

/ 89 / 64 / - 28% / 114 / 104 / - 9% / 80 / 56 / - 30%
Thompson Elementary

Indian River County

/ 19 / 1 / - 95% / 79 / 13 / - 83% / 73 / 22 / - 70%

Note. October data reflect the number of office discipline referrals from the first school day of October through October 24.

Table 2

St. Andrew School’s Average Referrals per Day per Month

______

/ SY
1999-2000 / SY
2000-2001 / SY
2001-2002 / Referral per Day Difference (1999-2001) / SY
2002-2003 / Referral per Day Difference (2001-2002)
August / 3 / 4.75 / 5.24 / + 2.24 / 3.76 / - 1.48
September / 7 / 7.25 / 6.00 / - 1.00 / 5.20 / - 0.80
October / 9 / 8.50 / 5.24 / - 3.76 / 3.50 / - 1.74
November / 9 / 8.35 / 4.00 / - 5.00 / n/a
December / 8 / 8.07 / 5.36 / - 2.64 / n/a
January / 8 / 5.58 / 5.17 / - 2.83 / n/a
February / 11 / 8.35 / 6.60 / - 4.40 / n/a
March / 11 / 7.27 / 5.50 / - 5.50 / n/a
April / 14 / 10.0 / 7.59 / - 6.41 / n/a
May / 14 / 9.14 / 7.00 / - 7.00 / n/a

Data provided by St. Andrew School, Bay County Florida

Note. Referral per Day Difference refers to the overall change in average referrals per day per month between the years listed in parenthesis (e.g., RPD Aug. 2001 – RPD Aug. 1999; RPD Sept. 2002 – RPD Sept. 2001).

Table 3

Thompson Elementary Average Referrals per Day per Month

/ SY
2001-2002 / SY
2002-2003 / Referral per Day Difference (2001-2002)
August / 1.90 / 0.10 / - 1.80
September / 4.16 / 0.65 / - 3.51
October / 4.82 / 1.29 / - 3.53

Data provided by Thompson Elementary School, Indian River County Florida

Table 4

McDonald Elementary Average Referrals per Day per Month

/ SY
2001-2002 / SY
2002-2003 /
Referral per Day Difference
(2001-2002)
August / 0.70 / 0.30 / - 0.40
September / 2.20 / 1.00 / - 1.20
October / 2.20 / 1.30 / - 0.90

Data provided by McDonald Elementary School, Hillsborough County Florida

Table 5

St. Andrew School Behaviors

/ Top 3 Ranking Problem Behaviors (occurrences)
August – October 2001 /
  1. Disruption (178)
  2. Fighting (38)
  3. Truancy (23)

August – October 2002 /
  1. Defiance (76)
  2. Disruption (73)
  3. Fighting (43)

Data provided by St. Andrew School, Bay County Florida

Table 6

Thompson Elementary School Behaviors

/ Top 3 Ranking Problem Behaviors (occurrences)
August – October 2001 /
  1. Defiance (56)
  2. Fighting (46)
  3. Disruption (37)

August – October 2002 /
  1. Fighting (14)
  2. Disruption (13)
  3. Harassment (4)

Data provided by Thompson Elementary School, Indian River County Florida

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