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Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Supports - A system for student success

South Central

What is SW-PBS?

Student discipline is a leading factor in disrupting the teaching and learning processes in the classroom, often resulting in the exclusion of students during the class period or throughout the school day. School-wide Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) provides a model for a school wide approach for implementing a system of discipline or positive behavioral interventions and supports.

Students learn appropriate behavior in the same way they learn to read - through instruction, practice, feedback, and encouragement.

Why use SW-PBS?

School-wide discipline has often focused mainly on reacting to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies. Research has shown that the implementation of punishment, especially when it is used inconsistently and in the absence of other positive strategies, is ineffective. Introducing, modeling, and reinforcing positive social behavior is an important aspect of a student's educational experience. Teaching students expectations and encouraging and acknowledging expected behavior, while addressing contextually inappropriate behavior respectfully, is more effective than waiting for misbehavior to happen.

Schools, pre-kindergarten through high school, consistently implementing SW-PBS:

    • Improve school climate
    • Improve student achievement
    • Reduce suspension and referral rates, and
    • Increase student attendance

To learn more about Missouri SW-PBS, please visit https://pbismissouri.org/.