���� Build Tier 3 Capacity Using Basic FBA to BIP: Training Behavior Specialists

Chris Borgmeier, PhD

Portland State University

Chris.Borgmeier@pdx.edu

www.BasicFBA.com @BasicFBA

Session Description & Objectives

• Many schools are struggling to support students with Tier 3 Behavior Support needs and lack personnel trained to lead effective behavior support. This session introduces the Basic FBA to BIP e-learning modules, a free training resource, and provides guidance for schools and districts to implement systems and coaching to promote effective, sustained implementation.

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OBJECTIVES

1. Participants will be able to clearly describe the logic behind training school personnel to conduct Basic FBA to BIP and the components of the Basic FBA to BIP training series
2. Identify ways to maximize professional development using the Basic FBA to BIP training to support school implementation and build school and district capacity for Tier 3 Behavior Support 
3. Describe the school-wide training component of Basic FBA to BIP for fostering a school-wide context for supporting an effective Tier 3 system of support and incorporating function-based assessment and intervention into Tier 1 and Tier 2 behavior support systems.

Introductions

• Who is here today?
• Special Education Teachers?
• Administrators?
• Paraprofessionals?
• District Behavior Specialists/BCBAs?
• Outside consultants?
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• Responsible for conducting FBA and building BSPs?

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Tier 3 Behavior Support

• Individualized Interventions
• Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP)
• Team-led Process w/ Behavior Support Expertise
• Formal Fidelity & Outcome Data Collection

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• FBA/BIP + Wraparound
• Wraparound differs from many service delivery strategies, in that it provides a comprehensive, holistic, youth and family-driven way of responding when children or youth experience serious mental health or behavioral challenges.
• Mental Health support
• Interconnecting School Mental Health and School-wide PBIS

FBA/BIP:

+ Wraparound

Functional Behavioral Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP)

An empirically supported practice that has been demonstrated to improve both the effectiveness & efficiency of behavioral interventions in schools

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FBA/BIP is the most direct way to impact student behavior; focusing on the factors that school personnel have the most control over

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For Tier 3 Support, Trauma-Informed Care, Social Emotional Learning & Mental Health 🡪 all can be most effective if incorporated into FBA/BIP

• Currently there is not strong evidence supporting stand alone programs of TIC, SEL, MH to support student behavior in schools
• Evidence for Tier 3 - Trauma Informed Programs for Schools
• No programs currently identified as ‘Effective’

FBA to BIP

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Process

BIP Process

Training FBA/BIP

• No one can properly train you to do FBA/BIP in 3 hours

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• What is a Behavior Specialist?
• More often a role than a position
• Person w/ requisite skills & knowledge (FBA/BIP)
• Person w/ capacity to lead Behavior Intervention Planning, Implementation & Evaluation

www.BasicFBA.com

Basic FBA to BIP Training Series�New interactive on-line e-modules ��

FBA/BSP in Schools: How are we doing?

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• FBA/BSP continues to be underutilized
• Schools continue to struggle to utilize FBA information to build and implement individualized supports
• (Blood & Neel, 2007; Cook et al., 2007, 2012; Scott & Kamps, 2007; Scott, Liaupsin, Nelson, & McIntyre, 2005; Van Acker, Boreson, Gable, & Potterton, 2005)

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FBA/BIP 🡪 Typical Practice… How are we doing?

• We often use our most effective tools only after challenging behaviors have become severe and/or dangerous (Scott et al., 2010)
• Driven by the Law, rather than used as a more proactive support
• Behavior Support needs to be implemented before teachers and staff members have reached the limits of their frustration

🡪 An extremely challenging entry point to support

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FBA/BIP Policy Document (Nov. 2024)

“While FBAs have traditionally been used to support students with disabilities who receive services through an individualized education program (IEP), the use of FBAs has evolved, and they are now widely seen as helpful to students with and without disabilities.

We believe that FBAs can and should be used as a strategy to support any student whose behavior interferes with learning. By using FBAs, educators can gain a better understanding of a student’s needs by identifying factors that contribute to the behavior’s occurrence. More specifically, data gathered through an FBA allows educators to develop positive and proactive BSP/BIPs that use a function-based approach to teaching and learning to create more inclusive, developmental and educational experiences, without having to resort to removals from the classroom.” (p. 2)

“FBAs should be utilized more frequently than currently used to understand behaviors that interfere with learning and inform appropriate instructional strategies or interventions.”

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• How are you doing w/ FBA/BSP at your site(s)?
• What are the biggest challenges or barriers you face to implementing FBA/BSP at your site(s)?

Why Does FBA Continue to Be Underutilized In Schools?

• Common barriers…
• Lack of personnel with sufficient training in FBA/BSP can lead to providing support in a “triage” manner
• Behavior Specialist = Fire Fighter/Emergency Personnel
• Opportunity is lost to utilize FBA for less severe persistent problem behavior
• Plans built by “specialist” with minimal input from implementers
• Plans lacking contextual fit
• Lack of follow-up support, feedback, coaching

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The “Hero” Model of Behavior Support

• As a result:
• FBA/BIP is often limited to use under extreme, dangerous, or emergency situations

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• only people with “specialized training” are to conduct FBA/BIP (e.g. District Specialists, School Psychologists, BCBAs)

Complex FBA :

Behaviors and Maintaining Functions Vary, and are not Easily Defined and/or Identified

District Behavior Specialist or BCBA

What is your District’s Investment? � Capacity for Behavior Support

What’s your Math?

