Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are school-wide frameworks that shift discipline from reactive punishment toward proactive teaching of behavior. Rather than waiting for students to break rules and then responding with consequences, PBIS/MTSS schools define expected behaviors explicitly, teach them directly, and use data to identify students who need additional support before problems escalate.
Washington has invested significantly in PBIS/MTSS through OSPI, and many districts have implemented some version of these frameworks. The evidence base is strong — particularly for reducing overall suspension rates and improving school climate at the Tier 1 (whole-school) level.
The Three Tiers
Tier 1 — Universal supports: School-wide systems that serve all students. This includes explicitly teaching behavioral expectations, consistently acknowledging positive behavior, and using data to monitor school-wide trends. Tier 1 is the foundation — without it, Tiers 2 and 3 are less effective.
Tier 2 — Targeted supports: Additional structured support for students who need more than the universal system provides — roughly 10–15% of students at any given time. Common Tier 2 interventions include Check-In/Check-Out (CICO), social skills groups, and increased adult connection. Tier 2 is delivered in small groups and is more structured than Tier 1 but does not require intensive individualized planning.
Tier 3 — Intensive supports: Individualized, comprehensive support for students with the most complex needs — typically 1–5% of students. Tier 3 includes functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), individualized behavior intervention plans (BIPs), and wraparound services that coordinate school, family, and community resources. Many students who receive repeated suspensions are students whose Tier 3 needs have not been identified or addressed.
What the Research Shows
PBIS is among the most extensively researched school discipline frameworks. A large body of studies documents reductions in office discipline referrals, suspensions, and expulsions in schools implementing Tier 1 PBIS with fidelity. Effects are strongest when implementation is consistent and data-driven — schools that install the components but do not use data to monitor and adjust outcomes see weaker results.
MTSS — which encompasses PBIS within a broader academic and social-emotional support framework — has similarly strong evidence for improving outcomes for students who have historically been over-referred for special education or over-disciplined.
Equity consideration: PBIS reduces overall discipline rates but does not automatically reduce racial disparities. Research suggests that bias in adult decision-making persists within PBIS frameworks unless equity is explicitly built into implementation — through disaggregated data monitoring, culturally responsive practices, and staff training on implicit bias.
PBIS/MTSS in Washington
OSPI provides extensive PBIS/MTSS resources, including implementation guides, data tools, and a network of regional coaches who support Washington districts. The OSPI Student Discipline hub includes PBIS-specific resources as part of its broader alternatives-to-suspension framework.
OSPI MTSS Resources: ospi.k12.wa.us — Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
Washington’s discipline rules (WAC 392-400) align with PBIS principles — particularly the requirements to consider less-restrictive alternatives before suspension and to provide educational services during exclusion. Districts with strong PBIS implementation are better positioned to meet these legal requirements consistently.
Getting Started
Use the OSPI self-assessment: OSPI provides a PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) — a structured tool for schools to assess where they are in implementation and identify gaps. This is the right starting point for schools considering PBIS adoption or wanting to strengthen existing implementation.
Build a team: Effective PBIS requires a building-level leadership team that includes administrators, teachers, counselors, and classified staff. The team reviews data, makes decisions about school-wide practices, and monitors progress.
Start with data: Before implementing, establish a baseline using existing discipline data. Which students are being referred most often? For what behaviors? At what times and in what locations? Data-driven implementation is what distinguishes effective PBIS from simply posting behavioral expectations on classroom walls.
Commit to fidelity over speed: Schools that rush to implement all three tiers simultaneously without establishing Tier 1 foundations typically see weak results. Build from the ground up — Tier 1 first, then expand to Tiers 2 and 3 as the school develops capacity.