Benchmarks for Behaviour school wide approach

SCORING GUIDE:
Completing the Benchmarks of Quality (Revised) for School-wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS)
When & Why
Benchmarks of Quality (Revised) for School-wide Positive Behavior Support should be completed in the spring of each school year (Mar/Apr/May).
The Benchmarks are used by teams to identify areas of success, areas for improvement, and by the PBS Project to identify model PBS schools.

Procedures for Completing
Step 1 - Coaches Scoring
The Coach will use his or her best judgment based on personal experience with the school and the descriptions and exemplars in the Benchmarks of
Quality(Revised) Scoring Guide to score each of the 53 items on the Benchmarks of Quality Scoring Form (p.1 & 2). Do not leave any items blank.

Step 2 - Team Member Rating
The coach will give the Benchmarks of Quality(Revised) Team Member Rating Form to each SWPBS Team member to be completed independently and
returned to the coach upon completion. Members should be instructed to rate each of the 53 items according to whether the component is “In Place”,
“Needs Improvement”, or “Not in Place”. Some of the items relate to product and process development, others to action items; in order to be rated as
“In Place;” the item must be developed and implemented (where applicable). Coaches will collect and tally responses and record on the Benchmarks of
Quality(Revised) Scoring Form the team’s most frequent response using ++ for “In Place,” + for “Needs Improvement,” and – for “Not In Place.”

Step 3 – Team Report
The coach will then complete the Team Summary on p. 3 of the Benchmarks of Quality (Revised) Scoring Form recording areas of discrepancy, strength
and weakness.
Discrepancies - If there were any items for which the team’s most frequent rating varied from the coaches’ rating based upon the
Scoring Guide, the descriptions and exemplars from the guide should be shared with the team. This can happen at a team meeting
or informally. If upon sharing areas of discrepancy, the coach realizes that there is new information that according to the Scoring
Guide would result in a different score, the item and the adjusted final score should be recorded on the Scoring Form.

Step 4 - Reporting Back to Team
After completing the remainder of the Benchmarks of Quality(Revised) Scoring Form, the coach will report back to the team using the Team Report page
of the Benchmarks of Quality(Revised) Scoring Form. If needed, address items of discrepancy and adjust the score. The coach will then lead the team
through a discussion of the identified areas of strength (high ratings) and weakness (low ratings). This information should be conveyed as “constructive
feedback” to assist with action planning.

Step 5 – Reporting
The coach will enter the final scores from the Scoring Form on PBSES, the web-based evaluation reporting system through the PBS Project’s website
http://flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu. The school log-in and password are included on the direction for completing End-Year Evaluation which is distributed by the
district coordinator.
Kincaid, D., Childs, K., & George, H. (March, 2010).
School-wide Benchmarks of Quality (Revised). Unpublished instrument. USF, Tampa, Florida.

1

BENCHMARKS OF QUALITY (Revised) SCORING GUIDE

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

1 point

1. Team has administrative
support

Administrator(s) attended
training, play an active role in
the PBS process, actively
communicate their
commitment, support the
decisions of the PBS Team,
and attend all team meetings.

Administrator(s) support the
process, take as active a role as
the rest of the team, and/or attend
most meetings

Administrator(s) support the
process but don’t take as active
a role as the rest of the team,
and/or attends only a few
meetings.

Administrator(s) do not
actively support the PBS
process.

Team meets monthly (min. of 9
one-hour meetings each school
year).

Team meetings are not
consistent (5-8) monthly
meetings each school year).

4. Faculty are aware of
behavior problems across
campus through regular
data sharing

Data regarding school-wide
behavior are shared with faculty
monthly (min. of 8 times per
year).

Team has a written
purpose/mission statement for
the PBS team (commonly
completed on the cover sheet of
the action plan).
Data regarding school-wide
behavior are occasionally
shared with faculty (3-7 times
per year).

Team seldom meets (fewer
than five monthly
meetings during the school
year).
No mission
statement/purpose written
for the team.

5. Faculty are involved in
establishing and reviewing
goals

Most faculty participate in
establishing PBS goals (i.e.
surveys, “dream”, “PATH”) on at
least an annual basis.
Faculty is given opportunities to
provide feedback, to offer
suggestions, and to make choices
in every step of the PBS process
(via staff surveys, voting process,
suggestion box, etc.) Nothing is
implemented without the majority
of faculty approval.

Some of the faculty participates
in establishing PBS goals (i.e.
surveys, “dream”, “PATH”) on
at least an annual basis.
Faculty are given some
opportunities to provide
feedback, to offer suggestions,
and to make some choices
during the PBS process.
However, the team also makes
decisions without input from
staff.

