Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) involves a proactive, comprehensive, and systemic continuum of support designed to provide opportunities to all students, including students with disabilities and second language learners, to achieve social, behavioral, and learning success. This is accomplished by examining the factors that impact behavior as well as the relationships between environment and behavior.

PBIS is not a program or a curriculum but rather a systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools and districts to adopt and sustain the use of evidence-based practices for all students. A major advance in school-wide discipline is the emphasis on school-wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a patchwork of individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in areas including the classroom and nonclassroom settings (such as hallways, restrooms). PBIS also works to improve the overall school climate, decrease reactive management, maximize academic achievement for all students, integrate academic and behavioral initiatives, and address the specific needs of students with severe emotional and behavioral concerns (Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 2008).

• What is the purpose of School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports?

• What is the Continuum of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports?

• What is the history of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Connecticut?

• How many CT districts and schools are adopting SWPBIS?

• Is SWPBIS resulting in positive outcomes for CT students?

• How is PBIS related to Connecticut’s SRBI (Scientifically Research Based Interventions) or Response to Intervention (RtI)?

Additional Information

Additional information about PBIS and links to local and national PBIS resources can be found in the Resources section of the site. For more information about PBIS training, please visit the Training section of the site.