1. PBIS-ACT Preliminary Data Current Implementation
PBIS-Action & Commitment Tool (ACT): A Measure of Staff Buy-In Dorothy M. Lipski, M.A., Andrew J. Gelbmann, Maggie M. West, & Kevin J. Filter, Ph.D., NCSP Minnesota State University, Mankato
PBIS-ACT Brief
Six items rated on a 4 point scale:
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT INVESTMENT LEVEL IN:
Directly teaching behavior expectations to students?
Acknowledging students for appropriate behavior?
Using consistent discipline strategies (e.g., selecting between administrator managed and staff-managed strategies consistent with school policy)?
Implementing PBIS strategies (e.g., teaching PBIS behavior expectations and acknowledging appropriate behavior) in classroom settings?
Implementing PBIS strategies (e.g., teaching PBIS behavior expectations and acknowledging appropriate behavior) in non-classroom settings such as hallways and lunchroom?
Implementing PBIS strategies with individual students or small groups of students?
0 = No investment (I won't participate)
1 = Low investment (I'm not very willing to participate)
2 = Moderate investment (I'm willing to try to participate)
3 = Full investment (I will fully participate)
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a school- wide framework of supporting student academics and behavioral outcomes that emphasizes teaching and acknowledging positive behavior (Sugai et al., 2000). Staff commitment, or buy-in, to implementing PBIS refers to the degree to which all staff members within a school are willing to implement the system of positive behavior supports and are personally committed to implementing the system within their individual classrooms and the school setting in general. Sugai, Horner, Lewis-Palmer, & Todd (2005) suggested a criterion of reaching 80% buy-in as a benchmark indicating acceptable commitment to ensure that PBIS can be implemented with integrity. However, without an efficient tool to measure commitment, this criterion is largely hypothesized.
Previous guidelines for measuring staff commitment have generally relied upon blind ballots (McKevitt & Braaksma, 2005) as no standardized measure of commitment was available. The PBIS Action and Commitment Tool (ACT) was developed to provide school staff with a standardized measure of staff commitment towards implementing PBIS. The PBIS-ACT was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, measuring the willingness, current implementation, and value of core PBIS components.
PBIS-ACT
In regards to DIRECTLY TEACHING BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS TO STUDENTS.
In regards to REMINDING STUDENTS OF BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS.
In regards to ACKNOWLEDGING STUDENTS FOR APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WITH PRAISE.
In regards to ACKNOWLEDGING STUDENTS FOR APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WITH TANGIBLE REWARDS.
In regards to DOCUMENTING MAJOR BEHAVIOR VIOLATIONS ON A DISCIPLINE/REFERRAL FORM when major behavior violations occur.
In regards to MANAGING MINOR BEHAVIOR VIOLATIONS IN YOUR CLASSROOM rather than referring them to the office.
In regards to IMPLEMENTING PBIS STRATEGIES (e.g., teaching PBIS behavior expectations and acknowledging appropriate behavior) IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS.
In regards to IMPLEMENTING PBIS STRATEGIES (e.g., teaching PBIS behavior expectations and acknowledging appropriate behavior) IN NON-CLASSROOM SETTINGS (e.g. hallways and lunchroom).
How willing are you to participate?
100
I won’t participate
I’m not very willing to participate
I’m willing to try to participate
I will fully participate
 How often do you currently do this?
I don’t do this.
I rarely do this.
I often do this.
I do this whenever possible.
How much do you value this?
I place no value on this.
I place minimal value on this.
I place moderate value on this.
I place maximum value on this.
PBIS-ACT Brief Data
Completed by 1,218 teachers and staff in MN
All schools in PBIS training cohorts 5, 7, and 8 were asked to participate
Cohort 8 = “pre-implementation”
Cohort 7 = “initial implementation”
Cohort 5 = “continued implementation”
44.2% of schools from cohorts 5, 7, & 8 participated
Approximately 40.5% of staff in each school participated
Content validity was established using expert ratings on a 4-point scale (μ = 3.89)
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported validity of the ACT-Brief
Over half of all school staff reported 100% commitment
Research shows elementary schools have significantly higher level of commitment (μ = 16.61) than middle and high schools
PBIS-ACT Brief
The ACT Brief (Filter, in press) is a short measure of commitment (buy-in). The ACT Brief consists of 6 items on a 4 point scale assessing three subscales (i.e., willingness, current implementation, and value) of staff commitment to implement various aspects associated with PBIS for a total score of 18. The ACT Brief has been used in schools, including three schools in Connecticut (data presented below). The ACT Brief has been validated through factor analysis data (Filter & Sytsma). The ACT Brief has demonstrated good internal consistency, as well as validity. The ACT-Brief is freely available at: ommitment_tool_brief_version_pbis-act_brief.pdf
PBIS-ACT Preliminary Data
PBIS-ACT
The PBIS-ACT is the full-form of the Brief measure. It was developed from it’s predecessor, the PBIS-ACT Brief (previously called the Buy-In Measure). This form includes 8 items on a 10 point scale. The ACT yields a total score, representing overall commitment, and three subscale scores (i.e., willingness, current implementation, and value). The ACT is available through an online survey and is analyzed for the school by a research team, which provides the school with an easy to interpret 10-page report displaying school data.
Total Score
Willingness
Current Implementation
Value α
.94
.88
.82
References
Filter, K. J., Sytsma, M., & McIntosh, K. (In Press). A Brief Measure of Staff Buy-In to Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. Assessment for Effective Intervention.
Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Todd, A. W., & Lewis-Palmer, T. (2005). School-wide positive behavior support. Individualized supports for students with problem behaviors: Designing positive behavior plans,
McKevitt, B., & Braaksma, A. (2004). Best practices in developing a Positive Behavior Support system at the school level. Best practices in school psychology V, 3,
Sugai, G., Horner, R. H., Dunlap, G., Hieneman, M., Lewis, T. J., Nelson, C. M., ... & Turnbull, H. R. (2000). Applying positive behavior support and functional behavioral assessment in schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2(3),
Sugai, G., Horner, R. H., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Todd, A. (2005). School-wide positive behavior support training manual. Eugene, OR: Educational and Community Supports, University of Oregon.