HOW TO BOOST PBIS USING REWARDS : HOW KIDVESTORS SUPPORTS PBIS
- KidVestors
- Jun 16, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
What you'll learn:
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, education isn’t just about what students learn in the classroom. It’s also about how they learn, how they engage with the material, and how they approach challenges, both academically and socially.
This is why Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is gaining traction in schools across the country. PBIS is a framework that focuses on promoting positive behavior, academic engagement, and creating a supportive environment that helps students succeed. At KidVestors, we’re all about using innovative methods to engage students, and our Earn While You Learn incentives align perfectly with the goals of PBIS.
What is PBIS?
What does PBIS stand for?
PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) which is a proactive approach to improving student behavior and academic outcomes. It’s a tiered system that emphasizes the prevention of problematic behaviors, teaching students the desired behaviors, and reinforcing positive actions to create a positive school culture. Unlike traditional punitive systems, PBIS focuses on building a supportive environment where students are empowered to make good choices.
The goal is to improve behavior by creating clear expectations for students and providing consistent, positive reinforcement when they meet those expectations. It's about actively fostering an environment where students can thrive and succeed. Schools that implement PBIS have seen improved academic outcomes, decreased discipline referrals, and a more positive school climate.
How PBIS Can Curb Chronic Absenteeism
One of the key areas where PBIS can have a significant impact is chronic absenteeism. Research has shown that when students miss school regularly, it negatively affects their academic performance, increases the likelihood of behavioral issues, and, in the long term, can reduce their overall chances of success. So how does PBIS help with absenteeism?
PBIS provides a framework for schools to create an environment where students are motivated to attend school regularly. By recognizing and rewarding positive behavior and engagement, students feel more connected to their school community. This sense of belonging and achievement reduces the likelihood of disengagement and absenteeism. When students see the positive outcomes of their actions, whether it’s through a reward, recognition, or a sense of accomplishment, they’re more likely to come to school consistently and engage with their learning.
At KidVestors, our Earn While You Learn incentive system is designed to keep students motivated and excited about learning, which can be a key factor in improving attendance and engagement. By rewarding students with real monetary incentives, stock ownership, and other rewards, we encourage them to not only show up to class but also fully engage with the learning material.
Understanding the Three Tiers of PBIS
PBIS is structured into three tiers, each providing different levels of support based on student needs.
Tier 1: Universal Support – This tier is for all students and focuses on creating a positive and supportive school culture. Schools set expectations for behavior, and the goal is to prevent problems before they occur. Most of the students will respond to this level of intervention.
Tier 2: Targeted Support – This tier is for students who need additional support. These students may show some signs of at-risk behavior but don’t need intensive one-on-one support. Targeted interventions, such as small group counseling or additional behavioral strategies, are used to help these students improve.
Tier 3: Intensive Support – This tier provides individualized support for students who exhibit chronic or severe behavioral or academic issues. It involves intensive, personalized interventions to address the specific needs of these students.
How KidVestors Supports PBIS and Incorporates Evidence-Based Practices
KidVestors is a perfect fit for Tier 1 PBIS support. We offer universal support to all students, regardless of their behavioral needs, by providing engaging content and incentives that motivate students to participate and succeed. We use evidence-based practices to ensure our platform is effective in supporting both academic learning and positive behaviors.
Incorporating Life Skills Like Financial Education, Budgeting, and Investing
One of the reasons KidVestors fits perfectly with Tier 1 PBIS is that we provide students with life skills that feel relevant and meaningful today. Our platform teaches financial literacy, budgeting, and investing—skills that not only set students up for future financial success but also align with the real-world needs they face today. These skills are also highly motivating for students because they can immediately apply them to their lives. By tying learning to real-world applications, we make it clear to students that the knowledge they’re gaining is not just for a distant future but for their immediate lives.
Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
PBIS is about the whole student. That’s why social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of our platform. KidVestors incorporates SEL through CASEL’s 5 competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. By teaching these skills, we help students build emotional intelligence, which is a key factor in positive behavior. The SEL aspect also supports PBIS’s goal of fostering positive school climates by encouraging students to build better relationships and make more responsible decisions.
PBIS Rewards: How KidVestors’ Incentives Promote Positive Behavior
Rewards play a critical role in PBIS, and KidVestors offers a unique and dynamic reward system that is specifically designed to increase student engagement, retention, and positive behaviors.
Monetary Rewards: KV Bucks that Turn Into Real Cash
One of the standout features of KidVestors is our KV Bucks, which students earn as they complete lessons and reach milestones on our platform. These virtual rewards can be saved and turned into real money when students achieve their goals. This monetary reward system ties the student’s effort and behavior to tangible outcomes, making the rewards not just motivating but meaningful. Students see the direct connection between their actions, the effort they put into learning, and the rewards they receive.
Ownership in Real Stock as a Reward
KidVestors takes a unique approach to PBIS by offering ownership in real stock as a reward. Students can earn shares in real companies as they progress through financial literacy lessons. This ties academic success to real-world financial growth, giving students a sense of ownership and investment in their future. By incorporating real stock into our reward system, we teach students about the stock market while motivating them to continue their academic and behavioral growth.
Non-Monetary Rewards: Curated by Educators or Pre-Selected
In addition to the cash rewards, we also offers non-monetary rewards such as badges, certificates, and recognition. But we don't stop there. Want to give a free homework pass? Extra free time? Longer lunch? These rewards can be curated by educators or selected from our pre-approved list. This flexibility allows teachers to personalize rewards based on their classroom culture and individual student needs. Non-monetary rewards, especially when they are tied to personal achievements, encourage positive behavior by acknowledging the student’s efforts without always needing to be financially based.
How KidVestors’ Rewards are Automated and Embedded
One of the best parts of KidVestors is that our rewards system is fully automated. When students reach milestones or demonstrate positive behavior, their rewards are automatically added to their account. This removes the need for teachers to manually track, distribute, or worry about fairness in reward allocation. By handling the heavy lifting, KidVestors ensures that schools can focus on what they do best, teaching, while we take care of the rewards.
Our automated system also ensures that rewards are distributed consistently and in real time, providing instant feedback to students. This prompt reinforcement is key in maintaining positive behaviors and boosting student motivation.
KidVestors and PBIS—A Perfect Partnership
KidVestors’ Earn While You Learn incentives are not just a fun way to engage students—they’re a powerful tool for promoting PBIS. By aligning with the principles of positive behavior reinforcement, financial education, and social and emotional learning, we offer a system that supports students at every stage of their development.
Through monetary rewards, non-monetary recognition, and real stock ownership, KidVestors provides a diverse range of incentives that engage students in learning while reinforcing positive behaviors. Plus, with our automated reward distribution, schools don’t have to worry about the logistics—KidVestors does the heavy lifting.
If you're looking for a comprehensive platform that aligns with PBIS and promotes positive behaviors, KidVestors is the perfect partner. Let’s create an environment where students are motivated, engaged, and ready to take on the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Empower your students with lifelong financial skills. Learn more about bringing KidVestors to your school or district at www.kidvestors.co/schools .