Using Data to Support Educators' Implementation of Positive Classroom Behavior Support (PCBS) Practices

Research suggests (a) students benefit when educators implement positive and proactive classroom behavior support practices (e.g., maximizing structure, teaching expected behaviors, delivering engaging instruction) and (b) educators benefit when school leadership teams invest in positive and proactive professional development support systems (e.g., training, coaching, performance feedback). Unfortunately, implementation is complex, and educators and school leadership teams implement key practices and systems at lower rates than desired. To increase the likelihood of successful implementation and desired outcomes, we encourage educators and leadership teams to collect and use data to guide decision-making. In this paper, we discuss the types and purposes of data to guide decision-making, describe a cycle for collecting and using data, and share examples of how individual educators and school leadership teams use data to guide implementation of practices to support students and systems to support educators.