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1342.12 Companion
July 12, 2017
Page 138
Behavior Challenges
The relationship between the classroom teacher and the student is an integral component of student
achievement and success in school. High academic achievement and behavioral standards are
promoted through a positive, safe, and well-structured classroom. Staff will employ a full range of
effective classroom management strategies designed to create a safe and orderly learning environment
that supports academic achievement for all students. Such strategies should be progressively and fairly
administered. When a student’s behavior impedes learning and has not been responsive to
interventions, the special education case manager may schedule a CSC meeting to address the
disruptive behavior.
Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
IDEA and DoDM 1342.12 require that the relationship between behavior and learning be considered and
acted upon by the CSC. When school personnel observe repeated acts of misconduct, or a single serious
act of misconduct, by a student with a disability, the student is referred for an FBA. An FBA is required
for the implementation of a behavior intervention plan and supports to address behaviors that interfere
with the student’s learning and with the learning of others or that require disciplinary action.
An FBA is a systematic process for describing problem behavior, and identifying the environmental and
surrounding events associated with the behavior. The information collected through an FBA is used to
identify and teach more appropriate replacement behaviors and to develop an effective behavior
intervention plan for reducing the frequency or severity of the behavior. The FBA:
Determines what may cause the undesirable behavior.
Predicts when the undesirable behavior may occur.
Identifies potential means to prevent or reduce the occurrence of the behavior.
Designs effective interventions when the problem behavior occurs.
Conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment
Collecting Preliminary Data
Before implementing an FBA, which is conducted by a school employee designated by the CSC
(psychologist, counselor, case manager), it is necessary to pinpoint the behavior causing learning or
discipline problems and to define the behavior in concrete terms that are easy to communicate and
simple to measure and record. When the descriptions of behaviors are vague, it is
difficult to determine appropriate interventions.
It is necessary to objectively observe the student’s behavior in different settings and
during different types of activities. Interviews with parents, teachers and other staff
members are also important to identify specific characteristics of the behavior.
The parent is to be notified that an FBA will be conducted. Although parent consent is not required, it is
best practice to obtain parental consent prior to conducting an FBA.
Techniques for Conducting an FBA
The use of a variety of techniques and sources of information may be utilized in developing the FBA
(e.g., observations, staff interviews and consultation, file reviews, parent consultation,
checklist/inventories, student interviews)