I recently came across the Australian concept of a whole-school approach, and it gave me language for something I’ve been thinking about for years: true school-wide change doesn’t start with a small team—it starts with everyone.
By Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director
In the Australian education system, a whole-school approach refers to a comprehensive, collective effort where all members of the school community—teachers, students, leadership, families, and support staff—are actively involved in shaping the school’s culture and support systems from the very beginning. It’s not just about rolling out PBIS or RTI in every classroom. It’s about making sure every person connected to the school understands their role in creating a safe, supportive learning environment.
More Than Just a Tiered Model
In the United States, many schools adopt a tiered framework—like PBIS or MTSS—starting with a leadership team and expanding from there. While that structure has its strengths, it can unintentionally create distance between the “framework” and the people it’s meant to support. Teachers may feel left out of decision-making. Families may feel uninformed. And students may feel like behavior expectations are something done to them, rather than something created with them.
A whole-school approach flips this dynamic. It builds relational trust, shared responsibility, and collective ownership from the start. It’s not about getting everyone on the same page—it’s about writing that page together.
What Makes a Whole-School Approach Different?
Here’s how a whole-school approach deepens impact:
- Everyone is part of the plan—not just the leadership team
- Values are lived, not laminated—they’re reflected in daily routines, relationships, and decision-making
- Support systems are aligned across classrooms, staffrooms, and family partnerships
- Cultural responsiveness and inclusion are prioritized, not retrofitted
- Students have a voice, and families have a seat at the table
This isn’t just a strategy—it’s a mindset. And when it’s done well, it changes everything.
What U.S. Schools Can Take from Whole-School Approach
If we want to build truly supportive, sustainable systems in U.S. schools, the whole-school approach offers a valuable blueprint. It reminds us that our behavior supports, SEL work, and academic systems are most effective when they’re co-created, not handed down.
When we prioritize connection over compliance, collaboration over rollout, and community over hierarchy, we set the stage for something far more powerful than a framework—we build a culture.
Final Thoughts
At TGS Educational Consulting, we believe that behavior support planning should feel like a promise we know we can keep. And the whole-school approach offers a way to keep that promise—together. This is why we have always approached PBIS implementation through whole-school training and by seeking comprehensive input from students, staff, families and community. Beginning the process together means that what be build together will last.