Administrators - You are the key!

The Administrator plays a key role in the implementation of PBS. Here is a brief overview of the administrator's role:

• The administrator agrees to be an active PBS building site administrator providing leadership and support

• The administrator acknowledges that behavior (i.e., social, emotional, or behavioral development, character development, asset development, safe learning environment, or school culture and climate) is one of two or three school improvement goals for the district and an area of focus for the site.

• The administrator will establish and/or designate a site level leadership team of stakeholders such as involvement of student, teachers, support staff, families, and personnel from other community-based organizations beyond the school. The team should be representative of the school staff and include an administrator, coach, and non-staff parent. Teams are encouraged to develop PBS youth leadership teams and to involve community members on all teams.

• The administrator guarantees time is set aside for all staff to meet together for the purpose of on-site training and decision-making.

• The administrator guarantees that representatives from the site leadership team will participate in all trainings (including parent representative).

• The administrator agrees to participate in the project’s self-assessment and data collection efforts needed to implement the project, including the adoption of PBS data system, School-Wide Information System (SWIS).

• The administrator commits to implement PBS with fidelity (i.e., as trained).

• The administrator will identify a person to serve as coach with the following responsibilities:
1. attend team planning meetings (as determined by building site teams),
2. attend and participate in PBS-related professional development for coaches,
3. be the liaison between building site team and the Iowa Behavioral Alliance staff, and
4. provide ongoing support to the building site team.

• The administrator identifies the resources needed to pay for subs, attending training and implementing PBS.

• The administrator will be a leader in finding ways to effectively involve families and youth and community in the PBS efforts.

In June 2006, Rob Horner was the keynote presenter at the Iowa Department of Education's Administrators' Institute on the role of the administrator in implementing PBS. Following are links to his PowerPoints:

Administrators Role Intro

Administrators and Leadership Role

To assess your schools' readiness:
Self- Assessment of School Capacity to Implement Individual Behavior Support Systems