Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, or PBIS, represents preventative behavioral instruction delivered to the whole school population in an effort to foster a positive school climate.  Like RTI, PBIS espouses a multi-tier, data-based approach to service delivery.  The first tier includes teaching a set of appropriate behaviors within the whole school; the second tier activates behavioral interventions for students who do not respond to the primary instruction, and the third tier involves individualized behavior support plans for students who do not respond to primary or secondary prevention support (McIntosh et al, 2010).

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners.  Students' progress is closely monitored at each stage of instruction to determine the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, in special education or both.  Educational decisions about the intensity of duration of  the interventions are based on individual student response to instruction.  RTI is not a program.  It is part of a comprehensive system for improving achievement of all students.