Tickets, Tokens, and Teachers\u27 Experiences with PBIS in Georgia

Teachers, as well as administrators and parents, are concerned with student behavior inside the classroom. Behavior problems have the potential to not only affect individual student learning, but also to impact the learning of all the other students inside the classroom. Multiple programs claim to produce positive changes in student behavior, but by far the most popular program used in today’s schools across the country is PBIS, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers’ experiences support the continuance of the PBIS program. Middle and high school teachers were surveyed and also interviewed to determine their satisfaction levels of the PBIS program along with their experiences with the program at the classroom and school-wide level. The survey and interview data indicated that some teachers support PBIS and have seen behavior improvement, and conversely some teachers have not seen behavior improvement and have reduced support for PBIS. This study has the potential to affect schools’ choices when it comes to behavior modification programs. Survey and interview results indicate that some teachers are satisfied with PBIS, however there are also many teachers feeling ambivalent or outright negative to the program