BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS
An Individual Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP)
The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) included a provision
requiring that specific guidelines be followed for students who have behavioral problems.
According to the final regulations, a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and
behavior intervention plan (BIP) may be required for any student with a disability who
has first been removed from his or her current placement for more than 10 days in a
school year and when beginning any removal that results in a change in placement.
However, an FBA and a BIP are also helpful and recommended for any student with a
disability whose behavior problems interfere with his or the learning of other students. In
order for the functional behavioral assessment and behavioral intervention plan to be
meaningful and useful, a team of professionals should follow a sequential and logical
process. The steps should include:
1. Consider the reasons for the assessment and plan;
2. Collect and review information about the student’s behavior from a variety of
sources;
3. Complete the functional behavioral assessment and, in doing so, decide
 which specific behavior is to be addressed,
 what happens before the behavior,
 what happens after the behavior, and
 what purpose the behavior serves;
4. In cases of possible change of placement, determine whether the behavior is
related to the student’s disability;
5. Write a behavioral intervention plan that includes
 specific behavioral goals,
 positive interventions,
 consequences for misbehavior;
 methods and timelines for evaluation, and
 any other related information that impacts the student’s behavior;
6. Review and approve the plan.
The behavioral intervention plan should be disseminated to everyone on the student’s
team, including the student, parents, teachers, assistants, counselors, and administrators.
Clear assignments should be made to determine who will monitor the plan and, if
removals occur, who will track the dates and duration of those removals. Administrators
responsible for discipline should be provided a summary so that they can readily
determine which disciplinary responses should occur under specific circumstances.
It is important that data regarding the student’s behavior be collected and reviewed as
part of the assessment and before the BIP is written (baseline data). The data collection
process should continue throughout the implementation of the plan. If the plan is not
achieving its desired goals, it should be reviewed and modified. Clear, measurable
behaviors should be targeted and criteria for acceptable performance should be defined so
that all involved parties can determine whether the student has met his goals. A variety of
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interventions, unique to the individual student, should be implemented. The regulations
are very clear that positive interventions must be included in the BIP.
Observation Checklist for Component 6:
Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) and FBA
Indicator
Components of a Functional Behavioral Assessment
and Behavioral Intervention Plan:
Notes/Comments
o Clear Description of the Behavior(s) Targeted
for Intervention
*Observable, measurable behaviors
o Summary of Related Information Gathered
from a Variety of Sources
*Formal and informal assessment data
*Interviews with teachers and parents
*Discipline and attendance data
o A Thorough Assessment of the Behavior(s)
*What happens before, what happens after, and
a hypothesis of the function of the behavior
o In Cases of Placement Change, a
Manifestation Determination
*Consideration of whether the serious behaviors
leading to the placement change are related to
the disability
o A Well Written BIP Including All
Components
*Specific Goals, Positive Interventions,
Designation of Personnel Responsible,
Criteria for Success, and Methods and
Schedules for Evaluation
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Functional Behavioral
Assessments
(FBA)
The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act mandates