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# of students in your district

X .01 (1% of students)

# students requiring Intensive Behavior Support

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# of students/# of District Behavior Specialists

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One District example:

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40,000 students

X .01 (1% of students)

400 students requiring Intensive Behavior Support

400 students/ 4 District Beh. Specialists =

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100 students/ District Behavior Specialist

Most Complex FBAs (1%)

Overcoming Barriers: A Proactive Approach to Behavior Support Planning

• Many of problem behaviors that teams encounter do not require comprehensive FBA-BSP

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• Using simplified FBA-BSP procedures that “match” the level and intensity of problem behavior
• Provide FBS at the first signs of persistent problem behavior

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Basic FBA/BSP:

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Non-Dangerous Behaviors and Maintaining Functions are Easily Defined and Identified

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Complex FBA or Functional Analysis:

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Behaviors and Maintaining Functions Vary, and are not Easily Defined and/or Identified

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• As schools adopt Tier 2 and Tier 3 PBIS supports, the behavior specialists in the district are often overwhelmed with requests to conduct functional behavioral assessments and building behavior support plans.

Basic Message:

Capacity Building

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Any time you feel overwhelmed the answer is likely to include investing in the training of others.

Resources

• www.BasicFBA.com

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• PBIS.org
• Tier 3 School-level Systems Guide
• Tier 3 District Level Systems Guide
• Tier 3 Student-Level Systems Guide
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• Tier 3 Brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Guide
• Tier 3 Comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Guide

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FBA/BIP

What are the Goals of FBA/BIP?

Functional Behavior Assessment & Behavior Intervention Plan

• Should the Result of an FBA/BIP be to:
• Complicate or Clarify?
• Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?
• Overwhelm or Encourage?
• Patronize or Empower?

Functional Behavioral Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan (FBA/BIP)

FBA should help to focus our understanding of student behavior, not complicate

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FBA can’t support student behavior if it does not lead to implementation of a BIP

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Teaming & Data Based Decision Making are Critical to FBA/BIP

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FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

When & How to Maximize Teaming in the FBA to BIP Process

FBA

What are the Goals of an FBA?

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

FBA Process

Student Identification & Consent (w/i an MTSS framework)

Assessment

• Records Review
• FBA Interview(s) (w/ Teacher, Staff)
• Routines Analysis
• ABC Assessment
• ABC Observation(s)
• FBA Interview (Student)
• Parent Interview

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Assess until feeling Confident w/ Function & in Details of A-B-Cs

Functional Behavioral Assessment

When Teaming can Become a Problem

The “Everything” FBA

The FBA is not focused on a single Routine

What is a Routine?

• A routine is the setting/context/environment (Where) the student is
• E.g. Math, Recess, Literacy, Music, Free Time

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Why is this important?

• Triggers, Behaviors, Consequence and Functions change for a student across different Routines
• Different triggers lead to student problem behavior across different Routines
• A difficult math problem v. peer teasing at Recess
• The same Behavior(s) can, and often do, serve different functions for a student across different Routines
• We need to understand Behavior within Routines

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 1 & 2

Functional Behavioral Assessment

How to Complicate & Overwhelm

Complicating or Clarifying?� Presenting Generalities or Specifics?

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

• Gain control of the situation
• Avoiding work or group participation/ social interaction
• Gains access to desired activity
• Avoids showing embarrassment
• Avoiding tasks where he does not see the relevance of doing them
• Internal routine needs met to avoid anxiety
• Seeking a calming environment – internal or external

Antecedents

• When misinterpreting facial expressions or tone of voice
• When he perceives an adult is angry or frustrated with him
• When he is embarrassed
• When asked to engage in non-preferred or an activity that he perceives as being too difficult
• When over focusing on a desirable activity
• Out of routine transitions
• When he is feeling the need for perfectionism
• When he doesn’t understand the reason for having to do something
• When sick
• When hungry or does not get a snack

Behaviors

• Not following adult directions as evidenced by:
• Turning away
• Not starting or participating in activity
• Putting hands over ears & closing his eyes
• Ongoing questions
• Tantruming: tense body, physically leaving work area, growling/baring teeth, making hurtful/ violent statements, stomping, slamming doors, kicking doors, throwing chairs, hitting

These are setting events

This looks like an FBA Interview by Committee

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

• Gain control of the situation
• Avoiding work or group participation/ social interaction
• Gains access to desired activity
• Avoids showing embarrassment
• Avoiding tasks where he does not see the relevance of doing them
• Internal routine needs met to avoid anxiety
• Seeking a calming environment – internal or external

Antecedents

• When misinterpreting facial expressions or tone of voice
• When he perceives an adult is angry or frustrated with him
• When he is embarrassed
• When asked to engage in non-preferred or an activity that he perceives as being too difficult
• When over focusing on a desirable activity
• Out of routine transitions
• When he is feeling the need for perfectionism
• When he doesn’t understand the reason for having to do something
• When sick
• When hungry or does not get a snack

