(left to right):  McKinley Middle School Principal Herman Brister Jr., Broadmoor Middle School Principal Rebel Ellerbee, Southeast Middle School Principal Hollis Milton, Broadmoor High School Principal Daryl Glueck, technology specialist Patricia McBride of South Boulevard French Language Academic Immersion Magnet School, Sherwood Middle School Principal Phyllis Crawford, Westdale Middle School Principal Sherry Brock, Northeast Elementary School Principal Janet Boles, Valley Park Alternative School Principal Pamela Mackie and Delmont Elementary School Principal Nicole Grimes.

Thirteen schools in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System have met the minimum criteria to become demonstration sites for the Louisiana Positive Behavior Support Project.  The schools met the minimum requirement of 80 percent on the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET), which is designed to assess and evaluate the critical features of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program.

Certificates from the Louisiana Positive Behavior Support Project have been presented to the following schools:  Belaire High, Broadmoor High, Broadmoor Middle, Delmont Elementary, Robert E. Lee High, McKinley Middle, Mohican Education Center, Northeast Elementary, Sherwood Middle, South Boulevard Elementary, Southeast Middle, Westdale Middle and Valley Park Alternative.

The 13 schools were rated by external evaluators who measured seven essential area of PBIS implementation:  expectations defined, expectations taught, a system of rewards, a rules violation system, data and decision making, management and district-level support.

PBIS is based on understanding why problem behaviors occur. This approach to behavior can occur on a school-wide level, in a specific setting, classroom, or with an individual student.  It is the application of evidence-based strategies and systems to assist schools to increase academic performance, increase safety, decrease problem behavior and establish positive school cultures.  On an individual level, PBIS uses functional behavior assessments to understand the relationships between a student's behavior and characteristics of his or her environment.  The functional behavior assessment identifies multiple strategies to effectively reduce problem behavior including changing systems, altering environments, teaching skills, and focusing on positive behaviors. 

On a school-wide level, the program relies on accurate and reliable discipline referral data to understand the behaviors occurring across campus.  An analysis of the data allows a school team to identify the problem areas, brainstorm interventions such as where and what to teach, reward the students exhibiting the expected behavior and communicate findings to the staff, students, and families. The program’s process is a team-based approach that relies on a strong collaboration between families and professionals from a variety of disciplines regardless of the level implemented.

PBIS provides a positive and effective alternative to the traditional methods of discipline.  Its methods are research-based and proven to significantly reduce the occurrence of problem behaviors in the school, resulting in a more positive school climate and increased academic performance.

Pursuant to Act 1225, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2003, Positive Behavior Support is a mandated program, to be implemented in all public schools, K-12 in the state of Louisiana. This Act emphasizes that good student behavior and discipline are prerequisites to academic learning.  Additionally, the behavior and discipline of students furthers the development of the student's character, in general, as well as, enhances the educational and the socialization skills of children and youth.  For more information, contact Lee Dixon, the School System’s director of Exceptional Student Services, at (225) 929-8601.