overview

The defining distinction between PBIS Tiers II and III is the individualized design of the supports provided. This level of intensity in support is needed when seeking to support the small percentage of students who demonstrate sometimes dangerous and highly disruptive behaviors, despite support from the previous two tiers. It is important to note that Tier III supports are provided in addition to, not in place of, the Tier I and II supports already being provided. In fact, the success of a Tier III support depends on the robust system of prevention provided at Tiers II and III.

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

In order to design meaningful interventions and to avoid unintentionally reinforcing maladaptive behaviors, school staff should seek to identify the “function” (similar to purpose) of the specific behaviors that need to be addressed. There are four basic functions of behavior:

• Escape: the student seeks to avoid a non-preferred social or environmental situation. For example, a student might engage in disruptive behaviors in order to avoid doing work that is perceived to be too difficult or is uninteresting. In this case, removing the student from class actually reinforces the behavior.

• Attention: the student engages in maladaptive behavior because it garners attention from adults and others. For example, using profanity to get a response (positive or negative) from the teacher or other students.

• Tangible: the students engages in maladaptive behavior in an effort to obtain a tangible item. For example, a student refusing to close a chromebook, or negotiating for more time in a preferred task. If a student sometimes receives a tangible (i.e. a piece of candy) as a reward for calming down after engaging in disruptive behavior, that tangible reward for calming down could actually be reinforcing the previous behavior.

• Sensory: the student engages in a behavior because the act of engaging in the behavior is, in and of itself, reinforcing. For example, repetitive movements, vocalizations, etc.

By approximating the function(s) of a specific behavior, school-based teams can design purposeful interventions that remove or prevent the triggers that result in a maladaptive behavior, while providing reinforcement for the desired replacement behavior. Students needing this level of support will often require ten times as much reinforcement of desired behavior in comparison to corrections for misbehaviors.

Cultural and Contextual Fit

Just as with Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy, Tier III interventions must take into account the student’s lived experience. Culture, ethnicity, racial background, family and community history, customs, and social routines are all important influences that must be considered in the context of designing and aligning the supports needed to help a student become successful.

Multi-Disciplinary Team

An administrator, someone with applied-behavior expertise, staff members providing Tier III supports, and others with problem solving capacity form the Tier III intervention team. This team is responsible for taking referrals from the SIT, and designing and monitoring the interventions students will receive.

Intervention Options

Each of the interventions described below are available as options for students receiving Tier III interventions. It is important to note that these are not prescriptive, one-size-fits-all treatments, but rather frameworks that are highly adaptable to individual student’s needs.