Unit 2: Setting Up Your Classroom Economy
This onboarding page is designed to help you launch your classroom economy in a simple, manageable way. You will identify your starter behaviors, set up rewards, add students, decide how to track dollars, and learn how payroll works so you can begin using Bankability with confidence.
Everything Needed to Launch the System
Your goal is not to build the most complex system. Your goal is to create a classroom economy that is easy to start, easy to explain, and easy to maintain.
We recommend starting with a few high-impact moves:
- Review 2-3 recommended behaviors to reinforce
- Set up a simple rewards menu
- Add your students or ask your coach for help
- Decide how you will track classroom dollars
- Learn the basics of entering payroll
Start Small. Stay Consistent.
Teachers get the best results when they begin with just a few routines they can use every day.
- Pick a few behaviors to focus on first
- Use positive narration and consistent language
- Give students clear ways to earn
- Award dollars as quickly and frequently as possible in the beginning to build understanding and momentum
- Choose one easy tracking method
- Allow each student to make a purchase
- Build confidence before adding more
Start with Bankability Behaviors
Bankability includes pre-defined behavior categories so you do not need to build your system from scratch.
We recommend starting with just 2-3 of our built-in categories first. This makes implementation easier for teachers and clearer for students.
Recommended Starting Categories
- Participation
- Following Directions
- Being On-Task
Already Using PBIS? You're Covered.
If your school or classroom already uses PBIS expectations, you can align those expectations directly to Bankability behavior categories.
Respectful
May align to:
- Encouraging
- Helping
- Following Direction
Responsible
May align to:
- On Task
- Collaboration
- Problem Solving
Ready
May align to:
- On-Task
- UMAPA
- Participation
Need Something More Specific?
Some teachers may want to reinforce something very specific to their classroom, like arriving on time, homework completion, or classroom jobs.
For now, those teacher-selected behaviors can be added using the Bonus, Employment, or Exit Ticket categories.
Use the Bonus Category For:
- Arriving on time
- Homework completion
- Helping others
- Classroom jobs
- School-specific PBIS focus behaviors
Best Practice: Start with 2-3 Bankability behaviors and add a Bonus behavior only if needed.
Goal: Keep the system simple enough for students to learn quickly and for teachers to use consistently.
- Make a copy of the Student Launch Deck to personalize each slide.
- Review the Bankability behavior categories.
- Start with the 3 core behaviors and decide if you want to add one additional behavior from our list or your own.
Set Up Your Rewards
Next, navigate to the Social Economy menu in your account and add the rewards you want students to be able to purchase.
We recommend starting with 3-5 simple rewards. Students do not need a huge menu at the beginning.
Suggested Reward Ideas
- Homework pass
- Technology time
- Free time
- Class Party (everyone buys ticket)
- Sit with a friend
- Positive note home
- Teacher Perks
- Line leader (if age appropriate)
Best Practice: Skip bills initially—focus on rewards first.
Goal: Motivate students to earn dollars through high-interest rewards, building engagement and buy-in.
Open your Social Economy menu and add at least 5 rewards that would motivate your students. Then update your Student Launch Deck to reflect your reward options.
Open Social EconomyTutorial: Create Your Economy
Choose the learning format that works best for you. Watch the tutorial video below or download the step-by-step guide for a printable walkthrough.
Click to download step-by-step directions
Add Students to Your Classroom
You can add students directly to your classroom account so they are ready to participate in your classroom economy. If you have a large roster, your coach can help you get set up faster.
Once each student has an account, they can:
- View their account balances
- Download paystubs
- Make purchases
- Setup a monthly budget
Add your students now, or make a note to send your roster to your coach for setup support.
Add StudentsTutorial: Create Student Profiles
Choose the learning format that works best for you.
Click to download step-by-step directions
Decide How You'll Track Dollars
Option 1: Paper Dollars
Distribute paper dollars as students earn them throughout the day, then have them deposit earnings at the end of the session or school day.
- High engagement
- Very concrete for students
- Easy for introducing the system
Option 2: Dollar Tracker
Use a printable tracker to record classroom earnings. At the end of class or day, students can deposit their dollars.
- Simple and organized
- Easy to use consistently
- Good bridge to payroll
Option 3: Assign a Tracker
Hire a student banker or classroom tracker, or assign another adult to support the process.
- Builds ownership
- Can simplify teacher workload
- Student job can earn extra dollars
Update the Tracking Dollars slide in your Student Launch Deck to show how you will track earnings (e.g., physical dollars, tracker chart, or student role).
Open Student Launch DeckPayroll Setup: How It Works
Payroll is how teachers log student earnings. The system automatically processes payroll on the 1st and 15th.
Simple Payroll Flow
- Students earn dollars during class
- Dollars are collected or tracked
- Teacher or assigned helper enters payroll
- Students see which teacher assigned income
Enter any amount of earnings for each student using one of the three behaviors (participation, following directions, on-task). Funds will be deposited on the next payday.
Open PayrollTutorial: Processing Payroll
Choose the learning format that works best for you.
Click to download step-by-step directions
Here's the simplified flow once your system is up and running:
Step 1
Collect student earnings from class using your chosen tracking method.
Step 2
Record earnings by day earned during payroll time, or assign a helper to assist.
Step 3
Review balances and prepare students for using their dollars toward rewards.
You're Ready to Submit & Connect with Your Coach
Submit your Student Launch Deck so your coach can review your setup. After submitting you'll be redirected to schedule your coaching call and learn about your next steps.
Behaviors selected
2-3 core categories chosen
Economy set up
Rewards added, students enrolled
Payroll understood
Tracking method chosen
Opens your milestone form — takes about 2 minutes to complete.
You've Built Your Foundation.
You've completed the foundation of your classroom economy. Your next step is to submit your Student Launch Deck for coach review.
Your coach will confirm your setup, answer questions, and help you decide your path forward:
This is your complete implementation
Your coach will confirm you are up and running and help you maintain momentum going forward.
Expand with advanced strategies
Your coach will introduce classroom jobs, deeper behavior tools, and reinforcement strategies.
Build toward life skills curriculum
Your coach will guide you through budgeting tools, expanded student features, and life skills resources.