Identifying and removing ableism from Tier 1 school-wide positive behaviour support practices

Abstract

Across Australia, almost one third of schools have been trained to implement school-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS). As part of a Tier 1 approach, students are expected to demonstrate expected behaviours. By defining these behaviours in conjunction with students and families, and explicitly teaching these to students, schools implementing SWPBS can create climates where students can thrive both academically and behaviourally. However, many students with disability continue to be over-represented in discipline data in all schools, including those implementing SWPBS. We argue this is because defining the behaviours we want to see and celebrate is only part of the solution. Implementation is destined to fail if we do not, in tandem, address the conditions we created that act as barriers for students with disability. Further, through an analysis of Australian SWPBS matrices, we show that structural ableism exists in the way some expected behaviours are framed by requiring a greater response effort from students with disability if they are to meet the standard expected. We offer suggestions for schools to both recognise and remove ableism from Tier 1 SWPBS practices.

Keywords:

• School wide positive behaviour support
• ableism
• matrix of expected behaviours
• Tier 1
• PBS

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we live and work. We recognise their continued custodianship and connection to the land, waters, and community. We pay our respects to them and their Elders past and present as our knowledge holders.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.