How do you know when your school is ready for Tier 2 PBIS Supports? Usually, it’s when you’ve already done the hardest work:
– You’ve uncovered your school’s core values and committed to living them out loud. (Bonus if you didn’t try once to fit them into an acronym!)
– Your school has a simple, efficient, incentive-free way to recognize students when they live your school values.
– You’ve got a data-based way to solve problems in real time as issues develop throughout the year.
If this is your Tier 1, you’re likely spending far less time reacting to behavior and more time building community. But if you’re committed to meeting the needs of all students, stopping at Tier 1 is not an option. You’ll need systems in place—built in advance—to support students who need additional love and structure. Tier 2 PBIS Supports, tailored to your school’s culture, context, and available resources, are essential to creating the warm, inclusive environment you know is essential for learning.
-by Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director
What Are Tier 2 PBIS Supports?
Tier 2 PBIS Supports provide targeted, structured interventions for students who need more than universal strategies alone. These are the students who generally do well with your schoolwide expectations but occasionally struggle enough that additional support—such as a reminder, a check-in, or skill practice—could help significantly.
It’s not about labeling kids or creating overly complicated systems. Instead, Tier 2 PBIS Supports are about proactively recognizing unmet needs and offering straightforward, relationship-based interventions like Check-In/Check-Out (CICO), social skills groups, or structured classroom breaks.
Tier 2 is how schools catch students early—before minor challenges become persistent patterns. Done effectively, Tier 2 PBIS Supports integrate seamlessly into your school’s daily routines, enhancing how your school cares for its students.
Proven Tier 2 PBIS Supports
Building Tier 2 PBIS Supports is like placing a tomato cage around a seedling: we anticipate the support needed as it grows, providing it early to prevent larger issues later.
Effective Tier 2 PBIS Supports are:
– Easy for staff to implement
– Matched directly to students’ specific needs
– Focused on student-led goals
Some of the best frameworks for Tier 2 PBIS Supports include:
– Check-In/Check-Out (CICO)
– Social Skills Groups (Click here for a free sample curriculum, K-12)
– Structured Breaks
Below is an interactive graphic describing these supports. Consider each framework and ask yourself: Which of these Tier 2 PBIS Supports are already happening effectively in your building, and which might be ready to expand?
How to Identify Students for Tier 2 PBIS Supports
If your current method for identifying students needing Tier 2 involves scheduling meetings or relying on subjective opinions, you’re making things unnecessarily complicated. Instead, use clear, data-based decision rules to ensure students promptly receive necessary support. When decision rules are simple, transparent, and equitably applied, students are less likely to fall through the cracks—and educators are better equipped to intervene proactively.
Examples of effective decision rules for Tier 2 PBIS Supports include:
– Check-In/Check-Out (CICO): Students who receive 3 or more disciplinary referrals within six weeks from more than one teacher automatically qualify.
– Social Skills Groups: Typically identified through teacher and family surveys, or by creating opportunities for students to self-identify confidentially.
– Structured Breaks: Students observed disengaging from instruction or leaving class three or more times in six weeks will receive structured in-class breaks.
Bringing It All Together
Tier 2 PBIS Supports aren’t effortless—and they shouldn’t be. Designing systems that respond meaningfully to students’ additional needs takes deliberate planning, collaboration, and ongoing effort. However, the investment is unquestionably worthwhile.
When Tier 2 PBIS Supports align closely with your school’s values, resources, and people, they become part of your school’s natural culture—not an add-on. Structured breaks, Check-In/Check-Out, and social skills groups don’t fix every challenge, but they significantly reduce gaps, ensuring students who need more never receive less.
If you’ve built a strong Tier 1 foundation and you’re ready to deepen your commitment, let’s talk. I’d be honored to help your team create Tier 2 PBIS Supports that are simple, sustainable, and deeply reflective of your school’s identity.