⏹️ Set up PBIS Rewards for the new school year: 

• Update your School Calendar under “Settings” then “School information” and “School Calendar." Add the dates for your academic year and set the “Grading Period Type."
• Update your In-Session Calendar and identify dates you are out of school for breaks. This is extremely helpful for those using Check-In/Check-Out.
• Set up Contact Roles under “Settings” then “School information” and “Contact Roles."  Here you will edit and confirm contacts.
   

⏹️ Roster students and staff:

• For those using Clever or ClassLink: If your school syncs data with your SIS via Clever or Classlink, don't forget to navigate to the student tab once rosters are finalized to import your students for the new school year.
• For those manually rostering: PBIS Rewards will remove students from your highest grade from the previous school years and move all other students up a grade to prepare for the new year then mark all the students “inactive.” Uploading your entire roster will reactivate the students from the previous year and add the new students. Or, if you prefer, you can upload the new students and your lowest incoming grade and reactivate your returning students.
• Please note, points are reset each school year so each student can start with a clean slate. Although points are reset, schools do have the option of importing balances from the previous school year, if desired.
• Determine if you will utilize house groups. House groups (a feature released in Summer 2023) allow you to create cross-grade groups within PBIS Rewards. 
   

⏹️ Print ID cards. As long as student IDs have not changed, you can reuse ID cards from previous school years. If IDs have changed or if you have new students, print new ID cards for the new school year.

⏹️ Update staff permissions. Select the “Staff” tab to assign individual permissions or multiple permissions at the same time. 

⏹️ Set daily points goal. By setting daily point goals, you will be able to encourage consistency in the number of points staff members are awarding to students. Navigate to the “Settings” tab (Admin Permissions Required) and set staff, support staff, and student daily points goals, as desired. You can also set a Daily Point Cap to restrict the number of points that can be awarded by staff members each day. 

⏹️ Update additional settings. There are many other settings admins can customize within the system. Select the “Settings” tab and “Options” to edit or add additional settings. Please note, all settings carry over from the previous year.

• Manage Expectations: You can change your point type, add new expectations, edit expectations, or mark inactive expectations you no longer use.
• Give Comments: Selecting this option will allow staff members to add a comment to the points being awarded. If selected, comments can be given anywhere points are awarded, as well as in the “My Activity” page.
• Display Student Balance (Groups): This setting will determine if current balances for students are visible in the Groups screen.
  • Show Student Balance will display the student balance in a small grey bubble on each student in the group.
  • Hide Student Balance will not display the balance bubble.
     
• Adjust Points Override: This option allows an Admin to adjust a student’s balance due to an error.
  • Show Adjust Points Option to Admin will allow any Admin to adjust a student’s points.
  • Don’t Allow Admins to Adjust Point Values will restrict Admins from adjusting students’ points.
     
• Store/Event Staff Override: Choose if Staff Members will be able to override in the Store and Events screens. Overriding a purchase or event allows the student to purchase the item or register for an event even if the student does not have enough points.
  • All Staff gives all staff members the ability to override. 
  • Store/Event Admins Only will allow only store/event admins to override.
  • Disable Overriding for All Users means that no one in the school will have override capability.
     
• Star Rewards - Set Star Score: Turning on this feature will automatically award staff members points in Teacher Rewards when they log in, reward a student, or reach their daily point goal.  
   

The 2026-27 back-to-school season will be here before you know it! Our product experts have created these helpful tips to help you start the new school year off right! 
 

🔹 Review student portal options and select desired settings for student purchasing and allowing students to remain signed in.

🔹 Update your school store, adding/removing items and updating inventory.

🔹 Practice with test students! This will not record real data and will allow you to test out new/additional features.

🔹 Explore and set up the new Teacher Rewards to use with staff.

🔹 Favorite groups and reports that you plan to use frequently, so you can easily access them from your home page.

🔹 Install and log into the PBIS Rewards Staff App.

🔹 Print the family letter so that families can be connected through the PBIS Rewards Family App.

New Feature! – The Live Leaderboard will display a screen that shows the top points earners over a time period. It updates in real time, with new points showing up as stars that float across the screen and the top ten students reorder themselves.

Coming for Back to School! - Hall Pass Plus, an exciting add-on to PBIS Rewards, will now include the ability to allow student-initiated passes, place students on a waitlist if building and location limits have been met, and schedule passes in advance! Hall Pass information is now available for families in the PBIS Rewards Family app, as well. 

We Heard Your Feedback! - We love hearing feedback from our customers, and after an overwhelming number of requests for this feature, we are excited to introduce student purchasing limits into PBIS Rewards! Student purchasing limits will allow staff to set a limit on the amount and frequency that a student can purchase a specific item. Whether it is one time per year that a student can purchase an item, or twice per day, schools will now have an improved ability to manage student purchases and maintain store inventory!