Why PBIS?
The implementation of MTSS/PBIS with fidelity has been shown to significantly improve education outcomes in multiple areas.

Research shows that implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can produce the following outcomes:

• Saving funds on segregated out-of-district spending
• Improving student mental health and wellbeing
• Decreasing discipline disproportionality
• Improving the inclusion of and decreasing exclusionary discipline with students with disabilities

Districts and schools across the country face ongoing challenges in serving students with social/emotional behavior concerns due to the increase in this population and the limited resources available. Schools without effective social/emotional/behavior support have lower inclusion rates and higher rates of out-of-district placements for students with disabilities. Research has shown that students who spend more time in more inclusive settings have better life outcomes.

The briefs we share below present a compelling case. In a high-needs district, the implementation of PBIS with fidelity across all three tiers led to a significant reduction in out-of-district placements. A comparison of the rates of out-of-district placements in the state versus in this district revealed a staggering potential for savings. In aggregate, if districts across the state had placed students at the same rate as this district, LEAs in Massachusetts would have saved nearly $2.5 billion over nine years and $1.5 billion over the past three years.

This district used its savings of over $6 million dollars to hire more behavioral health and applied behavior analytical staff. With this additional staff embedded in the MTSS/PBIS framework, there was an increase in the number of students with disabilities who were included in general education settings, and a reduction across the year in their office discipline referrals. Also, in aggregate, students were shown to have improved social/emotional/behavioral functioning, particularly with internalizing behaviors year over year.

Through equity-focused PBIS, the rate of discipline disproportionality for students identified as black was significantly less than those students identified as white. This was less than the students identified as White, with 1.01 times the risk of receiving at least one administrator-managed referral as all other students. Thus, students identified as Black were less likely to receive at least one administrator-managed referral, with the students identified as Black having four times less than state risk ratios of 2.5.

We invite you to download the following briefs:

PBIS IMPLEMENTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS CAN SAVE BILLIONS OF LEA DOLLARS (PDF)

PBIS IMPROVES STUDENT AND ADULT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING (PDF)

EQUITY-FOCUSED PBIS IMPROVE DISPROPORTIONALITY IN DISCIPLINE (PDF)

PBIS SUPPORTS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (PDF)

IMPROVING TIER 3 IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES IN A HIGH-NEEDS SCHOOL (PDF)