2. Team has regular
meetings (at least monthly)

3. Team has established a
clear mission/purpose

6. Faculty feedback is
obtained throughout year


0 points

Data are not regularly
shared with faculty.
Faculty may be given an
update 0-2 times per year
Faculty does not
participate in establishing
PBS goals.
Faculty are rarely given the
opportunity to participate in
the PBS process (fewer
than 2 times per school
year).

2

Benchmark

3 points

2 points
Team has established clear,
written procedures that lay out the
process for handling both major
and minor discipline incidents.
(Includes crisis situations)

7. Discipline process
described in narrative
format or depicted in
graphic format

Team has established clear,
written procedures that lay out
the process for handling both
major and minor discipline
incidents. (Does not include
crisis situations.)
There is a documentation
procedure to track both major
and minor behavior incidents
(i.e., form, database entry, file
in room, etc.).

Information on the referral form
includes ALL of the required
fields: Student’s name, date, time
of incident, grade level, referring
staff, location of incident, gender,
problem behavior, possible
motivation, others involved, and
administrative decision.
All of the behaviors are defined
but some of the definitions are
unclear.
Most staff are clear about which
behaviors are staff managed and
which are sent to the office. (i.e.
appropriate use of office referrals)
Those behaviors are clearly
defined, differentiated and
documented.

The referral form includes all of
the required fields, but also
includes unnecessary
information that is not used to
make decisions and may cause
confusion.

8. Discipline process
includes documentation
procedures

9. Discipline referral form
includes information useful
in decision making

10. Problem behaviors are
defined
11. Major/minor behaviors
are clearly differentiated

1 point

Written documentation exists
that includes clear definitions
of all behaviors listed.

12. Suggested array of
appropriate responses to
major (office-managed)
problem behaviors


0 points
Team has not established
clear, written procedures
for discipline incidents
and/or there is no
differentiation between
major and minor incidents.
There is not a
documentation procedure to
track both major and minor
behavior incidents (i.e.,
form, database entry, file in
room, etc.).
The referral form lacks one
or more of the required
fields or does not exist.

Not all behaviors are defined or
some definitions are unclear.

No written documentation
of definitions exists.

Some staff are unclear about
which behaviors are staff
managed and which are sent to
the office (i.e. appropriate) use
of office referrals) or no
documentation exists.

Specific major/minor
behaviors are not clearly
defined, differentiated or
documented.

There is evidence that all
administrative staff are aware
of and use an array of
predetermined appropriate
responses to major behavior
problems.

There is evidence that some
administrative staff are not
aware of, or do not follow,
an array of predetermined
appropriate responses to
major behavior problems.

3

Benchmark
13. Data system is used to
collect and analyze ODR
data

3 points

ALL of the information can be
obtained from the database
(average referrals per day per
month, by location, by problem
behavior, by time of day, by
student, and compare between
years), though it may not be in
graph format, may require more
staff time to pull the information,
or require staff time to make
sense of the data.

14. Additional data are
collected (attendance,
grades, faculty attendance,
surveys) and used by
SWPBS team

15. Data analyzed by team
at least monthly

16. Data shared with team
and faculty monthly
(minimum)
17. 3-5 positively stated
school-wide expectations
are posted around school

3-5 positively stated schoolwide expectations are visibly
posted around the school.
Areas posted include the
classroom and a minimum of
3 other school settings (i.e.,
cafeteria, hallway, front
office, etc).

Data are printed, analyzed, and
put into graph format or other
easy to understand format by a
member of the team monthly
(minimum)
Data are shared with the PBS
team and faculty at least once a
month.
3-5 positively stated expectations
are visibly posted in most
important areas (i.e. classroom,
cafeteria, hallway), but one area
may be missed.


1 point

0 points

Only partial information can
be obtained (lacking either the
number of referrals per day per
month, location, problem
behavior, time of day, student,
and compare patterns between
years.)

The data system is not able
to provide any of the
necessary information the
team needs to make schoolwide decisions.

The team collects and considers
data other than discipline data
to help determine progress and
successes (i.e. attendance,
school surveys, etc.)

The database can quickly
output data in graph format
and allows the team access to
ALL of the following
information: average referrals
per day per month, by
location, by problem
behavior, by time of day, by
student, and compare
between years.

2 points

The team does not collect
or consider data other than
discipline data to help
determine progress and
successes (i.e. attendance,
school surveys, etc.).
Data are not analyzed.

