Every school needs a schoolwide behavior support plan that staff will actually use. For years, many schools have relied on tools like SWIS to track office referrals and analyze patterns. While these systems can provide useful data, they often fall short when it comes to teacher buy-in and consistent implementation. In this post, I’ll share why I developed a new schoolwide behavior support plan that works with or without SWIS, and how it helps principals and PBIS teams create solutions that stick.
-by Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director
Why I Rethought How to Create a Schoolwide Behavior Support Plan
For years, I was a strong advocate for data in PBIS. As a principal, I worked tirelessly to make sure referrals were entered into SWIS and that our PBIS team used the Drill Down Worksheet to identify patterns. We could always find the “right” problem with precision.
But even when we identified the right issue, I noticed how difficult it was to get staff to actually carry out the solutions. Teachers were tired of entering referrals, frustrated when nothing seemed to change, and inconsistent in how much data they submitted. Some under-reported, especially being in a district where leaders were under pressure to lower suspension or discipline numbers.
As a full-time consultant, I started to notice the same thing across district after district. Schools worked hard to enter data, but solutions were slow to launch or fizzled out. Teachers wondered, “What’s the point of entering all these referrals if nothing happens?”
That was the turning point. I realized the problem wasn’t with teachers, and it wasn’t even with leadership. The issue was with PBIS itself, and SWIS specifically, and any educator using any kind of data system to track behavior should keep reading.
Why SWIS Alone Is Not Enough
SWIS is a valuable system, but it creates challenges that weaken a schoolwide behavior support plan.
- Teachers often enter referrals inconsistently, especially when leaders are under pressure to reduce discipline numbers.
- Minor behaviors are frequently under-reported even though they can disrupt learning the most.
- Staff frustration grows when referral entry feels like work with no visible payoff.
Even the Center on PBIS has acknowledged these concerns in past briefs, noting that office discipline referrals are useful but limited, particularly when it comes to minor behaviors and equity issues. Although that resource has since been removed (weird, huh?) from their site, peer-reviewed research confirms the same point—ODRs are structured but still vulnerable to bias and uneven reporting.
The result is a gap between the precision of the data and the likelihood that staff will follow through with solutions. After years of trying to solve the problems SWIS creates, I realized the issue was not the teachers but the system itself.
Building a Schoolwide Behavior Support Plan That Staff Believe In
That is why I created the Schoolwide Behavior Support Protocol. The protocol begins with staff voice, not just with referrals. Every adult completes a short “pulse check” survey that surfaces the behaviors they see most often and the ones they find most difficult to manage.
The leadership team then reviews both the staff survey and the SWIS data. Together, they identify one issue that feels urgent, solvable, and aligned with what the data shows. Finally, the team shares the plan back with staff so everyone can see how their input shaped the solution.
This approach makes a difference because staff see themselves in the plan. When teachers recognize their voice in the strategy, they are far more likely to follow through.
Why This Approach Works
The Schoolwide Behavior Support Protocol is designed with implementation in mind. Data alone gives precision, but precision without buy-in rarely leads to meaningful change. By starting with staff voice and then blending it with data, schools create plans that people actually want to carry out.
Even if the issue selected is not the perfect one that the data highlights, schools usually see stronger results. That is because a less perfect problem solved with high staff fidelity is more effective than the perfect problem solved with little follow-through.
A Plan That Works With or Without SWIS
Every school needs a schoolwide behavior support plan that staff will actually use. SWIS provides valuable information, but it cannot replace teacher ownership. The Schoolwide Behavior Support Protocol was built to combine both, and it works whether a school uses SWIS or not.
When schools adopt this process, they create a culture where staff voice matters, data is used wisely, and solutions are shared transparently. That combination builds trust, increases buy-in, and ensures that the plan does not sit on a shelf. It becomes part of how the school works every day.
If your team is feeling the disconnect between what they’re seeing in classrooms and what the data shows, this is a helpful place to begin. And if talking it through would help, you can always email me here.