Behaviors

• Not following adult directions as evidenced by:
• Turning away
• Not starting or participating in activity
• Putting hands over ears & closing his eyes
• Ongoing questions
• Tantruming: tense body, physically leaving work area, growling/baring teeth, making hurtful/ violent statements, stomping, slamming doors, kicking doors, throwing chairs, hitting

Math

Math

Math

Recess

Recess

Recess

English

Art

Art

English

Prioritize a Routine and Focus on It

• Danger of Team Interviews and Team Discussion and Brainstorming during FBA
• Everyone is talking about a different routine
• A trigger from Math, a behavior from literacy, a consequence/function from Social Studies
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• Go Deep – Focus on 1 Routine
• Now you know who to talk to… but make sure to keep the focus on Math
• & where to Observe

FBA Interview form

• “But, there are so many challenging times of day, the teachers want to fix them all now!”
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• What happens when we try understand them all together at once?
• or to fix them all at once?

Prioritize a Routine and Focus on It

FBA Interview form

How do we conduct FBAs that help to Focus and Simplify our understanding of a student’s Behavior?

• Focus on a single routine at a time
• e.g. Math, Recess, Library, Morning Break, Literacy block
• This is the reason for a Routines Analysis
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• Why is this important?
• Behaviors, Functions, and Triggers are different across different Routines

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Module 2 – FBA Interviews

Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• Would organizing FBAs by Routines help to Clarify FBAs at your Site(s)?
• Do you currently encourage organization of FBAs x Routines at your Site(s)?
• Do your forms support it?
• What are steps you can take to promote use of Routines to organize Behavior & Clarify FBAs?

When Teaming can Become a Problem

It Makes it Harder to Get Detailed A-B-Cs

Why is this important?

• The goal of FBA/BIP (Tier 3) is to develop Interventions that support the student’s Individualized needs

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• In order to develop interventions tailored to the student’s individual needs, we need to start with a Detailed understand of the Triggers, Behaviors, Consequence and Functions

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• Broad statements about a students Behavior are not helpful in identifying interventions

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 1 - 3

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Presenting Generalities or Focusing on Specifics?�Complicating or Clarifying?�

Antecedents

When student is presented with a non-preferred or overwhelming task, experiences an unexpected transition or perceives loss of control over his environment

Behaviors

Task refusal, behavioral escalation, emotional dysregulation or manipulative strategies

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

Attempting to avoid non-preferred demands, control his environment to Get predictability, attention and reassurance in emotionally overwhelming situations

Presenting Generalities or Focusing on Specifics?� Complicating or Clarifying?�

Antecedents

When given a writing assignment

Behaviors

• Screams, cries, knocks desks and chairs over, leaves classroom, lies on floor

Function/ Maintaining Consequences

• Does not complete work
• Avoids task/activity

FBA for Humans or AI - It’s all about the Details

Garbage In = Garbage Out

Using AI to Support Behavior Support Planning

Open Chat GPT or Perpelxity

Use prompt: “Create a competing behavior pathway for…

• a 3rd grade student who engages in cursing during Reading class to avoid reading aloud in class because they read at a 1st grade level”
• More Detail = Good intervention suggestions (Chat GPT BIP)

V.

• a 3rd grade student in math who (B) throws tantrums to (C)avoid (A) Difficult math problems
• Garbage (no detail) In = Garbage Out (non-specific Chat GPT BIP)

Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?�

• Focusing on a Single Routine makes it easier to get Details

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• Ask Follow-up Questions
• Be Curious and Keep asking to understand
• Don’t rely on the form Prompts to be Sufficient (Critical Thinking required)
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• Have a plan when observing to look for additional details

FBA Interview form

How do we conduct FBAs that help to Focus and Simplify our understanding of a student’s Behavior?

• Focusing on a single Routine makes it easier to ask follow up questions & get Specific details.
• Interview w/ Individuals in the Routine
• Do not interview Teams because different persons are bringing perspectives from different Routines

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• Conduct observation in the same Routine to collect add’l detail, confirmation & clarification of FBA information

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Module 2 – FBA Interviews

Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

Module 3 – FBA Observations

Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• How is the level of detail in Antecedents and Consequences in FBAs at your Site(s)?
• How can you increase focus on seeking Details and supporting the use of Follow-up Questions to get Details?
• Do your forms support it?
• What are steps you can take to promote use of Follow-up Questions for more Detailed FBAs?

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

How to Support Effective Teaming

Bring Function-Based Intervention Suggestions

Why is this Important?

• The whole reason for using FBA is because research has resoundingly identified that interventions matched to the Function of the student’s behavior leads to the most effective interventions
• Interventions need to be Individualized to match information collected from the FBA
• No generic lists of interventions
• A BIP matched to the Function of Behavior that addresses the ABC’s is the most Direct intervention for supporting student behaviors because it focuses on the environmental and teaching factors that we can have the most direct control over.

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

See Basic FBA to BIP Module 4 & 5

Intervention are too General or Broad

Patronizing or Empowering?

