Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and the Perceptions of Middle School Teachers: What Works during Implementation of a School-Wide System of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

According to Jensen (2016), the number of students affected by poverty is accelerating and continues to grow. Many children growing up in poverty experience anxiety, irritability, aggression, or are in need of positive adult relationship (Collins et al., 2010), Schools are looking to proven research-based behavioral support frameworks, such as PBiS, to help students of poverty with academic and behavioral development. A majority of research on the PBiS lacks descriptive insight from stakeholders responsible for implementation of the framework in schools. Therefore, studies are needed to explore the perceptions of stakeholders to determine effective behavioral practices to help students of poverty. The purpose of this study was to examine interventions and supports of the PBiS model, as based on middle school teachers’ perceptions, that affect academic and behavioral outcomes for students in Title I middle schools. This qualitative, multisite case study interviewed sixteen teachers from four Title I middle schools in the second largest school district in Nebraska about effective interventions and supports for the PBiS model. Using a descriptive coding process, five themes emerged: 1) “buy-in” by teachers is more likely to occur with a clear understanding of purpose and process for the model, 2) building staff capacity increases successful implementation, 3) Tier 1 supports focus on prevention, 4) early identification and communication aid in supporting students receiving Tier 2 resources, and 5) collaborative teams are important to Tier 3 students receiving comprehensive, intensive supports. The results of this study suggest that the PBiS model supports student achievement by promoting an increase in positive student behavior school-wide, gains in classroom student engagement, and improvement in school climate. Implications of the study indicate that knowing what motivates and supports teachers increases chances for successful implementation of the PBiS model. Lastly, when schools and districts know what interventions and supports are useful for each tier of the PBiS framework, the chances for students of poverty experiencing social and academic success increases