Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) recently released a Dear Colleague letter and updated guidance on Using Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) to Create Supportive Learning Environments. This article is designed to help parents understand FBAs and behavior intervention plans (BIPs). It explains the tools, how they function, and what you can expect to support your child better—whether you are stateside, overseas, in a county school, or a DoDEA school.

Supporting Military-Connected Children Through Behavior Plans

Military-connected children often face frequent transitions, making parents the most consistent and knowledgeable members of their IEP (Individualized Education Program) team. As schools, districts, and states change, you remain the expert on your child’s history—documenting behaviors, tracking attempted interventions, and understanding effective strategies. Unfortunately, these transitions can lead to lost records, leaving parents uncertain whether their child received a Functional Behavior Assessment or the appropriate support.

Functional Behavior Assessments

An FBA is a functional behavior assessment used to understand the function and purpose of a child’s specific, interfering behavior and factors that contribute to the behavior’s occurrence and non-occurrence to develop effective positive behavioral interventions, supports, and other strategies to mitigate or eliminate the interfering behavior. *It is important to note that a 504 Plan and IEP are not necessary for an FBA to be conducted.

Who Conducts an FBA, and Is Consent Required?

Parental consent is required to conduct an FBA. Typically, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or School psychologist conducts an FBA.

What are the Characteristics of Conducting an FBA?

1. Provide a description of the behavior – Clear, specific, measurable, observable, and objective description of the behavior that interferes with learning.
2. How does data collection look? – Collect and analyze environmental and behavioral factors by using data sources that include observations and interviews:
   • Collect and analyze direct data (classroom observations) and indirect data (interviews and anecdotal reports with teachers, parents, early childhood providers, and the student).
     • When the behavior happens
     • When the behavior doesn’t happen.
     • How often the behavior occurs.
     • How often the behavior lasts.
     • Environmental Factors that impact the behavior.
     • Where the behavior takes place.
     • Individuals present when the behavior occurs.
   • Review existing data
     • Attendance
     • Academic performance
     • Prior behavioral incidents
     • Student health records
     • Previously implemented academic or behavior interventions
3. Function-Based Behavior Review – Once the data are collected, educators analyze the data to include:
   • What events happened before? – These are called the triggering antecedents.
   • What are the interfering behaviors? – These are behaviors that cause harm to oneself or others.
   • What events happened immediately after the behavior occurs? – These are consequences that cause the behavior to occur or recur initially.
4. Skill Development – After analyzing data, it is important to identify the social, emotional, or academic skills the student needs to develop to prevent the behavior.

Behavior Intervention Plans/Behavior Support Plans

Once an FBA is completed, the school team will determine if a BIP or BSP is necessary. BIP is a behavioral intervention plan, and a BSP is a behavioral support plan. BIP/BSP should contain the following:

• Describe the behavior interfering with the students learning or interactions/peers/adults
• Examine the environmental factors. This includes lighting, seating arrangements, noise level interactions with peers and/or adults, and accessibility to the academic curriculum that may contribute to the behavior occurring or not occurring.
• Explaining the function or purpose of the behavior and the environment before and after the behavior occurred.
• Identifying the support strategies that prevent the interfering behavior from occurring
• Teaching the student skills that will address the function of the interfering behavior through instructional strategies and interventions and recognizing when the student uses those skills
• Recognizing the student for reducing behaviors that interfere with the learning and for demonstrating the new skills learned
• Determining the school personnel responsible for implementing the plan and how the plan will be implemented with fidelity
• Support educators through training and consultation to use strategies that prevent interfering behaviors from occurring and respond appropriately.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan, including how student progress will be measured

Tips for FBAs and BSPs/BIPs

1. Remember not to target the learner’s disabilities when addressing behaviors – it is unfortunately common with our disabled learners to target actions that are directly connected to their disability, i.e., fidgeting, stimming, non-verbal communication, executive functioning issues, etc.
2. Consider all factors – it is noted above that it is important to look at the learner’s environment, who is present when the behaviors occur, what happens before the behaviors, and what happens after; all factors are important.
3. Teaching a skill – teaching a skill is key. If they are seeking connection, how do they get a connection in a non-harmful way? Who is teaching that skill, and when?
4. Training and consultation – ensure school staff receives the training and consultation to support disabled and non-disabled learners in including their disability and recognizing the difference between problematic and non-problematic behaviors.

Functional Behavior Assessments can be helpful for learners when conducted correctly and used to support the learner, not to penalize them. Click here to learn more about the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services updated guidance on conducting functional behavior assessments.

About the Author – Dr. Destiny Huff

Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, is a late-diagnosed autistic-ADHD military spouse and mother of two neurodivergent children. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapist, and non-attorney special education advocate who owns HRG Counseling & Supervision, LLC and Destiny Huff Consulting, LLC.