PBIS Expectations Matrix & Teaching Plans 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A PBIS team reviews their expectations matrix and finds that the behavior 'Be responsible' appears in every setting cell without further definition. What is the PRIMARY concern with this matrix design?
- The expectation is not aligned with PBIS values
- The behaviors are too abstract to be consistently taught or evaluated (Correct answer)
- There are too many settings included in the matrix
- The matrix uses the wrong font size for display
Correct answer: The behaviors are too abstract to be consistently taught or evaluated
Abstract phrases without setting-specific definitions cannot be reliably taught or observed, undermining the matrix's instructional purpose.
Question 2: When designing a behavior teaching plan, 'opportunities to respond' (OTR) refers to:
- Times when students may request a bathroom break
- Instructional prompts that allow students to actively practice the target behavior (Correct answer)
- Occasions when parents may respond to disciplinary notices
- Scheduled moments for students to report peer misbehavior
Correct answer: Instructional prompts that allow students to actively practice the target behavior
OTRs are teacher-provided prompts that give students repeated chances to actively practice and demonstrate expected behaviors during instruction.
Question 3: Which format is MOST appropriate for delivering behavioral expectation lessons to the entire school population?
- Individual student conferences with the principal
- Universal, whole-school lessons delivered consistently by all staff (Correct answer)
- A mailed parent newsletter describing the expectations
- A video played only during the first week of school
Correct answer: Universal, whole-school lessons delivered consistently by all staff
PBIS relies on universal instruction delivered consistently by all staff to ensure every student receives the same behavioral expectations.
Question 4: A school notices its expectations matrix has 12 different settings listed. A PBIS coach advises reducing this number. What is the BEST rationale for this recommendation?
- Fewer settings mean fewer staff need to supervise students
- Too many settings make the matrix unwieldy and reduce the likelihood of consistent implementation (Correct answer)
- Students cannot read matrices with more than 10 settings
- Having fewer settings lowers school-wide incident rates automatically
Correct answer: Too many settings make the matrix unwieldy and reduce the likelihood of consistent implementation
An overly complex matrix is difficult for staff to implement consistently; focusing on the highest-need or highest-traffic settings improves usability.
Question 5: A teaching plan includes the step 'Check for understanding.' What does this step require the teacher to do?
- Record office referral data for the lesson topic
- Ask students questions or observe practice to confirm they understand the expectation (Correct answer)
- Send home a quiz for parents to complete with their child
- Review the school handbook with students
Correct answer: Ask students questions or observe practice to confirm they understand the expectation
Checking for understanding involves actively assessing whether students can accurately demonstrate or explain the expected behavior before ending instruction.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST explains why non-examples are included in behavioral teaching plans?
- They model consequences students will receive for misbehavior
- They help students discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable behavior more precisely (Correct answer)
- They replace the need for role-play activities
- They are required by federal PBIS guidelines
Correct answer: They help students discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable behavior more precisely
Non-examples sharpen students' understanding by contrasting incorrect behavior with the expectation, reducing ambiguity about the behavioral boundary.
Question 7: A middle school's PBIS team creates separate matrix rows for 'Hallways Before School,' 'Hallways During Class,' and 'Hallways After School.' This differentiation is justified because:
- Federal regulations require time-specific matrix rows
- Student density and supervision levels differ across these times, requiring distinct behavioral guidance (Correct answer)
- The principal prefers detailed matrices
- It allows more staff to receive credit for teaching expectations
Correct answer: Student density and supervision levels differ across these times, requiring distinct behavioral guidance
Contextual factors like crowding and supervision change the behavioral demands of a setting, making time-specific expectations more accurate and teachable.
PBIS Expectations Matrix & Teaching Plans 3
A PBIS team reviews their expectations matrix and finds that the behavior 'Be responsible' appears in every setting cell without further definition.
What is the PRIMARY concern with this matrix design?