Behavior Series #1: Positive Behavior Support Basics in Schools

This episode will provide you with information on the major components of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) that is required by federal law to be used in all public schools with all students.

For students with disabilities there are extra layers of PBS that are required, including Positive Behavior Support plans (BIP) which are explained in this episode.

Five minutes will give you a basic understanding, but as PBS is a complex process there is obviously a lot more to know.

Here are links to other information about PBS:

Wrightslaw is a respected site for accurate special education and 504 information:

https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/discipl.index.htm

A podcast by the host of this program that expands on the details of PBS (17 mins):

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-education-parents-library-of-useful-information/id1833954970?i=1000722944039

 A YouTube video by the host of this program that expands on the details of PBS (48 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WBTCmuTWD4&t=12s

A link to an organization that promotes “Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports”, an offshoot of PBS that applies to all students, typical and with disabilities:

https://www.pbis.org

Summary of the podcast audio

This episode explains Positive Behavior Support (PBS), the gold standard for behavioral interventions in schools, and details the eight-step process that leads to a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). The host emphasizes that challenging behaviors are a form of communication reflecting a legitimate need, and outlines strategies for teaching replacement behaviors, reinforcement, and data collection.

Key takeaway

PBS Philosophy – Behavior as Communication

PBS is the US Department of Education’s gold standard for behavior intervention and prevention, in use since the early 1980s.

Challenging behaviors do not occur in a vacuum and reflect a deep‐seated legitimate need; a basic premise is that behaviors are communication 

The Eight Steps of PBS Leading to a BIP

Step 1 – Describe the behavior specifically so it is observable (e.g., “what does it look like when I walk into the classroom?”).

It is not enough to give a label; the behavior must be concretely described. 

Step 2 – Identify the reason for the behavior; PBS recognizes four or five functions: attention, escape, sensory needs, tangible needs, and sometimes power/control.

Accurate identification of the function is critical.   

Step 3 – Decide on a socially acceptable replacement behavior that meets the same need as the challenging behavior.

The replacement behavior must serve the identical function. 

Step 4 – Explicitly teach the student how and when to use the new behavior so they feel it at a deep psychological and physical level.

Not all teaching is the same; explicit, embodied teaching is critical. 

Step 5 – Use positive reinforcement to increase the chance of the child using the new behavior; reinforcers work best when they occur naturally and are used strictly positively.

Reinforcement is possibly the most important step; methods of reinforcement are limitless. 

Step 6 – Plan to ignore or minimize the old problem behavior while providing positive attention when the student exhibits the desired behavior or approximations (approximating success).

Attention to the old behavior can unintentionally reinforce it; focus on positive attention for new or close behaviors.  

Step 7 – Prepare for a major escalation (extinction burst) after a honeymoon period; following the behavior plan is critical during this time.

The extinction burst is a positive sign that the theorized reason for the behavior is correct. 

Step 8 – Take data systematically to analyze how the plan is working and make timely adjustments.

The BIP is based on initial data collection, and ongoing data is needed for systematic changes .er:

Staff Mindset and Commitment

School staff must commit to depersonalizing behaviors by recognizing them as communication; the biggest implementation obstacle is staff unwillingness to adopt this mindset.

Neurodivergent children respond to genuine and caring adults; ignorance and unwillingness in the child’s school environment often interfere with BIP implementation. 

Thanks to  Soundimage.org for free access to the AI generated music used in this podcast (https://soundimage.org/) 

Transcript

Hello and welcome to another episode of Special Education in Five Minutes. I'm David Poeschl, your host. Let's get right to the program. 

Positive behavior support or PBS is considered by the US Department of Education to be the gold standard for both behavior interventions and prevention. PBS has been used in schools since the early nineteen eighties and has proven to be the most effective way of not only intervening to interrupt challenging behaviors, but it also provides a way of teaching replacement behaviors that can eliminate the need for the challenging behavior.

Here is why that's the case. A child's challenging behaviors do not occur in a vacuum. They reflect a deep seated and legitimate need. A basic premise of PBS is that behaviors are communication, nothing more or less. I'm going to describe the eight steps that go into the PBS process that leads to what is called a behavior intervention plan or BIP.

A BIP is a road map to systematically working with the child. 

First, we need to describe the behavior so that we know what we're looking for specifically. It's not enough to give it a label. What does it look like is a term that I use. Can I see the behavior when I walk into the classroom?

Second, we need to accurately identify the reason for the behavior. PBS posits that there are four or five reasons for almost all behaviors. They are attention, escape, sensory needs, a need for something tangible, and a fifth one that is sometimes used called power and control. 

Third, this consists of deciding on a replacement behavior that will meet the same need as the challenging behavior. The replacement behavior is a socially acceptable alternative.

The fourth step is to teach the student how and when to use the behaviors. But not all teaching is the same. Explicit teaching is critical. A child needs to feel what the new behavior is and feel it at a deep psychological and sometimes even at a physical level. 

Fifth is reinforcement, possibly the most important step.  Reinforcement consists of anything in the environment that can be used to increase the chance of the child using the new behavior. The ways to reinforce are limitless but they are best when they occur naturally in the environment. 

The most important thing is that reinforcers are used strictly in a positive manner. 

Sixth, we plan how to ignore or minimize the old problem behavior. This is an important piece because we don't want to unintentionally reinforce the old behavior by bringing attention to it.

On the reverse side, we want to make sure we provide positive attention to the student when they are exhibiting the behaviors we want to see or getting close to them. This is called approximating success. 

Seventh. The seventh step occurs with a major escalation of the old behavior, and it is going to happen. The period of time between the implementation of the behavior plan and the major escalation is called the honeymoon, and then the escalation is called an extinction burst.

Eventually, does end, and then the behaviors do start to deescalate again. But it's important to have a strategy before the major behavior occurs. Following the behavior plan is of critical importance during these times. As contrary as it sounds, the occurrence of an extinction burst is a positive thing in the BIP process and is actually an indication that the reason for the behavior that was theorized is, in actuality, the reason. 

Eighth and last is a provision to take data.  We need to know how everything is working out. As a behavior intervention plan is based on initial data collection, we need to analyze timely data to make changes in a systematic way. 

Another under recognized but vital part of PBS is that school staff commit to the idea that behaviors are communication and depersonalize them by recognizing them for what they are. The most interfering issue with the implementation of a BIP is often the ignorance and unwillingness of people in the child's school environment to accept and adopt the mindset needed. Children, particularly neurodivergent kids, recognize and respond to genuine and caring adults.

Well, that's it for this episode. Thanks so much for listening and please join me again.