Evaluation Briefs

This evaluation brief describes how a district in receivership (state takeover) invested in PBIS to (a) enhance their systems to support staff, (b) implement evidence-based practices to support students, (c) use data to guide their implementation, and (d) ensure equitable supports for all students, including students with disabilities, to experience improved outcomes. We introduce Southbridge Public Schools, describe districtwide support structures, and highlight how these efforts supported the middle school to improve students’ experience and outcomes.

This evaluation brief highlights key considerations in using screening information to identify at-risk students at the middle and high school.

This series of evaluation briefs explores the relationship between (a) school climate (as measured by the Brief School Climate Survey for elementary and secondary students), (b) student-level demographics, and (c) PBIS Fidelity (as measured by the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). All briefs in this series include the same introductory information about the importance of school climate and details of the school climate survey. This brief examines the relationship between PBIS fidelity and perceptions of school climate while also taking a closer look at how this relationship may be of greater relevance to certain student groups. 

After attempting to reach full implementation of healthy and functioning Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 behavioral systems at its elementary schools through years of training and coaching, Springfield Public Schools (SPS) found it necessary to strategically invest district resources in its PBIS efforts by targeting Tier 2 and initial Tier 3 systems (i.e., interventions not served via special education). SPS identified a need for a system’s focused and district-directed role and created a new Behavior Interventionist position in each elementary school to lead and coordinate Tier 2 and initial Tier 3 support systems. Starting with a pilot school in 2018 and expanding to a district-wide position in 2021, the district-directed Behavior Interventionist role transformed the district's ability to meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of its students. This brief first illustrates the importance of initial district planning and on-going, iterative implementation of culturally responsive Tier 1 supports as a critical foundation for Tier 2 and 3 supports. Next, the refinement and operationalization of Tier 2 systems as well as a district continuum of supports are shared as a way to contextualize and use data to identify systems needs. Lastly, we illustrate the importance of targeted district support and resource allocation can improve outcomes. 

The results of this study support the benefits of the InterconnectedSystems Framework (ISF) on school climate, with positive impacts reported by education staff and students. 

This series of evaluation briefs explores the relationship between (a) school climate (as measured by the Brief School Climate Survey for elementary and secondary students), (b) student-level demographics, and (c) PBIS Fidelity (as measured by the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI). All briefs in this series include the same introductory information about the importance of school climate and details of the school climate survey. This brief examines the relationship between PBIS fidelity and perceptions of school climate. 

This brief summarizes a model demonstration examining the impact of both (a) improved Tier 3 implementation fidelity, as measured by Tiered Implementation Fidelity (TFI) and the Self-Assessment Survey (SAS) 4.0, and (b) an improved implementation of individual behavior support practices in a high-needs elementary school in a rural area in the northeast. The information learned from this model demonstration may assist others working in and supporting schools in similar settings.

This brief addresses two evaluation questions: 1. What are the effects of supporting educators to intentionally intensify their practice on their overall implementation of targeted classroom practices (i.e., prompting, engaging, and praising)? 2. What are the effects of educators intentionally intensifying their classroom practices on the behaviors of students with disabilities?

Documented benefits of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in typical settings has led to interest in the feasibility of PBIS in alternative program settings, including juvenile justice programs. In this model demonstration report, we describe how one juvenile justice program implemented PBIS at Tiers 1, 2, and 3, and present fidelity scores for each tier across years of implementation. PBIS was used throughout the program, in residential areas (dorm units, cafeteria, recreation, etc.) as well as in the school program within the facility.

The success of PBIS in typical schools has led to interest in PBIS for alternative programs, including residential programs. In this brief, we describe PBIS as implemented in a therapeutic treatment home for adolescents with mental health needs. The PBIS framework enabled the program to add Tier 1 supports to increase consistency throughout the home, and to use behavioral data to integrate supports across tiers. We report fidelity scores across years of implementation as well as informal data reflecting staff and youth perceptions of PBIS.

In this brief, results of an online survey of 165 leadership team members from 27 elementary schools representing five school districts from three geographic regions across the United States are presented. All schools were at different stages of implementing an integrated tiered system of support. Implications for practice are discussed.

