Teamwork That Makes the Dream Work: Collaborating to Ensure Equity in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for All

Implementing inclusive positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) requires collaborative teaming that centers on the needs of all students, including those with extensive support needs (ESN). In this article, we describe how schools can embed collaborative practices to promote the inclusion of students with ESN in universal (Tier 1) PBIS systems, and we provide actionable strategies and tools for collaboratively planning, teaching, and assessing Tier 1 and classroom PBIS. We outline a Five-Step Guide to Collaborative PBIS with practical strategies for building and sustaining collaborative PBIS teams that include general and special educators, related services providers (e.g., speech-language pathologists, behavior specialists), family members, and administrators. We share strategies to foster collaboration within PBIS leadership teams and describe ways to build teamwork when developing inclusive classroom behavior supports.