Data are printed, analyzed, and
put into graph format or other
easy to understand format by a
team member less than once a
month.
Data are shared with the PBS
team and faculty less than one
time a month.
3-5 positively stated
expectations are not clearly
visible in common areas.

Data are not reviewed each
month by the PBS team and
shared with faculty.
Expectations are not posted
or team has either too few
or too many expectations.

4

Benchmark
18. Expectations apply to
both students and staff

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

19. Rules are developed and
posted for specific settings
(settings where data
suggested rules are needed)
20. Rules are linked to
expectations

PBS team has expectations that
apply to all students AND all staff
but haven’t specifically
communicated that they apply to
staff as well as students.
Rules are posted in all of the
most problematic areas in the
school.

Expectations refer only to
student behavior.

There are no expectations.

Rules are posted in some, but
not all of the most problematic
areas of the school.

Rules are not posted in any
of the most problematic
areas of the school.

When taught or enforced, staff
consistently link the rules with
the school-wide expectations.

PBS team has
communicated that
expectations apply to all
students and all staff.

When taught or enforced,
staff do not consistently
link the rules with the
and/or rules are taught or
enforced separately from
expectations.
Staff were not involved in
providing feedback/input
into the development of the
and rules.

Most staff were involved in
providing feedback/input into the
development of the school-wide
expectations and rules (i.e.,
survey, feedback, initial
brainstorming session, election
process, etc.)

Some staff were involved in
providing feedback/input into
the development of the schoolwide expectations and rules.

The reward system guidelines
and procedures are
implemented consistently
across campus. Almost all
members of the school are
participating appropriately.

The reward system guidelines and
procedures are implemented
consistently across campus.
However, some staff choose not
to participate or participation does
not follow the established criteria.

The reward system guidelines
and procedures are not
because several staff choose not
to participate or participation
does not follow the established
criteria.

There is no identifiable
reward system or a large
percentage of staff are not
participating.

at least 90% participation



less than 50% participation

21. Staff are involved in
development of
expectations and rules

22. A system of rewards
has elements that are
across campus


5

Benchmark

3 points

23. A variety of methods
are used to reward students

24. Rewards are linked to
expectations and rules

Rewards are provided for
behaviors that are identified
in the rules/expectations and
staff verbalize the appropriate
behavior when giving
rewards.

25. Rewards are varied to
maintain student interest

26. Ratios of
acknowledgement to
corrections are high

Ratios of teacher
reinforcement of appropriate
behavior to correction of
inappropriate behavior are
high (e.g., 4:1).

2 points

1 point

0 points

The school uses a variety of
methods to reward students (e.g.
cashing in tokens/points). There
should be opportunities that
include tangible items,
praise/recognition and social
activities/events. Students with
few/many tokens/points have
equal opportunities to cash them
in for rewards. However, larger
rewards are given to those earning
more tokens/points.
behaviors that are identified in the
rules/expectations and staff
sometimes verbalize appropriate
behaviors when giving rewards.

The school uses a variety of
methods to reward students, but
students do not have access to a
variety of rewards in a
consistent and timely manner.

The school uses only one
set methods to reward
students (i.e., tangibles
only) or there are no
opportunities for children to
cash in tokens or select
their reward. Only students
that meet the quotas
actually get rewarded,
students with fewer tokens
cannot cash in tokens for a
smaller reward.
behaviors that are not
identified in the rules and
expectations.

The rewards are varied
throughout year and reflect
students’ interests (e.g. consider
the student age, culture, gender,
and ability level to maintain
student interest.)
Ratios of teacher reinforcement of
appropriate behavior to correction
of inappropriate behavior are
moderate (e.g., 2:1).

The rewards are varied
throughout the school year, but
may not reflect students’
interests.

The rewards are not varied
throughout the school year
and do not reflect student’s
interests.

Ratios of teacher reinforcement
of appropriate behavior to
correction of inappropriate
behavior are about the same
(e.g., 1:1).
Students are often involved in
identifying/developing
incentives.

Ratios of teacher
reinforcement of
appropriate behavior to
correction of inappropriate
behavior are low (e.g., 1:4)
Students are rarely
involved in
identifying/developing
incentives.

27. Students are involved
in identifying/developing
incentives


behaviors that are identified in
the rules/expectations but staff
rarely verbalize appropriate
behaviors when giving rewards.

6

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

28. The system includes
incentives for staff/faculty

The system includes incentives
for staff/faculty and they are
delivered consistently.

The system includes incentives
for staff/faculty, but they are
not delivered consistently.