• Many of the 21 interventions listed are redundant and overly general or broad, providing little meaningful direction
• Clear & Concise directions
• Flexible seating
• Structured access to sensory activities
• Access to sensory related activities
• Reinforce appropriate social skills
• Reinforce use of coping strategies
• Specific praise and reinforcement for appropriate behaviors

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BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Function-Based Interventions

• Clear relationship between Function & A-B-Cs in the Intervention Strategies
• Interventions directly addresses ABC’s and Function:
• Task difficulty (prompting avoidance)
• Teaching replacement behavior for Break
• Removal of most common challenge (coloring supplies)
• Replacement Behavior plays prominent role in Interventions to Address Function

BIP form

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

Modules 4 & 5 – � Function–Based Intervention

• Training to Identify Function-Based Interventions using information from the FBA
• Develop a Competing Behavior Pathway w/ a Replacement Behavior
• Identify interventions to Prevent, Teach, Reinforce & Correct Behavior
• Identify Successive Approximations to support the student to progress from the Replacement Behavior to the Desired Behavior

Module 4: Function-Based Intervention

Behavior Intervention Plan

Module 5: Behavior Intervention Strategies

Successive Approximations Worksheet

How do we go from Too Many Generic Suggestions to identifying focused Function-Based Interventions?

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• What do your Intervention Suggestions Look like?
• Long list of Generic Interventions v Focused list of Function-Based Interventions?
• Do your forms support it?
• What are steps you can take to promote identifying a Focused list of Function-Based Interventions?

BIP

What are the Goals of a BIP?

Functional Behavior Assessment & Behavior Intervention Plan

• Should the Result of an FBA/BIP be to:
• Complicate or Clarify?
• Present Generalities or Focus on Specifics?
• Overwhelm or Encourage?
• Patronize or Empower?

Behavior Intervention Plan example

• Briefly review this BIP Report from the perspective of the teachers and staff who are being asked to implement the plan

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• What are your thoughts?
• Strengths?
• Limitations/Needs?

Complicating or Clarifying?� Presenting Generalities or Specifics?

Function:

• Tangible: to access preferred items & activities
• Escape: non-preferred tasks/demands

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Functionally Equivalent Replacement Behaviors

• Request:
• Preferred item/activity
• More time w/ a preferred item/activity
• To play w/ a peer
• A turn
• Something different
• A break
• M will initiate an appropriate social interaction (e.g. high-five, greeting)

Antecedent Interventions

• Develop a reinforcement inventory to choose/ select reinforcers
• Specific praise and reinforcement for appropriate behaviors
• Clear and concise directions
• Set clear expectations when using first/then visual and earning reinforcement
• Use visuals of appropriate behavior (e.g. hand and feet to self, eyes on teacher, quiet mouth)
• Establish clear expectations of task completion
• Use of a token system under the first/then visual may be appropriate
• Establish a set timeframe for access to reinforcement
• Structured access to sensory activities
• Visual icons for expected behaviors and coping strategies

Antecedent Interventions

• Teaching of social skills; structured opportunities to target skills (e.g. turn taking, asking for items, accessing attention)
• Reinforce appropriate social skills
• Teach coping strategies; staff should consider using social stories and/or video models
• Reinforce the use of engaging in coping strategies
• Teach functional communication; use of language models, visual icons or signals (I want…, I want more time; I want to play; I want a turn; I want a break)
• Use of individual visual schedule
• First/then visual
• Choice within activities
• Access to calm down areas
• Flexible seating
• Access to sensory related activities

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Response to Problem Behavior Strategies � (1^st of 4 rows of Strategies)

FBA/BIP

• How would you feel if someone just emailed you plan or dropped it in your mailbox and essentially said, “Make this work”

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• What is a helpful end product for implementing teachers & staff?
• What do the implementers need?
• What are barriers to implementers?

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

How to Support Effective Teaming

Bring Function-Based Intervention Suggestions

• When the ‘Behavior Specialist’ brings Function-Based Intervention Suggestions, it should:
• Increase efficiency of the Meeting (for selecting & committing to interventions)
• Provides guidance & examples for those less knowledgable about Function-Based Intervention
• Reduce the tendency to “Admire the Problem”, place blame &/or focus on things we can’t control (e.g. medications, family, diagnosis)

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Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

See Basic FBA to BIP Module 4 & 5

When Teaming is Critical!

Doing the BIP WITH the Implementers, NOT to Them

Why is this Important?

• It’s great if the intervention ideas would work for the student, but if they don’t work for the Implementer(s) the student will never experience them

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• Implementation is the most important part, why do an entire assessment and develop a plan if it’s not going to be implemented?
• No intervention has ever worked that wasn’t implemented

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• Teachers and staff are juggling many things at once, we need to ensure the interventions in the plan can work for them, we need their voice when selecting and finalizing interventions in the Plan
• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

BIP Meeting: Contextual Fit & Teacher Voice

• Hold a BIP Meeting and establish norms that center supporting the student and providing teacher/staff voice in finalizing interventions for the BIP

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• We encourage using the form as a Table Tent for review at the BIP Meeting

BIP Table Tent

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

When Teaming is Critical!

Doing the BIP WITH the Implementers, NOT to Them

Avoid Too many Interventions

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• Overwhelming? or Encouraging?
• Implementation is critical and Less is More!
• How many things can we reasonably expect a teacher to do in addition to teaching a class?
• Center the interventions that are most direct in addressing the ABCs and Function
• How many interventions can you usually get teachers or staff to implement?

