Leveraging findings on the cost of positive behavioral interventions and supports to inform decision making by leaders in special education programming

The field of special education has become increasingly interested in and concerned about the costs associated with delivering programs and services to students. Yet, to date, there has been relatively limited data on the costs or return on investment of special education services and preventive interventions. • There is an opportunity to learn from other areas of education about the costs and benefits of programming related to students with disabilities. One such line of cost-related work that has emerged over the past few years has focused on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). • This paper reviews the process of conducting a cost analysis alongside findings from a series of recent PBIS-related research on costs and benefits, including the return on investment associated with PBIS. • Research suggests that the benefits of PBIS outweigh the costs, signaling a positive return on investment. • Current research evidence shows that the largest benefits of PBIS come from improvements in academics, suggesting the value of interventions that support student behavior, which may be maximized for students with special educational needs.