Coaching+&+PBIS


 * C **hange is hard. Implementing systemic reform, like PBIS, means a lot of change. Good coaching helps you and your staff make the necessary shifts of habits in thinking and acting. PBIS in NC outlines a coaching structure that includes multiple layers of support.

If you are implementing PBIS, an individual in your school should be designated as the “In-School Coach.” This staff member is deeply involved in all of the PBIS meetings and training sessions in your building. Also, this person should coordinate data collection and assist colleagues in using the data to make decisions. In many ways, this In-School Coach is your point-person for PBIS in your school. The In-School coach has a deep knowledge about the realities of your school and a strong connection with the stakeholders. However, this person should also be a link to the district PBIS coordinator and the broader system of coaching supports. The In-School Coach works with external coaches to coordinate implementation evaluations and then respond to the evaluations with thoughtful PBIS action planning. As a leader, the selection and supervision of the In-School Coach can have a strong impact on the effectiveness of PBIS.
 * IN-SCHOOL COACH **

In order to support the front-line work of your In-School Coaches, your local school district should provide an external coach or trainer. While the strength of the In-School Coach is her immediacy and knowledge of the specifics of your site’s implementation, the external coach is deeply connected to the general research and practices around PBIS. External Coaches collaborate with the In-School Coach to provide perspective and new insight into the challenges and opportunities with PBIS in your school. As a school leader, you should work with your In-School Coach to make use of the External Coach to evaluate your progress, make data-based decisions, and to research and execute solutions to specific, complex problems.
 * EXTERNAL COACH **

A District Coordinator is chiefly responsible for guiding the implementation for the local school district. By hosting networking meetings for the implementing schools in your district, collecting and analyzing relevant data from implementing schools, and managing the school system’s PBIS action plan, the District Coordinator can assist your school by ensuring that your implementation activities fall within the context of broader efforts at sustainable change. In many school districts, the District Coordinator will also have the responsibilities as the External Coach. If not, you may have limited contact with your District Coordinator. It is important to recognize the coordinator as a key liaison to the leadership of your school system. If there are policies or procedures at the LEA level that inhibit your school’s implementation of PBIS, the District Coordinator can assist you in working toward changes. Also, you should communicate training needs to the District Coordinator so that your coaches and PBIS teams can benefit from continuous professional development.
 * DISTRICT COORDINATOR **

Each of the eight State Board of Education Regions in NC is served by a PBIS Regional Coordinator. The coordinator’s sole responsibility is to provide expertise regarding PBIS innovations and implementation. These coordinators offer technical assistance to all of the school systems in the region and conduct regional PBIS training. Also, Regional Coordinators work to synthesize the improvement activities of neighboring districts and facilitate sharing of knowledge and resources. As a principal, your direct contact with these Regional Coordinators will be very limited. However, it is important for you to know that they can help local coaches with particularly “wicked” problems and a wealth of experience and expertise is just a phone call or email away.
 * REGIONAL COORDINATOR **