The system does not
include incentives for
staff/faculty.

29. A behavioral
curriculum includes
teaching expectations and
rules

Lesson plans are developed and
used to teach rules and
expectations

Lesson plans were developed
and used to teach rules, but not
developed for expectations or
vice versa.

Lesson plans have not been
developed or used to teach
rules or expectations

Lesson plans include both
examples of appropriate
behavior and examples of
inappropriate behavior.

Lesson plans give no
specific examples or nonexamples or there are no
lesson plans.

30. Lessons include
examples and non-examples

31. Lessons use a variety of
teaching strategies

Lesson plans are taught using at
least 3 different teaching
strategies (i.e., modeling, roleplaying, videotaping)

Lesson plans have been
introduced using fewer than 3
teaching strategies.

Lesson plans have not been
taught or do not exist.

32. Lessons are embedded
into subject area curriculum

Nearly all teachers embed
behavior teaching into subject
area curriculum on a daily basis.

About 50% of teachers embed
behavior teaching into subject
area curriculum or embed
behavior teaching fewer than 3
times per week

Less than 50% of all
teachers embed behavior
teaching into subject area
curriculum or only
occasionally remember to
include behavior teaching
in subject areas.

Faculty, staff, and students are
involved in the development
and delivery of lesson plans to
teach behavior expectations and
rules for specific settings.

Faculty, staff, and students
are not involved in the
development and delivery
of lesson plans to teach
behavior expectations and
rules for specific settings.

33. Faculty/staff and
students are involved in
development & delivery of
behavioral curriculum


7

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

34. Strategies to share key
features of SWPBS
program with
families/community are
developed and implemented

35. A curriculum to teach
components of the
discipline system to all staff
is developed and used

The team scheduled time to
present and train faculty and staff
on the discipline procedures and
data system including checks for
accuracy of information or
comprehension. Training
included all components:
referral process (flowchart),
definitions of problem behaviors,
explanation of major vs. minor
forms, and how the data will be
used to guide the team in decision
making.

36. Plans for training staff
to teach students
expectations/rules and
rewards are developed,
scheduled and delivered

present and train faculty and staff
on lesson plans to teach students
expectations and rules including
checks for accuracy of
information or comprehension.
Training included all
components: plans to introduce
the expectations and rules to all
students, explanation of how and
when to use formal lesson plans,
and how to embed behavior
teaching into daily curriculum.


1 point
The PBS Plan includes
strategies to reinforce lessons
with families and the
community (i.e., after-school
programs teach expectations,
newsletters with tips for
meeting expectations at home)
present and train faculty and
staff on the discipline
procedures and data system,
but there were no checks for
comprehension. OR training
did not include all
components (i.e., referral
process (flowchart), definitions
of problem behaviors,
explanation of major vs. minor
forms, and how the data will be
used to guide the team in
decision making.)
present and train faculty and
staff on lesson plans to teach
students expectations and rules
but there were no checks for
comprehension. OR Training

0 points
The PBS plan does not
include strategies to be
used by families and the
community.

Staff was either not trained
or was given the
information without formal
introduction and
explanation.

Staff was either not trained
or was given the
information without formal
introduction and
explanation.

didn’t include all components:

plans to introduce expectations
and rules to all students,
explanation of how and when to
use formal lesson plans, and
how to embed behavior
teaching into daily curriculum.

8

Benchmark
37. A plan for teaching
students expectations/
rules/rewards is developed
scheduled and delivered

38. Booster sessions for
students and staff are
planned, scheduled, and
implemented

3 points
Students are
introduced/taught all of the
following: school
expectations, rules for
specific setting, and the
reward system guidelines.

2 points
Students are introduced/taught
two (2) of the following: school
expectations, rules for specific
setting, and the reward system
guidelines.

Students are introduced/taught
only one (1) of the following:
school expectations, rules for
specific setting, and the reward
system guidelines.

Booster sessions are planned and
delivered to reteach staff/students
at least once in the year and
additionally at times when the
data suggest problems by an
increase in discipline referrals per
day per month or a high number
of referrals in a specified area.
Expectations and rules are
reviewed with students regularly
(at least 1x per week).

Booster sessions are not utilized
fully. For example: booster
sessions are held for students
but not staff; booster sessions
are held for staff, but not
students; booster sessions are
not held, but rules &
expectations are reviewed at
least weekly with students.

39. Schedule for
rewards/incentives for the
year is planned

40. Plans for orienting
incoming staff and students
are developed and
implemented

1 point

There is a clear plan for the
type and frequency of
rewards/incentives to be
delivered throughout the year.
Team has planned for and carries
out the introduction of Schoolwide PBS and training of new
staff and students throughout the
school year.

