The PBIS World Book

Reward System

Why should I do it:

  • Provides students with positive feedback
  • Students respond to positive reinforcement best
  • Helps reinforce positive behaviors and expectations
  • Provides incentive
  • Increases motivation, buy-in, and effort
  • Produces a challenge with a pay-off
  • Creates incentive
  • Improves behavior and academics
  • Increases on task and attending behaviors
  • Produces immediate and quick results
  • Provides a visual concrete reason for students to work toward behavioral and academic goals

When should I do it:

  • When students exhibit chronic behavioral problems
  • When students demonstrate low and persistent motivation, effort, and interest
  • When a student refuses to do work or follow behavior guidelines
  • With oppositional and defiant students
  • When students have poor attention and focus
  • When students are impulsive
  • When students consistently fail to meet behavioral and academic expectations
  • When students frequently break the school and classroom rules
  • When students have difficulty getting along with others or interact inappropriately with others
  • When students have frequent incomplete and missing work

How do I do it:

  • PBISWorld.com School Reward Dollars.pdf (simply type in your school name to customize them!)
  • Give the student the Forced Choice Survey to determine what type of reward they prefer and will be most likely to work toward
  • There are numerous reward systems and strategies, please click on and explore the links below to choose an idea(s)
  • Some basic reward systems include:
    • Token economy where students earn a token, check mark, sticker, etc for meeting predetermined goals, which they can use to buy or earn a reward after a certain number
    • Praise for performing expected behaviors
    • Earning privileges for meeting expectations
    • Earning free time for meeting expectations
    • Positive notes sent home for demonstrating good behavior and meeting expectations
    • Small items as rewards for following rules and procedures, including stickers, erasers, trinkets, pencils, crayons, snacks, drinks, books, candy, etc

Resources & Support for technique: