Idea Fba and Bip in Schools

FBA and IDEA in Our School District

The functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a method of solving a problem of student behavior by determining the cause of the problem and developing an intervention to address and correct it. It includes identifying the behavior that is the target and how it can be reached based on the information gathered about the student. Ideally, the entire school will participate in the process of addressing the issue, as each member of the school body brings a perspective and shared level of experience that can positively shape outcomes (Sugai et al., 2000). Likewise, based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendents (IDEA), the need to implement an IEP (individualized education program) is imperative and should be aligned with the FBA (Drasgow, Bradley, Shriner, 1999). This paper will provide the steps used by my school district to complete an FBA, review the IDEA criteria for the functional behavior assessment process and behavior intervention plan, note any gaps which should be addressed in the school district's plan, and recommend process revisions.

Our New Mexico school district completes the following steps in the functional behavior assessment (FBA) process:

First, the school must describe and define the target behavior using specific, clear terms that leave no room for doubt.

Second, the school must gather information on the various possible functions of the target behavior and a) used both direct and indirect measures of the behavior, and b) measure for accuracy in the assessment of the behavior.

Third, the behavior has to be categorized by posing the question, "Is it the effect of a skill deficiency or of a performance deficiency?" The answer to this question makes the difference in how the assessment is resolved.

Fourth, the information must be assessed so as to be able to formulate a hypothesis that can be tested.

Fifth, the school must develop an intervention or implement a behavior intervention plan (New Mexico Public Education Department, 2015).

In accordance with the criteria stipulated by IDEA for the FBA and BIP, the process should be team-based so that there is a higher degree of objectivity and communal spirit involved in the process (Chandler, Dahlquist, 2014), which fits in with the criteria of IDEA. Likewise, the team-approach allows for a better adherence to the overall objective to maintained. For instance, the FBA is not to be used as a manifest determination in which the disability is to be identified. Instead, the FBA in accordance with IDEA is to be used to identify the reason for the behavior (this is the function) and use this knowledge to prepare an adequate behavior intervention plan.

The heart of the IDEA is that preventative outreach be enacted at an early age by utilizing every aspect of the school available, implying that the school as a united body should proceed towards the appropriate level of care for the child and in developing a BIP for the student. In our school district there appears to be a gap in determining when it is appropriate to conduct the FBA and develop the BIP. If misconduct is the cause of the FBA, then it may already be too late as the IDEA promotes prevention rather than reaction. While the IDEA does provide grounds for conducting the FBA within 10 days of misconduct, there is a level of implicit criteria that suggest that the school should be more hands-on in identifying the reasons for behavior functions prior to any outbursts and should be developing a BIP for the student based on this preventative assessment following the FBA formula.

Thus, the recommended process revision for my school district is to adopt a strategy of reviewing each student bi-annually and assessing where functions and causes of behavior are rooted and how the students are developing individually. The criteria should be related to IDEA and thus follow the concept of identifying disabilities before they become manifested in disturbing episodes of behavior that are disruptive. The point is to catch disruptions before they appear by locating the need within the student based on observational data, gathered from the school members as a whole. For this reason, it is recommended that the entire school be involved in knowing students, from teachers to administrators to staff members and so on. By observing and having the information dossiers on each student on hand, the school is better prepared and equipped to know which students require a BIP and which do not.