Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) provide guidance for schools to conceptualize how to support all students in an equitable manner. PBIS is an evidence-based practice which provides a framework for schools to use in order to create positive, safe, and supportive learning environments for all students. PBIS focuses on preventing behavioral issues by teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors, rather than solely relying on punishment. It is designed to be a schoolwide approach implemented throughout the school. PBIS emphasizes proactive strategies to prevent behavioral problems before they occur and uses positive reinforcement, such as praise and rewards, to encourage desired behaviors. PBIS provides a tiered system of supports, with Tier 1 being universal supports for all students, Tier 2 for students needing more targeted support, and Tier 3 for students needing intensive, individualized support. The PBIS committee (or Climate Committee) is composed of an interdisciplinary group of members who rely on data to track progress, identify areas needing improvement, and make informed decisions. PBIS involves collaboration among teachers, administrators, parents, and students.
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) are both frameworks used in education, but they address slightly different aspects. MTSS is a broader framework that encompasses academic and behavioral supports for all students, while PBIS is a specific approach focused on promoting positive behavior and a supportive school climate. In essence, PBIS is a component of MTSS, specifically addressing the behavioral side of student needs within the larger framework of MTSS. MTSS and PBIS emphasize early identification of students' needs and providing tiered levels of support, ranging from universal interventions to intensive, individualized support. Both rely on data to identify students needing support and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions. MTSS considers the "whole child," integrating academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports. Historically, the academic side was referred to as “Response to Intervention” (RTI) and the behavioral side was referred to as “Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The concept of Multi-Tiered System of Supports was adopted to include the academic as well as the social-emotional supports students need within the schoolhouse.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
BCPS identifies its three tiers as Prevention, Early Intervention, and Intensive Intervention. The universal interventions, or Tier 1, are for all students. When students do not respond to the universal interventions, a multi-disciplinary team will determine which students and what interventions they should receive based on their needs. These interventions are in addition to, not instead of, the universal interventions. There will be some, hopefully few, students who need intensive and individualized supports. This would be the Tier 3 level. The diagram below identifies some of the interventions that align with the Tier 1 (Prevention), Tier 2 (Early Intervention) and Tier 3 (Intensive Interventions).
Tier 1 includes the schoolwide positive behavior supports, social-emotional learning strategies, mental health prevention strategies, and teacher consultations—practices and interventions that are directed to all students. These are in addition to the universal academic curriculum. The team at this level usually takes the form of a Grade Level Team, School Climate Committee, or the PBIS Team for social-emotional concerns.
Tier 2 would include such programs as supplemental academic supports or specific academic programming over and above the universal curriculum. It also includes group social-emotional interventions such as friendship groups, anger management groups, executive functioning skills groups, etc. Group interventions such as Check In, Check Out and Mentoring would be at the Tier 2 level. It also includes brief individual support at this level. To address social-emotional needs at this level there may be a clinical team or behavioral team of key staff members who meet to talk about the needs of students.
Tier 3 is for those few students who need intensive efforts. Academically, some students require specific academic curricula to address their learning needs. Students with intensive social-emotional needs might require individual counseling by school personnel or therapy within the school by a community-based partner. FBA and BIPs are at this Tier 3 level as well. The teams at this level are the IEP and SST teams.
There should be teams to address the students at each level to identify student needs, select appropriate interventions, and collect data to monitor the effectiveness of the intervention,
Visualizing the Problem-Solving Model
The PBIS Team or School Climate Team is an interdisciplinary group of school representatives which provides guidance and direction for the implementation of the Schoolwide Positive Behavior Plan (which provides the action plan for PBIS) and will monitor its effectiveness and progress. The team will want to consider the following model as a way to conceptualize and integrate their thinking using the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle for continuous improvement, analyzing the specific content of Outcomes, Data, Practices, and Systems to focus on details, and aligning the identified practices in accordance with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports, all while keeping equity as the center focus.