This brief summarizes empirical research on the effects of Tier 1 PBIS for students with disabilities. In general, when schools implement PBIS with fidelity, students with disabilities experience: (a) improved SEB outcomes and (b) reduced exclusionary discipline (i.e., office discipline referrals, suspensions, restraint, seclusion). Given the promising empirically-supported effects of Tier 1 PBIS, we recommend schools continue to prioritize Tier 1 supports that are inclusive, robust, and supportive of all students, including students with disabilities.

This evaluation brief identifies the average time between initial PBIS training at each tier and identifies criteria state-level leadership teams use to determine readiness for Tier 2 and 3 training. The sample includes 2,488 U.S. schools across five states trained between the 2005-06 and 2018-19 school years. Findings indicate that the average time between Tier 2 and 3 training was shorter compared to Tier 1 and Tier 2. In addition, state-level leadership teams used a variety of policies and procedures for determining school readiness for training at Tiers 2 and 3.

Brief for states and district on using fidelity data to guide action planning.

This demonstration features the collaborative work of a state-funded project matching university-based PBIS trainers with school level implementers in a rural setting. Strategies and lessons learned when implementing PBIS with fidelity during challenging times is shared. The information learned from this regional example highlights the need for considering adaptations to support the culture and context of rural settings while maintaining robust levels of fidelity and sustaining momentum for continued implementation. 

The demonstration of positive impact has accelerated the adoption of the PBIS framework across the country in different school settings. The purpose of this evaluation brief is to provide an initial descriptive snapshot of the current status of PBIS implementation in rural schools.

In response to two calls for continued research focused on PBIS and students with extensive support needs, researchers from the TIES Center and Center on PBIS conducted this literature review to summarize the current literature. This report summarizes the characteristics of the literature and implications for practice and future research initiatives.

This brief describes a school’s transformation from using ineffective and punitive disciplinary practices to implementing effective and proactive responses to behavior by installing the PBIS framework in a unique setting. Specifically, this demonstration highlights the work of the PBIS school leadership team at the American School for the Deaf (ASD) and describes ASD’s use of PBIS strategies in alignment with the Six Core Strategies© to reduce their use of restraint and seclusion.

To better understand the supports needed to positively impact student outcomes, the Center on PBIS has been examining several model demonstrations of PBIS implementation in schools residing within high need Local Education Agencies (LEAs). In particular, this brief provides an initial examination on the impact of PBIS implementation in two rural, high poverty, and majority Black/African American schools at the secondary level (5-12th grade) from a high need LEA. The information learned from this model demonstration may assist others working in and supporting schools in similar settings.

When school personnel and parents complete school climate surveys, results can inform team action planning to improve perceptions of school climate. This brief is intended to guide how districts and schools collect and disaggregate school climate data at the personnel and parent level to support data-based decision making.

This evaluation brief explores the relationship between (a) schools’ implementation of Tier 1 (universal) support within a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework and (b) the proportion of students with disabilities suspended.

An evaluation of a state-wide support model targeting high-needs schools across the state of Massachusetts. This evaluation brief reviews the state-wide model in addition to reviewing both discipline and academic outcomes.

This resource describes the process used for development, content validation, and usability evaluation of the FW-TFI v0.2.

Building district capacity for implementing PBIS in high need school districts is challenging. This practice brief summarizes the lessons learned one year into an intensive 5-year partnership with Southbridge Public Schools, a district identified as high-need. The intent of the brief is to provide district leaders, trainers, and state leaders with lessons learned and suggestions they may consider when supporting high need LEAs.

The purpose of this brief is to provide information about how to evaluate school climate at the primary and secondary levels. Norms and ranges are provided and based on a national data; this data can help schools to contextualize local data. Information for interpreting the data and unit if for data-based decision making is also included.

In this Evaluation Brief we focus on the extent to which Tier 3 (individual) support teams collect, summarize, and use data to guide implementation of behavior support plans. Our specific focus is a descriptive summary of how elementary school teams use the Individual School Wide Information System (I-SWIS) online application to guide their Tier 3 decision-making as well as general use of PBIS-focused data systems that support overall fidelity to critical components of the PBIS framework.

