Is it right for us?
Why the TFI 3.0 was developed, and what we have learned about PBIS fidelity
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What is TFI 3.0?
Exploration Event
Thank you to Karen Robbie & Nicole Peterson (UConn) for Sharing Visuals and Content Development!
UPDATED 11/10/25
www.midwestpbis.org
@midwestpbis
In partnership with
All youth achieve
social - emotional - behavioral
and academic success.
Our Vision
Collaborate with adults to create a safe, equitable, consistent, and positive learning environment for all youth.
Our Mission
The Midwest PBIS Network (MWPBIS) is a national research, grant, and direct-funded, nonprofit organization located in Illinois.
Our primary charge is to function as a hub of the Center on PBIS, a national technical assistance partnership funded from the U.S. Department of Education.
About Midwest PBIS Network
The Center's model of capacity building emphasizes a cascade of implementation to assist state departments of education in the installation, fidelity, outcomes, and sustainability of PBIS. We encourage you to also access local technical assistance from your state and region.
Objectives
Increase awareness and understanding of newly revised Tiered Fidelity Inventory 3.0
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Understand how the TFI 3.0 identifies priorities for continuous improvement
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Identify relevant resources to support strengthening of implementation efforts
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Let’s Get Connected
Just as districts and schools engage in a continuous improvement cycle, so does the Center on PBIS. We revised the TFI 3.0 to more accurately align with center guidance on supporting classroom implementation, promoting family and student voice, integrating mental health and wellness, connecting crisis and emergency planning to schoolwide supports, and prioritizing equity.
Key Areas Highlighted in the TFI 3.0
Classroom
Mental Health
Crisis Response
Voice
Offering better alignment with current guidance through the National Center on PBIS
EQUITY
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Can you Spot 5 Differences?
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TFI 2.1
TFI 3.0
What is Different?
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See all Tiers: https://support.pbisapps.org/support/solutions/articles/151000209970-item-crosswalk-of-tfi-2-1-and-tfi-3-0-items
Item Crosswalk – Tier 1
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TFI 2.1 Tier 1 | TFI 3.0 Tier 1 |
1.1 Team Composition | 1.1 Team Composition |
1.2 Team Operating Procedures | 1.2 Team Operating Procedures |
1.3 Behavioral Expectations | 1.3 Schoolwide Expectations |
1.4 Teaching Expectations | 1.4 Schoolwide Expectations Taught |
1.5 Problem Behavior Definitions | 1.6 Contextually Inappropriate Behavior Definitions |
1.6 Discipline Policies | 1.7 Responses to Contextually Inappropriate Behavior |
1.8 Crisis and Emergency Response Plan Linked to Schoolwide Supports | |
1.7 Professional Development | 1.12 Schoolwide Professional Development and Coaching |
1.13 Classroom Professional Development and Coaching | |
1.8 Classroom Procedures | 1.9 Schoolwide Practices used in Classrooms |
1.10 Classroom Practices | |
| 1.11 Established Priority |
1.9 Feedback and Acknowledgement | 1.5 Schoolwide Acknowledgement |
1.10 Faculty Involvement | 1.14 Faculty and Staff Engagement |
1.11 Student/Family/Community Involvement | 1.15 Student Engagement |
1.16 Family and Community Engagement | |
1.12 Discipline Data | 1.17 Decision making with Behavior Data |
1.13 Data-based Decision Making | 1.18 Using School and Community Data to inform Tier 1 |
1.14 Fidelity Data | 1.19 Decision Making with Fidelity Data |
1.15 Annual Evaluation | 1.20 Evaluation Plan |
Item Crosswalk – Tier 2
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TFI 2.1 Tier 2 | TFI 3.0 Tier 2 |
2.1 Team Composition | 2.1 Team Composition |
2.2 Team Operating Procedures | 2.2 Team Operating Procedures |
2.3 Screening | 2.3 Screening |
2.4 Request for Assistance | 2.4 Request for Assistance |
2.5 Options for Tier 2 Interventions | 2.5 Options for Tier 2 Interventions |
2.6 Tier 2 Critical Features | |
2.7 Practices Matched to Student Need | 2.6 Decision Rules for Assigning and Exiting Students for Intervention |
2.8 Access to Tier 1 Supports | 2.7 Access to Tier 1 Supports |
2.9 Professional Development | 2.8 Orientation and Training |
2.10 Level of Use | 2.9 Level of Use |
2.11 Student Performance Data | 2.13 Decision Making with Student Performance Data |
2.12 Fidelity Data | 2.14 Decision Making with Fidelity Data |
2.13 Annual Evaluation | 2.15 Evaluation plan |
| 2.10 Student Engagement |
| 2.11 Family and Community Engagement |
| 2.12 Faculty and Staff Engagement |
Items Crosswalk – Tier 3
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TFI 2.1 Tier 3 | TFI 3.0 Tier 3 |
3.1 Team Composition | 3.1 Team Composition |
3.2 Team Operating Procedures | 3.2 Team Operating Procedures |
3.3 Screening | 3.3 Screening |
3.4 Student Support Team | 3.15 Individual Support Team |
3.16 Individual Assessment Plans | |
3.17 Individual Support Plans | |
3.18 Individual Support Plan Orientation and Training | |
3.5 Staffing | 3.9 Staffing |
3.6 Student Family Community Involvement | 3.10 Student Engagement |
3.11 Family and Community Engagement | |
3.12 Faculty and Staff Engagement | |
3.7 Professional Development | 3.7 Leadership Team Professional Development and Coaching |
3.8 Quality of Life Indicators | 3.4 Comprehensive Assessment Protocol |
3.9 Academic Social and Physical Indicators | |
3.10 Hypothesis Statement | |
3.11 Comprehensive Support | 3.5 Individual Support Plan Protocol |
3.12 Formal and Natural Supports | |
3.13 Access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Supports | 3.6 Access to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Supports |
3.14 Data System | 3.13 Decision Making with Aggregated Student Performance Data and Fidelity Data |
3.15 Data-based Decision Making | 3.19 Individualized Data-Based Decision Making |
3.16 Level of Use | 3.8 Level of Use |
3.17 Annual Evaluation | 3.14 Evaluation Plan |
HOW HAS SCORING CHANGED?
