Positive Behaviour for Learning: Investigating the Transfer of a United States System into the New South Wales Department of Education and Training Western Sydney Region Schools: Report

This research project investigated a new approach to positive and preventative practices of behavioural management. This systemic school-wide approach is called Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) and is being implemented across the New South Wales Department of Education and Training (DET) Western Sydney Region (WSR) schools. During 2007 the implementation of this approach was investigated as well as the transferability from its United States origins. When DET WSR schools implemented Positive Behaviour for Learning, they valued the consistency of approach, local examples in the training, the role of coaches and a stable, trained, collaborative leadership team. Improvement in the School-wide Evaluation Tool scores proved a high degree of fidelity in PBL implementation. Student motivation and self-concept were generally more favourable for PBL schools. PBL has had an impact on the attitudes of school staff through its advocacy of positive and preventative practices to behavioural management within in a systemic school-wide approach and influenced student attitudes in relation to expectations taught. In adapting Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports (PBIS) for implementation in WSR as PBL, WSR has been demonstrably successful in maintaining the integrity of the PBIS model. Renaming the initiative as PBL has enabled schools to contextualise its goals relevant to WSR learning priority. This was a partnership project between UWS and the DET WSR.