Psychological Services
PBIS - Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. It was developed by Dr's. George Sugai and Robert Horner from the University of Oregon and evolved by many others. It is supported by the US Department of Education and is currently implemented in over 1,300 schools in the United States.
- PBIS is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school wide and classroom discipline systems.
- PBIS is built upon elements to central behavior management programs, including reinforcement of desirable behavior, use of tangible and social reinforcements, and clear and consistent responses to behavioral violations.
- School-based PBIS teams are supported by school system coaches, usually school psychologists, who have the expertise in functional behavioral assessment and system change.
Charles County Public Schools currently has fifteen schools participating in the implementation of PBIS. The dramatic results thus far include an average of 36% reduction, with as much as 50% reduction in one school, in office referrals for schools which have implemented all of the critical features of PBIS.
Maryland State Department of Education has identified the following schools as PBIS Exemplar Schools:
Jenifer Elementary School
(no picture available - coming soon)
Eva Turner Elementary School

Malcolm Elementary School

T. C. Martin Elementary School

J. C. Parks Elementary School

John Hanson Middle School

In addition, Charles County is part of a 5 year collaborative project with MSDE, Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, and the Johns Hopkins University's Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence in order to support a statewide evaluation of the PBIS initiative.
Please contact Dr. Elsa Velez, PBIS Coordinator, for more information regarding PBIS.
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