New guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) promotes the use of individualized behavioral assessments and support plans for students with and without disabilities to help schools address problem behaviors and reduce suspensions and expulsions. The 25-page, nonregulatory guidance issued last month calls for using ”functional behavioral assessments″ (FBAs) more often to help school staff and families better understand the causes of a student’s behavior. Those FBAs can inform “behavioral intervention plans” (BIPs) for reducing challenging behaviors and measuring progress toward those goals.

The guidance came from the USDE’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The new guidance notes that for students with disabilities or suspected disabilities, parental consent may be required for FBAs. Additionally, FBAs cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation of a student who is suspected of having a disability.

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