Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
A "Functional Behavioral Assessment" is a process for gathering information to understand the structure and function of a student’s behavior(s) in order to develop an effective and efficient behavioral support plan that teaches and encourages alternative behaviors.
An FBA must include:

1. A clear description of the problem behaviors, including classes or sequences of behaviors that frequently occur together.
2. Identification of the events, times, and situations that predict when the problem behaviors will occur and will not occur across the full range of typical daily routines.
3. Identification of the consequences that maintain the problem behaviors (that is, what functions the behaviors appear to serve for the person).
4. Development of one or more summary statements of hypotheses that:
(a) describe specific behaviors.
(b) Identify a specific type of situation in which they occur.
(c) Identify the outcomes or reinforcers maintaining them in that situation.
5. Collection of direct observation data that support the summary statements that have been developed.

Functional Behavioral Assessments must be conducted in these situations:

• Removing a student for more than 10 cumulative school days per school year, or the contemplation of such action
• Commencing a disciplinary action which constitutes in effect a change in services provided or a "change in placement" (i.e., a 10 day suspension when there have already been 5 suspension days that school year)

NOTE: If the number of days of suspension in the current school year have previously exceeded 10, and there is a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) in the IEP file, a new FBA does not need to be written. However, the IEP team must review the FBA on file and make any additions or revisions that the IEP team determines are necessary.

Required Documentation: The IEP manager must convene an IEP team meeting within 10 business days to discuss with parent(s) the purpose and process of the assessment. At this meeting, the IEP team must either:

• Obtain informed parental consent to gather new information using the Notice of Evaluation/Reevaluation form, or
• Determine that no additional information is needed to complete the assessment.

The Functional Behavioral Assessment must be completed within thirty school days. After the assessment process is complete, the IEP team reconvenes to review the results and begin the process of designing a behavioral support plan. The functional behavioral assessment process must conclude with the development of a behavior support plan.

Procedures for collecting functional behavioral assessment information in cases where additional information is needed may include:
• Interviews with relevant persons including school staff, parent, and student
• Review of existing documents (records review)
• Systematic direct observation
• Systematic manipulation of the educational environment
• Administration of formal assessments or procedures

Components of the Functional Behavioral Assessment may include, but are not limited to:

• Description of the behaviors of concern, including baseline data
• Definition of the student’s educational environment and daily routines that may predict the occurrence of target behaviors, including setting, social and activity influences
• Definition of the immediate antecedent events for occurrences of target behaviors
• Development of a hypothesis statement (or summary statement)
• Identification of the consequences or outcomes of the target behaviors that may be maintaining the behaviors, including identification of effective behavioral reinforcers
• Definition of the efficiency of the target behaviors
• Identification of functional alternative behaviors
• Identification of the primary ways the student communicates with others
• Identification of effective and ineffective strategies and interaction styles
• Summary of the history of target behaviors and the effectiveness of previously attempted interventions

Behavioral Support Plan: The development of a behavior support plan occurs as a result of the team process and becomes an integral part of the student’s IEP. The IEP team should discuss hypotheses that address the function of the student’s behavior. A behavior support plan is then designed to identify strategies and interventions that decrease undesirable behaviors and teach replacement skills.

Examples of supportive interventions may include:
* Modifying behavioral antecedents, settings, and events
* Identifying alternative skills and providing systematic direct instruction in replacement behaviors, (e.g., communication, socialization, organization)
* Designing lifestyle interventions that improve the student’s quality of life and assist the student in maintaining skills (e.g., transitional skills, problem-solving, skill practice and generalization)
* Examining consequence strategies including reinforcement, redirection and crisis management.

As part of the development of the behavioral support plan, the IEP team should determine a process for reviewing the plan’s effectiveness. At this meeting, the IEP team should examine
(1) what type of information will be gathered, (2) how the team will collect this information,
(3) how the team will use this information to make decisions, and (4) how this plan will be modified or adapted over time.