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Abstract:
To address the behavioral needs of students with disabilities in school settings, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA) requires the development and implementation of a behavior intervention plan/positive behavioral support plan (BIP/PBSP) based on positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). Despite the BIP/ PBSP mandate, there are no federal guidelines in place to direct school personnel. Many states have assumed responsibility for establishing policies governing BIPs/PBSPs. This investigation examined the resources acquired or developed and disseminated by state education agencies (SEAs) in all 50 states and compared the information available in these resources with standard practice for BIP/PBSP development and PBIS practice.
Since the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was issued, schools have been formally required to complete a behavior intervention plan (BIP) based on a functional behavior assessment (FBA) for each student with disabilities who has significant behavior problems or whose behavior impedes his or her learning. Significant advancements in behavioral technology have allowed practitioners to improve student behavior (Repp & Horner, 1999; Sugai, 1998; Sugai & Horner, 1999), yet the completion of FBAs and BIPs may pose challenges for school personnel. Issues such as lack of time, resources, and support; differences in philosophical orientation toward disciplinary practices and behavior management; and a lack of knowledge about assessment and intervention planning can interfere with the effective development and implementation of BIPs (Buck, Polloway, Kirkpatrick, Patton, & Fad, 2000).
State education agencies (SEAs) have been directed to oversee the design of BIPs and positive behavioral support plans (PBSPs). Positive behavioral support (PBS) refers to the application of a broad range of interventions focused on individuals and/or systems, using positive behavioral interventions and supports to facilitate important social and learning outcomes that prevent problem behavior and promote positive behavior change (Carr et al., 2002; Horner, Albin, Sprague, & Todd, 1999). PBS has been introduced into the school system as a means of addressing severe problem behaviors among students.
Weber, Killu, Derby, and Barretto (2005) have examined the status of FBAs in the 50 United States, comparing the documentation and resources provided by each state with standard practice in FBA methodology. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA; P.L. 108-446) requires that...