Download: PBIS
MAEC’s Tools and Resources for Out-of-School Time Providers of one-page resources brings together practical strategies and lessons from OST practitioners and experts. The series covers topics including program quality and equity, family engagement, mental wellness, positive youth development, and school-community partnerships. Each resource summarizes key takeaways, actionable strategies, and additional resources to support OST providers in their work with youth and families. See also:
- Ensuring Program Quality & Equity in OST
- Amplifying Family Voice in OST
- Mental Health & Trauma Supports
- How School and Community Partners Can Work Together in OST
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
What providers should know
- Out-of-school time (OST) programs play a critical role in creating a sense of belonging by making children and youth feel safe, affirmed, connected, and by encouraging them to use their voice.
- Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive framework that supports social, emotional, and
behavioral development. OST programs can align with the PBIS framework to meet children and youth needs and connect with school programming. - Collecting and looking at data can help OST providers find trends in how policies affect students and avoid making assumptions about their behaviors.
Strategies for OST providers
Align with school-based PBIS frameworks.
- Ask to join school PBIS or multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) teams to ensure consistency across settings.
- Mirror school-wide expectations (e.g., “Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Responsible”) in OST spaces.
- Use shared signage, language, and reward systems to reinforce positive behavior.
Use data to ensure all students are supported.
- Learn to interpret data to identify patterns in how certain student groups are disciplined.
- Organize data by race, disability, and other identifiers to uncover patterns.
- Use data to inform targeted supports and interventions.
Recognize and respond to vulnerable decision points (VDPs).
- VDPs are moments when adults are more likely to make biased or reactive decisions (e.g., when tired, hungry, or stressed).
- Avoid snap judgments by pausing, engaging in self-talk, or delaying your response.
- Be especially mindful of subjective behaviors like “defiance,” “disrespect,” and “disruption.”
Foster student agency and expression.
- Don’t “give” students voice—they already have it. Amplify it.
- Use tools like the Personal Matrix to help youth reflect on behavior expectations across settings (school, home, community).
- Recognize cultural differences in behavior and avoid punishing students for behaviors that differ from school expectations.
Build inclusive systems and cultures.
- Collaborate with community members and organizations to understand and honor students’ experiences.
- Use interrupt, question, educate, and echo strategies to address bias in adult conversations.
- Anchor your work in your personal and organizational mission to stay grounded amid pushback.
Resources
- The Center on PBIS: https://www.pbis.org/
This content was informed by MAEC’s “Complementing the School Day: Tools and Resources for OST Providers” webinar series.
The fourth session was titled “Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS),” facilitated by Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims, Educational Consultant and Research Associate. This session focused on building responsive behavior frameworks that foster belonging and student agency in OST settings.
