Kirk Mosley

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) sets the bar really low for behavioral expectations. It rewards students for behavior that they should be doing simply because it is the general expectation of the school and because they live in a civilized society. It also presents those who don’t care about positive feedback with the option to behave in uncivilized ways and forgo any praise or reward if they feel like it. Schools that set clear expectations when it comes to behavior, teach and practice the expected behaviors, and issue consistent negative consequences for not meeting the expectations don’t need PBIS. It’s appropriate to occasionally thank students for being prepared for class or respectfully listening and responding to classmates, but schools shouldn’t be fawning over students for normal behavior as if it’s the exception rather than the rule. PBIS benefits and rewards the few students who see rules and expectations as optional. Meanwhile, it sacrifices the safe, calm, orderly learning environments that the majority of students who follow and appreciate the rules deserve. PBIS is another education acronym that needs to be ditched and schools need to return to high behavior expectations and consistent consequences.