FBA and IDEA: School District Process and Recommendations
This paper examines the functional behavioral assessment (FBA) process as implemented by a New Mexico school district, evaluating it against the criteria established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The paper outlines the district's five-step FBA procedure, reviews IDEA requirements for both the FBA and behavior intervention plan (BIP), and identifies a key gap: the district's tendency to initiate assessments reactively rather than preventatively. The author recommends adopting a bi-annual student review strategy and a school-wide, team-based approach to identifying behavioral needs before they escalate, aligning more closely with the preventative spirit of IDEA.
- Introduction to FBA and IDEA: Defines FBA and its legislative context under IDEA
- The District's FBA Process: Five-step FBA procedure used in New Mexico district
- IDEA Criteria for FBA and BIP: Team-based approach and IDEA compliance requirements
- Gaps in the District's Current Approach: Reactive rather than preventative assessment identified as gap
- Recommended Process Revisions: Bi-annual reviews and school-wide involvement recommended
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper moves logically from description to evaluation to recommendation, giving it a clear problem-solution structure that is easy to follow.
- It grounds its critique in specific legislative language (IDEA's preventative mandate) rather than making vague claims, lending the argument credibility.
- The recommendation is concrete and actionable — a bi-annual review cycle and school-wide involvement — rather than abstract or generic.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates policy-to-practice gap analysis: it first establishes the legal and procedural standard (IDEA criteria), then measures the district's actual practice against that standard, and finally proposes specific revisions to close the identified gap. This technique is common in education policy and special education literature.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a definition of FBA and its legislative context, then enumerates the district's five-step process in list form. It evaluates that process against IDEA criteria, identifies a prevention-versus-reaction gap, and closes with a two-paragraph recommendation. References follow APA-style formatting. The paper is concise and appropriate for an undergraduate or early graduate course in special education administration.
Introduction to FBA and IDEA
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 target behavior and determining how it can be addressed based on information gathered about the student. Ideally, the entire school will participate in the process, as each member of the school community brings a perspective and shared level of experience that can positively shape outcomes (Sugai et al., 2000). Likewise, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (IDEA), implementing an individualized education program (IEP) is imperative, and it should be aligned with the FBA (Drasgow, Bradley, & Shriner, 1999). This paper outlines the steps used by a New Mexico school district to complete an FBA, reviews the IDEA criteria for the functional behavioral assessment process and behavior intervention plan (BIP), identifies gaps in the district's current plan, and recommends process revisions.
The District's FBA Process
The New Mexico school district completes the following steps in its functional behavioral assessment process:
First, the school must describe and define the target behavior using specific, clear terms that leave no room for ambiguity.
Second, the school must gather information on the various possible functions of the target behavior, using both direct and indirect measures of the behavior, and measuring for accuracy in the assessment.
Third, the behavior must be categorized by asking: "Is this the result of a skill deficiency or a performance deficiency?" The answer to this question determines how the assessment proceeds.
Fourth, the information must be analyzed so as 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).
IDEA Criteria for FBA and BIP
In accordance with the criteria stipulated by IDEA for the FBA and BIP, the process should be team-based so that a higher degree of objectivity and communal spirit is involved (Chandler & Dahlquist, 2014). A team approach also supports stronger adherence to the overall objective. Importantly, the FBA is not to be used as a manifest determination in which the disability itself is identified. Instead, the FBA under IDEA is used to identify the reason for the behavior — that is, its function — and to use that knowledge to develop an adequate behavior intervention plan. This distinction is central to the proper application of the law and to serving students effectively.
References
Chandler, L., & Dahlquist, C. (2014). Functional assessment: Strategies to prevent and remediate challenging behaviors in school settings. Pearson.
Drasgow, E., Bradley, R., & Shriner, J. (1999). The IDEA amendments of 1997. Education and Treatment of Children, 22(3), 244–266.
New Mexico Public Education Department. (2015). Functional behavioral assessment. Retrieved from http://www.ped.state.nm.us/RtI/behavior/4.fba.11.28.pdf
Sugai, G., et al. (2000). Applying positive behavior support and functional behavioral assessment in schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2(3), 131–143.
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