that schools conduct a functional
behavioral assessment when a student
exhibits behavior that disrupts the
educational environment interferes with
their education or will result in suspension.
Five Main Components
Component One
1. A clear description of the problem
behaviors.
2. Identification of the events, times, and
situations that predict when the problem
behavior will and will not occur
throughout the typical day.
3. Identification of the consequences that
maintain the behavior.
4. Development of one or more summary
statements or hypothesis that describe
specific behaviors, a specific type of
situation in which they occur, the
possible function that the behavior
serves, and the outcomes or reinforcers
maintaining them in that situation.
5. Collection of direct observation data that
support the summary statements that
have been developed.
Define the behavior in observable, factual
terms:
Component Two
Component Three
Antecedent: Identify the factors that
typically precede the behavior.
External factors:
Internal factors:
Time
Moods
Activity
Medical conditions
Setting
Disabilities
People
Events
Example: John refuses to do his
assignments in 3rd period History and 4th
period English.
EXAMPLE:
John refuses to work. When given
assignments that require reading he will
shove his books to the floor and put his
head down. He becomes defensive and
uses vulgar language towards the teacher
when the teacher attempts to redirect his
behavior.
Consequences: Identify what typically
follows the behavior.
Teacher attention
Poor attention
Verbal Warning/Reprimand
Time Out
Detention
Removal from class
ISS
Example: When John refuses to complete
his assignments and uses vulgar language
the teacher fills out a discipline referral
form and calls security to escort him to the
office for the remainder of the period.
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Component Four
Example of a Hypothesis/Function
Hypothesis (Function): What is the purpose
that you think the behavior serves?
 Escape/avoidance
 Attention
 Expression of anger
 Frustration
 Vengeance
 Seeking power/control
 Intimidation
 Sensory stimulation
 Relief of fear or anxiety
 Acceptance
John is a 7th grade student that reads on a
2nd grade level. He avoids assignments in
History and English that require extensive
reading by engaging in behavior, such as,
refusing to work and using foul language,
that will result in his removal from the
classroom.
Component Five
The Functional Behavioral Assessment
1. Open student file
2. Select ARD documents
3. Select ARD meeting forms
4. Select ARD Committee Meeting Report
5. Click on page 3
6. Click Special Disciplinary Procedures/
Functional Behavior Assessment
Direct observation data examples:
 Observation forms
 Discipline referral forms
 Attendance records
 Interview forms
 Behavior graphs/tally sheets
 Scatter plots
 Point sheets
 Behavior logs
Steps for Completing the Special
Disciplinary Procedures/Functional
Behavioral Assessment
1. Complete Student Data
2. Special Education Staff; Name of
Special Education teacher completing
the FBA
3. Answer the Yes/No Statements
 This student’s behavior impedes
his/her learning or that of others.
 Special behavior intervention
 strategies may be necessary to assist
this student in addressing problem
behaviors.
4. If the answer is Yes to either question,
proceed with the FBA.
Behaviors reported by Parents,
Teachers, and Counselors
Component One:
Describe the behaviors in observable,
factual terms. (Example):
The teacher states that on the playground,
in the cafeteria, and during transitional
periods Casey hits, kicks, and pushes other
students. She does this when she is not first
in line, when they have an item that she
wants, or when they do not comply with her
wishes. The students avoid conflict by
giving in to her wishes.
The parents state that Casey hits, kicks,
and pushes her little brother when he has
something she wants. She will also hit her
parents when she does not get her way.
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What Happens Before the Behavior
Occurs?
Prioritized Targeted Behaviors