This evaluation brief describes how Wisconsin is implementing an equitable multi-level system of supports (MLSS) framework, also known as a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), and how schools implementing this framework with both a behavior and reading focus have shown positive outcomes for all students. The data analyzed in this brief were derived from a small, Wisconsin RtI Center staff directed project. The focus was on the impact of an equitable multi-level system of supports (MLSS).

The purpose of this brief is to summarize patterns in SW-PBIS implementation fidelity in 996 high schools across 31 U.S. states. We specially aimed to evaluate how high schools are implementing the components of SW-PBIS, and identify implementation strengths and needs.

To understand how schools are using the TFI, this evaluation brief aims to answer the following research questions: 1. How often do schools complete the TFI per year? 2. How many tiers are assessed during each TFI administration? 3. What are the average scores at each tier of the TFI? 4. What subscales and items on the TFI have the highest and lowest scores?

The purpose of this study was to examine discipline disproportionality among schools implementing SWPBIS compared to the entire population of schools in the U.S. Examining patterns in a large-scale evaluation of schools implementing and not implementing SWPBIS could help determine the extent to which implementation of SWPBIS is related to lower, higher, or unchanged discipline disparities.

This evaluation brief looks to develop an understanding of current patterns of CICO enrollment and its potential impact on intervention fidelity and effectiveness.

In this brief, we provide initial evidence that PBIS is less expensive to implement than the longer-term costs related to suspensions and dropout. This finding is important as the benefits of reducing suspensions and dropout go far beyond simple fiscal savings. An analysis of the available data suggests that PBIS may be an economical alternative to not only ineffective approaches, like suspension, but also traditional dropout prevention programs.

The purpose of this evaluation brief is to provide a description of the current state of PBIS implementation in US high schools, as reflected by data collected by the National PBIS Technical Assistance Center.

The purpose of this evaluation brief is to assess whether schools implementing SWPBIS with adequate fidelity of implementation were more likely to sustain specific school practices, such as Playworks, than schools not implementing SWPBIS with fidelity.

To provide students with disabilities and their families the best educational experience, the use of the functional behavioral assessment should be a viable option when challenging behaviors are interfering with learning opportunities. As the technology of FBA continues to improve through systematic research, educators should not default to the legal requirements, which may, as we have outlined here, leave considerable gaps. States should strive to close those gaps by, at a minimum, including reference to FBA in provisions on evaluation, re-evaluation, IEP development and restraint and seclusion.

This evaluation brief examines the use of suspensions in 1,840 public middle schools in the United States and assesses the extent to which they are effective at reducing future problem behavior for students who receive them.

This evaluation brief investigated the effects of SWPBIS implementation on reported illegal drug and alcohol use in high schools. The specific question examined for this evaluation brief was: to what extent do high schools implementing SWPBIS have lower reported use of illegal drugs and alcohol?

This paper provides an overview of the School-wide Information System (SWIS) Drill Down tool, shares information about its usage, the number and variety of filters being used, and offers suggestions for more effective and efficient use.

The purpose of this evaluation brief is to answer the following questions: 1. To what extent do schools with adequate Tier I SWPBIS implementation have stronger implementation at Tiers II and III? 2. Which components of Tier I systems are most strongly related to implementation of Tier II and III systems?

To ensure an equitable education for all students, there is a need for school teams to review their data informing whether the implementation of PBIS has improved the outcomes for each racial-ethnic minority group. The Schoolwide Information System (SWIS) and the SWIS School Ethnicity Report may help in the use of such data. Any school that uses SWIS has real-time access to the School Ethnicity Report.

Schools using the School-Wide Information System (SWIS) database are often collecting information on Minor Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs), as well as Major ODRs. In this evaluation brief we examined the role of Minor ODRs in elementary, middle and high schools. We investigated what types of Minor ODRs are most prevalent at each grade level and where these Minor ODRs occur. This information was compared to what types of Major ODRs are most prevalent and where Major ODRs occur. Finally, we examined the relative rates of Minor and Major ODRs over the course of an academic year.

