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Short answer: The Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) is a free instrument from the Center on PBIS that measures how fully a school is applying the core features of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Tier 1 (universal), Tier 2 (targeted) and Tier 3 (intensive). Version 3.0 scores 54 items from 0 (not implemented) to 4 (fully implemented), for 216 available points. A school team completes it, ideally with an external coach.
Definition and scope
The TFI 3.0 Manual (Center on PBIS, February 2025, University of Oregon) describes the TFI as a valid, reliable and efficient measure of the extent to which school personnel are applying the core features of PBIS. It has three sections, Tier 1: Universal PBIS Features, Tier 2: Targeted PBIS Features and Tier 3: Intensive PBIS Features, which can be used separately or together. In research vocabulary it is an implementation-fidelity measure: it records whether an intervention framework is delivered as designed, not whether student outcomes improved. That distinction matters within implementation science, where fidelity is one of several implementation outcomes.
The manual states four uses: initial assessment of whether a school is using (or needs) PBIS; a guide for implementing Tier 1, 2 and 3 practices; an index of sustained implementation; and a metric for identifying schools for recognition within state implementation efforts. It says the TFI 3.0 builds on earlier PBIS fidelity measures (SET, BoQ, TIC, TFI 2.1, SAS, BAT and MATT) and was revised from 2.1 to prioritise mental health integration, equity and classroom implementation.
How the TFI is administered
- Who completes it: a school Leadership Team or Systems Planning Team, typically 3 to 8 people including a building administrator and an external coach or district coordinator. The manual strongly recommends an external PBIS coach as facilitator and reports that validity research on the TFI 3.0 shows school teams are more accurate when an external coach facilitates.
- Tier 1 preparation: teams completing the Tier 1 scale should arrange a TFI Walkthrough (Appendix A) first. It is an interview and observation form for randomly selected staff and students, should take no more than 20 to 30 minutes, and is completed by an external reviewer for formal fidelity monitoring or by a member of the school team for progress monitoring between formal assessments. The staff interview covers at least 10% of staff, or at least five staff members in smaller schools.
- Schedule: teams self-assess at launch and then every third or fourth meeting (progress monitoring every 3 to 4 months) until they reach fidelity across three consecutive administrations. Once a tier meets fidelity, the team may shift to annual assessment. Schools new to PBIS may start with Tier 1 only.
- Time and cost: the average in initial validation work was 40 to 50 minutes per tier, with the first completion expected to take longer. There is no cost to use the TFI or its online scoring and reporting. It can be completed on paper or on pbisapps.org, and downloaded from pbis.org.
Structure and scoring
Each item is scored on a rubric from 0 = Not implemented to 4 = Fully implemented. A complete administration yields three scale scores (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 points) plus subscale and item scores, which the manual says are meant to guide coaching and team action planning. The table is drawn from the manual’s table of contents.
| Tier | Items | Subscales (item numbers) |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1: Universal | 1.1 to 1.20 | Leadership Team (1.1 to 1.2); Practices (1.3 to 1.10); Systems (1.11 to 1.16); Data (1.17 to 1.20) |
| Tier 2: Targeted | 2.1 to 2.15 | Leadership Team (2.1 to 2.2); Leadership Team Practices (2.3 to 2.7); Systems (2.8 to 2.12); Data (2.13 to 2.15) |
| Tier 3: Intensive | 3.1 to 3.19 | Leadership Team (3.1 to 3.2); Leadership Team Practices (3.3 to 3.6); Systems (3.7 to 3.12); Data (3.13 to 3.14); Individualized Support (3.15 to 3.19) |
The 20, 15 and 19 items at a maximum of 4 points each give 80, 60 and 76 points, so the 216-point total follows by arithmetic, and the manual’s preliminary fidelity benchmark of 40, 30 and 38 points is 50% of each tier.
TFI 2.1 versus TFI 3.0
Many pages that rank for this query still describe version 2.1. The PBISApps help article on scoring changes (modified 2 April 2025) and the 3.0 manual support this comparison.
| Feature | TFI 2.1 | TFI 3.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Items | 45 (54 minus the nine added) | 54: nine more than 2.1 (five in Tier 1, two in Tier 2, two in Tier 3) |
| Item rubric | Shorter rubric; 90 points over 45 items implies a 0 to 2 scale | Expanded 5-point rubric, 0 to 4 |
| Available points | 90 | 216 |
| Fidelity benchmark | Set on the 2.1 scoring and used as the comparison for 3.0 | Preliminary: 50% of available points per tier (40, 30, 38), pending future research |
PBISApps advises that, because of the larger point range, teams may prefer to interpret scores as points rather than percentages; both are available in online reports.
How researchers use the TFI
- As a fidelity covariate or outcome. Tier scale scores give a per-school, per-time-point index of implementation, which can be reported alongside student outcome data in studies of PBIS. Report the version (2.1 or 3.0), because point totals and benchmarks are not interchangeable.
- Rater conditions are part of the method. The manual’s finding that teams score more accurately with an external coach means that facilitation, and whether the Walkthrough was done by an outsider or school staff, belongs in the measurement procedure. For background on agreement between raters, see the guide to inter-rater reliability coefficients.
- Treat the benchmark as provisional. The authors call the 50% criterion preliminary and set it by comparison to the TFI 2.1, so do not present it as a validated cut score. For what validity evidence involves, see construct validity.
- Choose the study frame deliberately. A fidelity tool answers an implementation question. See choosing an implementation science framework and the overview of educational research methods for designs that pair it with outcome measures.
Common misunderstandings
- The TFI is not a student outcome measure. It measures what the school is doing, not student behaviour or achievement.
- It is not only a one-time audit. The manual describes repeated administration every 3 to 4 months until fidelity is reached, then annually.
- It does not have to cover all three tiers each time. The first use is recommended to cover all three; later progress monitoring may cover only the tiers in the action plan.
- The Walkthrough and the TFI are different forms. The Walkthrough is an input to scoring the Tier 1 scale, not a replacement for it.
FAQ
Where can I get the TFI as a PDF or manual?
The Center on PBIS publishes the TFI 3.0 Manual, which contains the items, rubrics and appendices (Walkthrough Tool, Classroom Data Summary Worksheet, Targeted Interventions Reference Guide and Tier 3 Support Plan Worksheet), at pbis.org and files.pbisapps.org. The forms can also be completed online at pbisapps.org.
How long does the TFI take?
The manual reports an average of 40 to 50 minutes per tier in initial validation work, with the first completion taking longer than later ones.
What score counts as implementing with fidelity?
For the TFI 3.0 the preliminary recommendation is 50% of available points: 40 on Tier 1, 30 on Tier 2 and 38 on Tier 3, pending future research.
What is the TFI Walkthrough?
An interview form for the Tier 1 scale with questions for randomly selected staff and students, completed by an external reviewer for evaluation or a school team member for progress monitoring.
Who funds the TFI?
It was developed by the Center on PBIS with funding from the Office of Special Education Programs and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Sources
- Center on PBIS. (February 2025). Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) Manual, Version 3. University of Oregon. files.pbisapps.org/pub/pdf/TFI-3-Manual.pdf. Read 7 November 2026.
- PBISApps Help Desk. How has the scoring changed? (modified 2 April 2025). support.pbisapps.org. Read 7 November 2026.