41. Plans for involving
families/community are
developed and implemented


Team has planned for the
introduction of School-wide
PBS and training of either new
students or new staff, but does
not include plans for training
both. OR the team has plans
but has not implemented them.
Team has planned for the
introduction and on-going
involvement of school-wide
PBS to families/community
(i.e., newsletter, brochure, PTA,
open-house, team member, etc.)

0 points
Students are not
introduced/taught any of
the following: school
expectations, rules for
specific setting, and the
reward system guidelines.
Booster sessions for
students and staff are not
scheduled/planned.
Expectations and rules are
reviewed with students
once a month or less.

There is no plan for the
type and frequency of
rewards/incentives to be
delivered throughout the
year.
Team has not planned for
the introduction of Schoolwide PBS and training of
new staff or students

Team has not introduced
school-wide PBS to
families/community.

9

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

42. Classroom rules are
defined for each of the
and are posted in
classrooms

Evident in most classrooms
(>75% of classrooms)

Evident in many classrooms
(50-75% of classrooms)

Evident in only a few
classrooms (less than 50%
of classrooms)

43. Classroom routines and
procedures are explicitly
identified for activities
where problems often occur
(e.g. entering class, asking
questions, sharpening
pencil, using restroom,
dismissal)



of classrooms)

44. Expected behavior
routines in classroom are
taught



of classrooms)

45. Classroom teachers
use immediate and specific
praise



of classrooms)


10

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

46. Acknowledgement of
students demonstrating
adherence to classroom
rules and routines occurs
more frequently than
acknowledgement of
inappropriate behaviors



of classrooms)

47. Procedures exist for
tracking classroom behavior
problems



of classrooms)

48. Classrooms have a
range of consequences/
interventions for problem
behavior that are
documented and
consistently delivered



of classrooms)

49. Students and staff are
surveyed about PBS

Students and staff are surveyed at
least annually (i.e. items on
climate survey or specially
developed PBS plan survey), and
information is used to address the
PBS plan.

Students and staff are surveyed
at least annually (i.e. items on
climate survey or specially
developed PBS plan survey),
but information is not used to
address the PBS plan.

Students and staff are not
surveyed.


11

Benchmark

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 points

Almost all students and staff can
identify the school-wide
expectations and rules for specific
settings. (can be identified
through surveys, random
interviews, etc…)

Many students and staff can
identify the school-wide
expectations and rules for
specific settings.

Few of students and staff
can identify the
expectations and rules for
specific settings OR
Evaluations are not
conducted

at least 90%

at least 50%

less than 50%

Almost all staff know the
procedures for responding to
inappropriate behavior, use
forms as intended and fill
them out correctly. (can be
identified by reviewing
completed forms, staff
surveys, etc…)

Many of the staff know the
inappropriate behavior, use forms
as intended and fill them out
correctly.

Some of the staff know the
inappropriate behavior, use
forms as intended and fill them
out correctly.

Few staff know the
procedures for responding
to inappropriate behavior,
use forms as intended and
fill them out correctly OR
Evaluations are not
conducted.

at least 90% know/use
Almost all staff understand
identified guidelines for the
reward system and are using
the reward system
appropriately. (can be
identified by reviewing
reward token distribution,
surveys, etc…)

Many of the staff understand
reward system and are using the
reward system appropriately.

Some of the staff understand
reward system and are using the
reward system appropriately.

less than 50% know/use
Few staff understand and
use identified guidelines for
the reward system OR
Evaluations are not
conducted at least yearly or
do not assess staff
knowledge and use of the
reward system.

at least 90% understand/use
There is a plan for collecting
data to evaluate PBS
outcomes, most data are
collected as scheduled, and
data are used to evaluate PBS
plan.

There is a plan for collecting data
to evaluate PBS outcomes, some
of the scheduled data have been
collected, and data are used to
evaluate PBS plan.

There is a plan for collecting
data to evaluate PBS outcomes;
however nothing has been
collected to date.

less than 50% understand/use
There is no plan for
collecting data to evaluate
PBS outcomes.

50. Students and staff can
identify expectations and
rules

51. Staff use referral
process (including which
behaviors are office
managed vs. which are
teacher managed) and forms
appropriately

52. Staff use reward system
appropriately

53. Outcomes (behavior
problems, attendance, and
morale) are documented
and used to evaluate PBS
plan


12


13

Benchmarks for Behaviour school wide approach

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