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• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Too many Interventions!

• On page 2 of this 5 page BIP you will find 21 Antecedent Interventions, plus many more interventions for Reinforcement & Responding to Problem Behavior on the next pages

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• If everything is important, Nothing is important
• Prioritize a manageable number of the most important interventions and describe them in greater detail

Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

Clarify not Complicate

• Total of 9 interventions
• Clearly identifying who is responsible for implementation
• With a timeframe for implementation & a Review Date

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Implementation Planning form

When Teaming is Critical!

Doing the BIP WITH the Implementers, NOT to Them

Make Sure Intervention are NOT too General or Broad

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Why is this important?

• Poorly defined interventions that are very broad are less likely to be implemented or taken seriously
• e. g. give a modified task, prompt expected behavior, provide reinforcement

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• If there is not enough detail it is not likely the interventions will be helpful in addressing the student’s individualized needs

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• If implemented, the lack of detail places substantial responsibility on a busy teacher/staff member to figure it out on their own, also leaving much room for interpretation and variability in how it is interpreted or implemented
• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Intervention are too General or Broad

Patronizing or Empowering?

• Many of the 21 interventions listed are redundant and overly general or broad, providing little meaningful direction
• Clear & Concise directions
• Flexible seating
• Structured access to sensory activities
• Access to sensory related activities
• Reinforce appropriate social skills
• Reinforce use of coping strategies
• Specific praise and reinforcement for appropriate behaviors

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BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

Clarify not Complicate

• Total of 9 interventions
• Pretty specific & clearly described
• Detail of interventions demonstrates they are aligned to the needs of the student

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• Still need training & support for implementation, but much easier when there are 9 clear, prioritized interventions

Implementation Planning form

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• How do you involve Implementers in Designing the BSP?
• Do you have BSP teaming routines in place that involved the Administrator, Implementers & Guardians?
• Do your forms & process support it?
• What are steps you can take to promote a Team-Based BIP Planning Process?

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

Why is this important?

• Implementation is the most important part, why do an entire assessment and develop a plan if it’s not going to be implemented?
• Hope, prayers & providing a copy of the plan are not proven Implementation Supports

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• Change and implementing new things is difficult and we don’t like to do new things that make us feel uncomfortable or less comfortable
• If we don’t know why… we probably won’t do it
• If we don’t know how… we can’t do it
• If we aren’t sure we know how… we probably stick to the old, more comfortable way
• If we think we know how, but don’t… we do it wrong

When Teaming is Critical!

Implementation Requires a Team

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Behavior Intervention Implementation Plan

• A little support in the first weeks can go a Long way to supporting Implementation
• Train staff how & why
• Provider reminders, prompts, encouragement & be available to answer questions
• Check-in to review & provide feedback – address challenges & questions that come

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• Let’s make a formal plan to Support Implementation as a Team
• See Basic FBA to BIP Module 6

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When Teaming is Critical!

Implementation Requires a Team

Implementation Planning form

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

(Pinkelman & Horner, 2017)

Daily Point Card Template

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• How do you currently encourage Actively Supporting Implementers with the BSP?
• Do you commit time and resources for Training, Coaching, encouragement and check-ins?
• How to actively promote and measure Implementation Fidelity of the BSP?
• What are steps you can take to increase Implementation Supports for your BSPs?

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

When Teaming is Critical!

Data and Follow-up Required!

Why is this important?

• Tier 3 students are often facing Life-course altering decisions to be moved to more Restrictive placements (School to Prison pipeline), such critical decisions warrant a high level of review based on good data to guide decision making
• Implementation is hard! Data and formal follow-up meetings set an expectation and create a routine for accountability
• We rarely have perfect Behavior Plans on the first try, and behavior is dynamic… Data and follow-up are required to be responsive to needs
• Students Behavior is highly susceptible to Bias… as we are naturally prone to remembering the student’s ‘last worst incident’
• Behavior change usually progresses through a reducing frequency of ‘incidents’ or ‘bad days’, rather than immediate elimination
• Visual Display of Data is critical to recognizing and appreciating this progression

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

• Focusing on a Prioritized Routine can make Data collection more feasible (it’s not all day)
• Make sure to focus on what important:
• Reducing the most concerning behaviors identified by the teacher
• Interventions to implement

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• Point cards aren’t perfect, but they are feasible & flexible

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When Teaming is Critical!

Data and Follow-up Required!

See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 5 - 7

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BIP Graphing template

Point Card template

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

• Set up a BIP Review meeting for 2 weeks after starting implementation
• Use data to guide the meeting and decision making
• Review:
• Fidelity of Data Collection
• Implementation
• Student Outcomes

When Teaming is Critical!

Data and Follow-up Required!

BIP Review form

See Basic FBA to BIP Modules 5 - 7

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• How are you doing with Data Collection to monitor student progress and implementation fidelity?
• Do you provide visual display of data to facilitate decision making?
• Do you have regular meeting routines to monitor progress and provide ongoing support to the BSP?
• What are steps you can take to increase monitoring and review of BSPs to support BSPs?

Supporting Implementation!

