Purpose Statement
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is designed to help New Mexico schools develop, implement and maintain systems that create a positive learning climate for all students while maximizing school safety.

What is Positive Behavior Support?
PBS is a behavior system of individualized strategies and interventions that are designed to achieve social and learning success in the school setting.

The seven principles of PBS are based on the idea that academic achievement and behavioral competence are the direct result of school personnel and families working together to provide a continuum of support for learning.

   1. Social and behavioral competence and character are learned in the home, school and           community
    2. Prevention is more effective than reaction.
    3. Teaching positive behavior is more effective than assuming students already have           these skills.
    4. Teaching positive behavior is more effective than punishing negative behavior.
    5. Effective instruction incorporates research-validated methods that are designed and           delivered with a high degree of fidelity over time and across settings.
    6. Instructional behavioral decisions are based on data (quality of program           implementation and student behavior patterns).
    7. Systemic change produces long-term sustainability and is best undertaken at the           local level by members of the school and community.

A Proactive Approach to School-wide Discipline
Schools that implement positive behavior support systems take a team-based systematic approach to teaching appropriate behavior to all students. PBS is directly linked to other scientifically-base practices and statewide initiatives that focus on improving academic and behavior outcomes for all students.

Implementation of Positive Behavior Support
Successful implementation of PBS requires schools to do the following:

    - Establish whole school rules and behavioral expectations
    - Promote a set of positive values and behaviors about individuals treat each other
    - Recognize and reward students and adults
    -  Use objective data to adjust the program and give feedback to school personnel and           others
    - Employ active administrative leadership and involvement
    - Train and support staff, students and families over time