This evaluation brief examines the practice of using out-of-school suspension as a consequence for behavior coded as “minor” on office discipline referral forms. This report looks at the statistics surrounding these occurrences, discusses possible rationales, and outlines a strategy PBIS Coaches and SWIS Facilitators can use to determine whether schools are involved in this practice. If they are, we suggest these schools improve data entry procedures or reconsider the use of school suspension for behavior that is described as minor.

The primary purpose of the study was to answer the question: “If schools are able to reduce discipline referral rates for major offences for the school as a whole, will the number of students in special education (i.e., students with an IEP) who receive discipline referrals be reduced?”

This model emphasizes the importance of specifying assumptions about the content of SWPBIS and how these affect costs related to implementation. We provide below a condensed summary of projected cost considerations for three common scenarios.

This evaluation brief focuses on comparing different ways to calculate the criterion score for the Team Implementation Checklist (TIC), a fidelity of implementation measure widely used by schools engaged in SWPBS implementation. It examines if schools that optained 80% or more of all TIC points differ on their Benchmarks of Quality score from schools that rated 80% or more of all TIC items as "achieved."

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Benchmarks of Quality (BoQ) has been related to the procedures used for scoring.This brief investigates the following question: Is the BoQ stable and will similar scores result if administered in the method used in the validation study versus other methods?

This evaluation brief addresses some of the questions that have arisen during the on-going and widespread utilization of the Benchmarks of Quality. Specifically the questions include: (1) Does a factor analysis indicate that the critical elements of the BoQ “hang together,” that all items are of adequate strength, and do the factors hold true across years of administration? (2) Do the 7 new classroom items form a consistent factor? And (3) Does the BoQ/SET concurrent validity hold true with a greater number of schools than that used in the initial validation study?

Given the current focus on regulating restraint and seclusion, this brief assesses the extent to which states include school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) in their legislation regulating the use of restraint and seclusion.

The goal of this brief is to examine if the overall ODR frequency patterns across grade levels that have been documented in the literature can be replicated with a large national sample of schools using the School-wide Information System (SWIS) to record ODRs.

This evaluation brief examines the capacity of schools of varying levels of socioeconomic and racial diversity to implement Tier 1 of school-wide positive behavior support with integrity. The three main evaluation questions addressed are: (1) What percentage of schools are able to achieve 80%-80% implementation status on the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET) within 1 year? (2) Is school socioeconomic status associated with implementation effectiveness? (3) Is school racial diversity associated with implementation outcomes?

Given the overwhelming evidence of inequitable disciplinary practices and the availability of an extensive database of ODR, our goal was to examine if elementary schools that record a decrease of their overall ODR rate across a 3 year time span in SWIS show similar decreases in ODR rates for students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

This evaluation brief examines the rate of office discipline referrals (ODRs) for different school-grade levels based on locale. Using a cohort of schools that recorded ODRs over 3-years with the School-wide Information System (SWIS), rates are compared across years for elementary, middle, high school, and K-8/12 grade levels. The two questions addressed by this brief are: (1) Based on lacale, what is the number of schools with ODRs for each grade level across a 3-year cohort? (2) Based on locale, what is the rate of ODRs for each grade level, across each year?

This evaluation brief examines the rate of office discipline referrals (ODRs) for different school-grade levels based on student enrollment. Using a cohort of schools that recorded ODRs over 3-years with the School-wide Information System (SWIS), rates are compared across years for elementary, middle, high school, and K-8/12 grade levels. The two evaluation questions addressed are (1) Based on school size, what is the number of schools with ODRs for each grade level across a 3-year cohort? and (2) Based on school size, what is rate of ODRs for each grade level, across each year?

Although disproportionate referral patterns have been documented, it is unclear to what extent schools actively address this issue. Given the current policy mandates holding schools accountable for equitable educational environments where all students can succeed (NCLB, IDEA), our goal was to examine to what extent schools using SWIS take advantage of its ability to record and aggregate ethnicity data.

This evaluation brief examines the proportion of U.S. schools engaged in School-wide PBIS (SWPBIS) implementation, as of October 1, 2008, as reported to the National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.