PBIS is an evidence-based, data-driven framework proven to reduce disciplinary incidents, increase a school’s sense of safety and support improved academic outcomes. More than 16,000 U.S. schools are implementing PBIS and saving countless instructional hours otherwise lost to discipline. The premise of PBIS is that continual teaching, combined with acknowledgement or feedback of positive student behavior will reduce unnecessary discipline and promote a climate of greater productivity, safety and learning. PBIS schools apply a multi-tiered approach to prevention, using disciplinary data and principles of behavior analysis to develop school-wide, targeted and individualized interventions and supports to improve school climate for all students. (OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports, 2009)
Georgia PBIS
Since 2008, Georgia has been recognized as a PBIS implementing state. The goal of the PBIS Unit at the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is to support high fidelity implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports across the state for all students. The PBIS unit supports building regional capacity throughout the state by providing technical assistance, training, and coaching to implementing districts. Over the last four years, the GaDOE PBIS unit has trained over 350 school teams representing nearly every region of the state.
Schools Implementing School-wide PBIS (SWPBIS) in Georgia
A SWPBIS school is one that has met particular criteria and can demonstrate:
Integrating PBIS into daily activities across all settings
Utilization of data based decisions to better serve their stakeholders,
Creative and engaging acknowledgement/reward systems,
Collaboration with all stakeholders including parents, and
Successful behavior outcomes to support academic achievement
Currently, there are three levels of SWPBIS implementation in the state of Georgia:
Operational
Emergent
Trained
Schools must be in a district with active support through a district leadership team, a district action plan and district coordinator. Schools wishing to be identified must have successfully implemented PBIS for at least 1 school year.
The PBIS Unit at the Georgia Department of Education would like to commend both the local school PBIS teams and their local PBIS District Coordinator for all their work in demonstrating how their efforts are impacting data, systems and practices to produce successful outcomes for the kids in their schools!! And now for the list…