• Implementers need to be Active in Agreeing to the Final BIP Interventions
• Training is important!
• High Touch Early!
• Encouragement, prompting, Check-ins and feedback are critical, especially the first few days and week or two!
• Feasible, focused data collection
• BIP Follow-up Meeting(s)

FBA to BIP Process

Teaming & Data Based Decision Making

Functional Behavioral Assessment

Identifying Function-

Based Interventions

BIP Team Meeting to Finalize Interventions

Implementation of the BIP & Data Collection

Recurring BIP Review Meeting for Evaluation & Decision Making

FBA Data

Fidelity & Student Progress Data

When & How to Maximize Teaming in the FBA to BIP Process

Functional Behavior Assessment & Behavior Intervention Plan

Use Teaming and Data Based Decision Making for an FBA/BIP that:

• Complicate or Clarifies
• Present Generalities or Focuses on Specifics
• Overwhelm or Encourages
• Patronize or Empowers

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What Steps can you take at Your School to Use Teaming & Data more effectively to support FBA/BIP?

• So… how can we train and support staff in the skills to complete FBAs and a process that leads to meaningful, useful, implementable BIPs?

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• Keep it Basic… even with Complex, Comprehensive cases, we need to keep it Basic
• Clarify, Focus on Specifics, Encourage & Empower

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The Basic FBA to BIP Training Series��www.BasicFBA.com

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Basic vs. Complex FBA/BSP

Empirical Support for Basic FBA to BIP

Loman & Horner (2014)

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Strickland-Cohen & Horner (2015)

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Pinkelman, & Horner (2017)

Borgmeier, Loman, Hara, & Rodriguez (2014)

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Strickland-Cohen et al. (2016)

Dr. Sheldon Loman

Dr. Kathleen Strickland-Cohen

www.BasicFBA.com

Eddie Croissant

Lead Instructional Designer

Tyler Collier

Web Developer

Basic FBA to BIP

e-Learning Modules

Video Overview to Basic FBA to BIP �e-learning modules

Training Modules: Big Ideas

• Skills taught in manageable chunks
• 60-90 minute modules
• Intended delivery: 1 module every 1-2 weeks

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• Interactive Training Activities – Learn through demonstration & practice application activities

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• Built-in Assessment Activities – included at end of each module

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• Homework Tasks with each module for real-world practice that culminate in implementation of a BSP developed from an FBA

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Online Module Features

• Pre and Post Assessment for Each Module
• Participant Guide and Materials to Follow Along and Practice Using Forms/Tools
• Interactive Activities with built in Checks for Understanding
• Embedded video to model interviewing
• Embedded video for practicing observations
• Links to data collection and graphing resources specific to Basic FBA to BSP
• Email follow-up with Homework Reminders
• Free!

Basic FBA to BIP Training Series�New interactive on-line e-modules ��

ABC Tracker�Teacher completes in Classroom

Module 2 – FBA Interviews

Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

Module 3 – FBA Observations

Step by Step Training w/ video model and practice activities

Modules 4 & 5 – � Function–Based Intervention

• Training to Identify Function-Based Interventions using information from the FBA
• Develop a Competing Behavior Pathway w/ a Replacement Behavior
• Identify interventions to Prevent, Teach, Reinforce & Correct Behavior
• Identify Successive Approximations to support the student to progress from the Replacement Behavior to the Desired Behavior

Module 4: Function-Based Intervention

Behavior Intervention Plan

Module 5: Behavior Intervention Strategies

Successive Approximations Worksheet

Homework Task: Complete the Behavior Intervention Plan form

Module 6 – Implementation Plan

• Implementation Planning

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• How to facilitate an Implementation Planning meeting
• Contextual Fit
• Supporting Implementation

Implementation Plan form

Basic FBA to BIP Table Tent

(Pinkelman & Horner, 2017)

Daily Point Card Template

Module 7 – Evaluation Plan & BIP Review Meeting

Daily Point Card w/ Implementation Checks

Research suggests Daily Self-Monitoring by the implementer is an effective and feasible strategy for supporting implementation & collecting implementation data to inform feedback

Front

Back

Data-Based Decision Making

127

Evaluation Plan

BIP Review Meeting Form

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Initial thoughts about the modules
• How might you be able to use the modules to build capacity for FBA/BSP and Tier 3 systems?

Users, Feedback & Data

Completers who filled out the Google Survey Evaluation

• Behavior Specialist
• Mod 1 – 7111
• Mod 2 - 5362
• Mod 3 – 4266
• Mod 4 – 5506
• Mod 5 – 7780
• Mod 6 – 435 *(no data since 3/19/20)
• Mod 7 – 373 *(no data since 2/4/20)

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• School Wide Training
• Mod 1 – 5347
• Mod 4 - 3249

Data as of Oct 2nd 2025

Basic FBA to BIP e-Learning Module 1 User Evaluation Data

Data as of Nov. 4^th 2022

Data as of Mar. 2^nd 2023

Data as of Apr 17^th 2025

Data as of Oct 2, 2025

Basic FBA to BIP:�Planning to Maximize Implementation

Planning for Effective Use

School-wide Plan

Basic FBA to BIP

District Planning and Implementation Guide

Increasing Capacity in Schools

• School-Level Behavior Specialists
• Train at least 3-4 personnel with flexibility in their schedule to conduct basic FBA/BIP
• Only train people who will have the capacity to carry out the responsibilities of FBA/BIP
• Make the administrator participates in training

Professional Development in Schools

• Training efforts should result in both:
• Changes in educator behavior that lead to improved student outcomes
• Changes in organizational or systems-level practices
• (Reinke et al., 2014)

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• It’s going to take more than training…

New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Google Sheets
• All documents for a student in a single document
• Fill forward fields to increase efficiency
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Coaching Summary
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

• Coaching Summary
• Coaching & Feedback rubrics side by side w/ forms

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New Tool! Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

Take a minute to Review the Basic FBA to BIP + Coaching packet

• Initial thoughts?