Component two (Antecedent)
Identify the factors that typically precede
the behavior.
Example: Casey displays the inappropriate
behavior during unstructured and
transitional times (Antecedent).

Select a small number of behaviors
to focus on. These behaviors
should be the most critical for the
student’s success in school. (No
more than two or three)
Prioritize the student’s behaviors,
and then select the most important
behavior to consider first.
Function of the Targeted Behavior
Example:
Component four: Hypothesis/Function
What is the purpose that you think the
behavior serves?
All behavior serves a function. It allows us
to:
 get,
 escape,
 avoid something
or communicate some other
 message or need.
In unstructured time when Casey does not
get what she wants (antecedent), such as;
being first or obtaining in object, she will
hit, push and kick (behavior) others in
order to gain control (function). In order to
avoid conflict students give in to her wishes
(consequence).
Behaviors Manifested in the Past Year
Consequences/Reinforcers
The Related to DIS section is optional.
1. In the first column, check any behaviors
that have been manifested in the past
year.
2. In the second column, check off any
behaviors that an ARD Committee has
previously determined to be related to
the student’s disability.
For each consequence/reinforcer indicate
the frequency it was used during the past
year and determine how effective it was in
altering the student’s behavior.
Example of frequency:
 Weekly
 Twice a day
 Monthly
 5 times
Note: This information will assist in
determining the most effective
consequences or reinforcers in the
development of the behavior intervention
plan.
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Identify reinforcers or consequences that
have not been tried but might be
Contingency Plan
effective:
Reinforcers
Consequences
Check off options that may be considered
in the development of the behavior
Special passes
Phone call home
intervention plan.
Contract
Office referral
Computer time
Reduce time for
 Note: This section does not
socialization
Constitute the Behavior
Reduced monitoring
Escort
Intervention Plan.
time
Note: When trying to determine the best
Identify any behavior management
reinforcer or consequence, use knowledge
techniques that the parent has requested not
of the student’s preferences and strengths.
be used with the student.
YES/NO
The Behavior Intervention Plan
Check yes/no whether or not goals and
objectives for increasing positive behaviors
and/or negative behaviors have been
included in the IEP.
Once the Functional Assessment is
complete and the ARD committee has a
clear understanding of the antecedents and
consequences that maintain the function of
the behavior, the ARD committee must
determine if there is a need for a Behavior
Intervention Plan.
If the ARD committee determines that
there is a need for a Behavior Intervention
Plan, proceed to the goals and objectives
portion of the IEP.
Goals and Objectives
Using the information that has been
collected and analyzed in the Functional
Behavioral Assessment identify specific
goals and objectives that directly address
the prioritized behaviors on the FBA.
Goal
Example: The student will demonstrate
appropriate physical action towards
others.
Objective
Example: Casey will refrain from hitting,
kicking or pushing others.
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Mastery Criteria
Guidelines for Selecting Strategies
Determine what percentage will constitute
mastery based on the student’s level of
abilities and the level of the behavior.
1. The intervention must align with the
function of the behavior.
2. The intervention must include proactive
strategies that teach the replacement
behavior.
Note: Physical aggression should always be 3. The intervention must include a
100%.
continuum of positive and negative
consequences.
Replacement Behaviors
When selecting an intervention and
choosing a replacement behavior, you must
first determine if the inappropriate behavior
is the result of a skill deficit or performance
deficit.
Skill Deficit
The student does not perform the desired
appropriate behavior because they do not
know how to do it.
Example: A student may engage in
physically violent behavior because they
believe violence is necessary to efficiently
end a confrontational situation.
Intervention: Teach specific problem
solving and conflict resolution techniques
the student can use in a confrontational
situation.
Performance Deficit
Reinforcers/Consequences
The student may have the skills needed to
perform the appropriate behavior, but either
chooses not to use them or can not perform
the behavior for reasons such as anxiety,
anger, frustration, or a medical condition.
Example: The student makes rude
comments in class in order to make peers
laugh.
Intervention: Teach the student appropriate
ways to gain peer attention, then reinforce
the appropriate behavior with an extrinsic
motivator.
General Education: Specify the reinforcers
and consequences that will be used in the
general education setting.
Example: In the mainstream classroom, the
general education teacher will:
 Use verbal praise
 Utilize the behavior contract chart
 Complete point sheets
 Request for assistance as needed
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Reinforcers/Consequences
Initial Evaluation Criteria
Special Education: Identify reinforcers and
the continuum of consequences that will be
used in the special education setting.
Determine how you will evaluate the
effectiveness of the Behavior Intervention
Plan.
Example:
Reinforcers
Example:
Problem behavior
Evaluation method
Truancy
Off Task
Fighting
Calling out
Attendance
Point sheet
Office referrals
Behavior chart
Consequences
verbal praise
earn points
trading
daily reinforcement
tickets
store
behavior chart
not earn points
not earn privileges
removal
office referral
call home
ISS
Conclusion
In order to effectively change a student’s
behavior, we must develop a Behavior
Intervention Plan that incorporates the
following:

Proactive teaching strategies

Replacement behaviors that serve
the same function as the
inappropriate behavior

A continuum of both positive and
negative consequences
The content of the plan must be based on
the information gained through the
Functional Behavior Assessment.
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