TFI 3.0 = 5-point scale (0-4)
TFI 2.1 = 3-point scale (0-2)
Your points total may be similar to the 2.1 however your % implementation will likely drop!
HOW HAS TIER 1 FIDELITY % CHANGED?
TFI 3. 0 Tier 1 Fidelity based on reaching 50% of possible points
TFI 2.1 Tier 1 Fidelity = 70%
Administration Process
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TFI Administration Process
Glossary and Acronym Key
TFI Walkthrough Procedures
Why?
When?
Who?
Relevant TFI Features
TFI Walkthrough Procedures
Interview at least 10% of staff or at least 5 staff members for smaller schools
TFI Item | Question |
1.3 | What are the schoolwide expectations or values ? |
1.4 | Have you taught the behavioral expectations defined in the schoolwide matrix this year? |
1.9 | If staff person is a classroom teacher:
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1.5 | Have you acknowledged students for demonstrating behaviors or skills reflected on the schoolwide matrix within the last week? |
1.6 | Do you know the schoolwide procedures for handling contextually inappropriate behavior, including what behaviors are office supported vs. teacher/staff supported? |
1.7 | Are the established procedures for responding to contextually inappropriate behavior used consistently across the school? |
1.11 | Does PBIS implementation support school improvement goals |
Staff Questions
TFI Walkthrough Procedures
TFI Walkthrough Procedures
Interview a minimum of 10 students
TFI Item | Question |
1.4 | What are the schoolwide expectations or values ? |
1.4 | Can you give an example of ________(school expectation) in the _______ (current setting or routine)? |
1.5 | Have you been acknowledged (or earned ______) for demonstrating the schoolwide expectations or values in the last 2 weeks? |
1.5 | Are you acknowledged or rewarded in ways that you like (elementary) or are meaningful to you (secondary |
Student Questions
TFI Walkthrough Procedures
Classroom Data Summary Procedures
Review data from a representative sample of most (>60%) of classrooms collected at multiple time points
Used to answer Item 1.10 Classroom Procedures
Classroom Data Summary Procedures
1.4 Teaching Expectations
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Schoolwide expectations are not taught.
| Schoolwide expectations are taught informally or inconsistently. | A written process for scheduled delivery of lesson plans is used to directly teach, practice, actively supervise, and prompt academic/SEB competencies and routines as defined in the schoolwide teaching matrix across all settings, and at least 80% of students can list at least 100% of the expectations and give an example of at least one expectation within a particular setting or routine. | A written process for scheduled delivery of lesson plans is used to directly teach, practice, actively supervise and prompt, academic/SEB competencies and routines as defined in the schoolwide teaching matrix across all settings, at least 80% of students can list at least all of the expectations and give an example of at least one expectation within a particular setting or routine, and at least 50% of educators can give an example of how schoolwide expectations are monitored, prompted, reviewed, or reinforced within SEB or academic instruction. | A written process for scheduled delivery of lesson plans is used to directly teach, practice, actively supervise and prompt, academic/SEB competencies and routines as defined in the schoolwide teaching matrix across all settings, at least 80% of students can list all of the expectations and give an example of at least one expectation within a particular setting or routine, and at least 80% of educators can give an example of how schoolwide expectations are monitored, prompted, reviewed, or reinforced within SEB or academic instruction. |
Reflective questions to focus the conversation:
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Example of walkthrough data embedded into scoring criteria
PBIS Assessment
Data Entry & Reporting
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PBIS Assessments – Data Entry
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PBIS Assessment Reports
Available Reports
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Points vs Percentage
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Subscale Report�Team, Practices, Systems, Data
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Next Steps
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Both Versions Remain Available
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What about this school year?
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Statewide Recognition & the TFI
Illinois schools
- For the 2025-2026 school year, Midwest PBIS Network will continue to accept either TFI 2.1 or 3.0 for recognition purposes. Check our website after the New Year for all details!
Other states need to connect with your local networks for guidance.
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Resources for TFI 3.0
https://www.pbisapps.org/products/tfi
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Questions & Support
evaluation@midwestpbis.org
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