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NOT JUST TRAINING 🡪 A Comprehensive Plan of Professional Development

• During the training or modules – expert guidance and support to answer questions
• Homework Completion with Feedback and Support is critical
• Once is not Enough! -- Repeated Practice completing FBA/BIP is necessary to build Fluency & experience a range of examples
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• Who can provide this support?
• Need a District Plan for Ongoing Coaching & Technical Support

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District Behavior Support Specialist

Coach and Support Teams building behavior support plans from Assessment information

Train 3-4 people per school to conduct “Basic” FBA/BIP

Support School Teams with Complex FBA/BIP cases

Facilitate District Leadership Team focusing on Systems of Tier 2 & Tier 3 Behavior Support

A Comprehensive PD Plan

• Commitment: Tier 3 Behavior Support is more than Practices, it’s a Commitment to supporting students with the most significant behavioral needs

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• Administrator Buy-in, Commitment and Participation are Essential at the School and District Levels

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• District Plan for Coaching Support from Behavior Specialists

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Planning to Maximize Basic FBA to BIP� Establishing the District Context

STEP 1: Establish a District Level Leadership Team focusing on Systems of Tier 2 & Tier 3 Behavior Support

STEP 2: Evaluate your current capacity and personnel to implement Tier 3 Behavior Support

STEP 3: Develop a 3 year Action Plan & PD Plan for Implementing Function-Based Support

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Planning to Maximize Basic FBA to BIP� Establishing the District Context

STEP 4: District-level Behavior Specialist with FTE dedicated to building school capacity & Redefining Job Description

STEP 5: Develop Skills and Experience of District Behavior Specialists with Basic FBA to BIP training and processes

STEP 6: Identify School Teams and Plan for PD that includes Basic FBA to BIP training and ongoing coaching support

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七転び八起き �Nana korobi, ya oki

• “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” (Japanese Proverb)
• FBA/BIP and Tier 3 Behavior Support is among the most challenging and humbling work that we do in schools.
• Each challenge and disappointment needs to be embraced as an opportunity for learning and growth.
• Behavior Specialists must stubbornly maintain the steadfast belief that the failure does not lie within the student and that they can support the student to be successful though the appropriate environmental and instructional supports.
• Individualized, function-based support gives many of our students and staff members their best hope for success in our school

Basic FBA to BIP Draft Training Timeline

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Shared Google Drive for Training

and turning in & reviewing homework

How are School Districts & Schools using the Modules?

Behavior Specialist Training: � Module 2 (FBA Interviews)

• Of the 1027 respondents who completed the Behavior Specialist Training as required by professional development for their employer
• 75% of respondents reported they were required to provide evidence of module completion
• 36% of respondents identified that they were being required to complete the homework.
• 65% reported that a coach was available to answer questions they had about the module or homework
• 49% reported receiving feedback on homework tasks they completed

Data as of Oct 2^nd 2025

Pair & Share (3 minutes)

• Developing a Professional Development Plan
• How might you be able to use the modules to build capacity for FBA/BSP and Tier 3 systems?

Pair & Share

Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• What are the takeaways from this workshop?
• What are next steps in you school/district?

Thank You!

• All Basic FBA to BIP materials can be found at:
• www.BasicFBA.com

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• For more information please email:

chris.borgmeier@pdx.edu

@BasicFBA

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Basic FBA to BIP School-wide Training

Increasing Capacity in Schools

• School-Level Behavior Specialists

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• Staff-wide Training (create a common language)
• All staff are trained in Basics of Understanding Behavior and Function-based Intervention
• Modules 1 & 4 (now available online)

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Pair & Share

Discuss with a partner next to you:

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• What advantages can you see to training all staff in the Basics of Behavior and Function-Based Behavioral Intervention?

www.BasicFBA.com

Doing the smallest things that make the biggest impact… for students with persistent challenging behavior�

• Supporting Students with Persistent Challenging Behavior requires applying Function-Based Intervention across all 3 Tiers
• Tier 1 – Basic training in function-based thinking & intervention….. & reviewing school-wide policies & practices
• Tier 2 – Using function to match students to intervention
• Tier 3 – FBA/BIP - Matching intervention to individualized student needs

A Continuum of Function-Based Assessment & Intervention

• Expanding our use of function-based intervention across tiers

Basic FBA/BSP:

Complex FBA or Functional Analysis

Tier 2: Preliminary FBA to Match Intervention:

ABC Tracker & Teacher Plan

Function Friendly Classroom & School

Function-Based Thinking

What is a Function-Friendly School?� “Have you ever seen….”�

• “Lantana, you skipped 2 school days, so we’re going to suspend you for 2 more.”
• “Phoebe, I’m taking your book away because you obviously aren’t ready to learn.”
• “You want my attention?! I’ll show you attention,…let’s take a walk down to the office & have a little chat with the Principal.”

