Columbia Public School Positive Behavior Support Purpose Statement:

Positive Behavior Support is a collaborative process for structuring the learning environment to support the academic and social success of all students. Clearly defined universal behavioral expectations and the resulting common language used by all community members across settings and buildings:

• Provides a unified teaching focus and maximizes efficiency of instructional time

• Increases use of appropriate behaviors

• Increases student time in academic instruction

• Supports a positive learning and working climate

• Creates a more predictable learning environment K-12

• Fosters improved communication among students, faculty, staff, parents and other community members

• Efficiently provides extra supports for at-risk student populations.

Therefore, Positive Behavior Support addresses all of the Columbia Public Schools Board of Education goals: increasing student achievement, eliminating the achievement gap, and increasing efficient use of resources.

~Drafted October 30, 2006

"Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) is a general term that refers to the application of positive behavioral interventions and systems to achieve socially important behavior change. Positive behavioral support is not a new intervention package, nor a new theory of behavior, but an application of a behaviorally-based systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the fit or link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs." (Sugai, et, all, 1999).

Visit the PBS National Headquarters  as well as the Missouri School-Wide Positive Behavior Support to learn more about PBS at the state and national levels.