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• What’s the problem with each of these responses to student behavior?

What is a Function-Friendly School?�

What is a Function-Friendly Classroom?

Setting up classroom focused on:

• Positive, predictable classroom
• Function-Based Thinking & Intervention
• limit consequences reinforcing problem behavior
• Class-wide self-advocacy training (e.g. how to ask for help, a break, an alt. task)

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Basic FBA/BSP:

Complex FBA or Functional Analysis

Tier 2: Preliminary FBA to Match Intervention:

ABC Tracker & Teacher Plan

Function Friendly Classroom & School

Function-Based Thinking

Establishing a Social Culture

Common Vision/Values

Common Experience

Common Language

• Function-Based Thinking
• Antecedent/Trigger
• Behavior (observable definitions)
• Consequence
• Function/ Possible Motivation
• Setting Event
• Replacement Behavior

Common Language

MEMBERSHIP

for Supporting Students w/ Challenging Behavior

Benefits of Common Training in Understanding the Basics of Behavior & Behavioral Intervention

• Staff have more tools to understand behavior & implement effective interventions in their classroom prior to referral
• Staff can collect data prior to intervention on function of behavior
• Staff can more effectively complete discipline referral forms
• Increase efficiency & accuracy of FBA interviews with staff
• Increased understanding of behavioral interventions (increase buy-in to plan & reduce resistance)

Function-Based Thinking…. � On the Fly��Sometimes the function of behavior is crystal clear…�� through training we can support staff to identify the obvious functions?

Function-Based Thinking� …..On the Fly Application

• I’ve seen this behavior 4 times in the last week… let me think about this for a moment:
• Can I identify any patterns in the triggers and consequences for the problem behavior? A🡪B🡪C
• What do I think is the Function of Behavior?
• Should I collect more data? – the ABC Tracker?
• What are implications for how I should be responding?... Or providing support?

Use Results of ABC Tracker ��

Summary of Behavior

Function of Behavior = � Possible Motivation on Referral

SWIS & Possible Motivation

In 2016-17 school year

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• 5,290,881 ODRs written in SWIS

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• Almost 33% listed “Unknown” as the perceived motivation

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• That’s about 1.7 million “Unknown” Possible Motivations

Records Review - Preliminary ABC

Assessment

B

A

A

C

C

A

A

B

C

A

B

C

B

Inappropriate Language

C

Classroom

Noon-1:15

A

A

CICO

Obtain Adult Attn

ABC Tracker�Impact on Team Discourse

Deficit Ideology, Deficit Thinking & Deficit Talk

• Deficit thinking – at it’s core – is an endogenous theory – positing that the student who fails in school does so because of internal deficits or deficiencies (manifests allegedly in limited intellectual abilities, linguistic shortcomings, lack of motivation to learn and immoral behavior. (Valencia, 2010)

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• Blaming the Victim & Admiring the Problem
• Blame the Student
• Blame the Family
• Blame the Community/Culture

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• Weiner (2006) argues that associating student and family deficits to achievement is “seductive” as it “locates responsibility outside of their classroom” (p. 45).

Jeremy is just not making progress. He is really defiant and refuses to follow direction.

He often seems really angry when he gets to school; do you think that plays into it?

Yes, I do. He has mentioned that his stepdad is really mean and that his parents fight a lot. I bet that is really bothering him.

I bet it is too, he has a high ACES score. Also, doesn’t’ his older sister have ADHD? Maybe he does too.

He lives in the rough part of town. So he needs to be tough.

I am in my happy place…

He is a handful. . He has ADHD so that’s why he acts out too.

Maybe, he makes excuses for his behavior. I don’t think his family really pushes him or values education.

You know, Jeremy is in my afternoon class and he is really difficult there too. Do you know what he did last week….

• Significant reduction in total number of deficit statements (descriptive deficit + problem deficit) across interviews (F(1.309,20.945) = 15.400; p = .000).
• 4.88 (Interview 1) → 1.59 (Interview 2) → .88 (Interview 3)

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w/ ABC Tracker

Homework �Task��ABC �Tracker

Summary of Behavior

Not a significant difference, but increase in Generative statements following collection of ABC Tracker data

w/ ABC Tracker

School-wide Training: � Module 1

• Out of 3946 Completers of the School-wide Training, who completed the module as part of their Professional Development at work:
• 73% were required to provide evidence of module completion
• 19% were required to complete and turn in the homework.
• 55% identified that there was a coach available to answer questions they had about the module content or homework task
• 30% reported the opportunity to receive feedback following completion of the homework task.

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Data as of

Oct. 2nd 2025

Pair & Share

• Discuss with a partner next to you:

​

• What are the takeaways from this workshop?
• What are next steps in you school/district?

Thank You!

• All Basic FBA to BIP materials can be found at:
• www.BasicFBA.com

​

• For more information please email:

chris.borgmeier@pdx.edu

@BasicFBA

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