Creating an Effective Behavior Plan for Elementary Students

What are Behavior Plans?

As a special education teacher, BCBA, and behavior interventionist, I can assure you there is not one way to fix a child’s behavior. You can use the same behavior charts, have the same negative behavior you’d like to correct, and the same team, but each student’s needs are unique and those interventions will not work across the board. 

That’s where BIPs come into play. Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) are individualized documents created to address difficult behavior for one specific child. These plans are created based on gather data on the behavior, interpreting that data, finding the root cause of the behavior, and implementing various strategies to address and shape the behavior.

BIPs are used frequently in school settings to facilitate more positive behavior from students. These plans have grown in popularity in recent years as they are a research based approach to addressing a child’s problem behavior and increasing their active participation in the school environment safely. 

However, not all BIPs are created equal. A general behavior plan is not a formalized behavior intervention plan or BIP. As I mentioned earlier, creating an effective behavior plan involves taking data and utilizing strategies based on that data.

While the idea of taking data feels like “another thing on the to-do list” it’s really is a key aspect in ensuring your BIP works!

How to take data is discussed in another blog post, but in this post, we’ll look at the important aspects of a solid BIP and how to develop it as a whole. 

So, let’s dive in on how we even know what to cover in a BIP.

Who can even have a BIP?

A BIP is recommended after a few things. First off, the student needs to have an individual education plan or IEP. Next, there has to be consent to conduct an functional behavior assessment or FBA. This is where the team will find out why the behavior is occurring and collect data around the problem behaviors. 

Once that is done, the team will come back to the committee and recommend a BIP. This is a student specific plan that has to be followed by all team members. There are legal requirements around it with collecting data, informing parents, and keeping it up to date. 

Not every student who displays problem behavior needs a BIP. These are going to be recommended for students whose behavior are impacting their learning or others’ learning, the behavior is placing themselves or others at risk of injury, or there are disciplinary measures being taken. This is all student specific.

How to Decide What Behaviors to Address

Now that you know a little bit about what a BIP even is, now let’s talk about deciding what specific behaviors you should address on a BIP. This should come directly from the Functional Behavior Assessment, or FBA. This should give you one or two target behaviors to focus on.

You only want to have one or two behaviors because otherwise, it will be overwhelming and the intervention will not be able to be done with fidelity. Remember, you can always revise a BIP to change the behaviors once they are under control. Also, when you intervene on a few of the behaviors it will most likely also decrease other problem behaviors.

When choosing a target behavior it is important that they are both measurable and observable. This is important so everyone who works with the child can easily understand what behavior you are targeting. 

Some common examples are disruption, aggression, or defiance. However, you need to define these even more for your specific student and their behavior. For example, aggression from one student could just be ripping up paper and throwing them. Another could involve hitting and kicking adults. Those are two very different behaviors and most likely need a different intervention.

Once the behaviors are decided upon, it is important to make sure everyone on the team is aware of the exact problem behavior.

How to Set Goals for Positive Behavior 

When you set goals that tie to the target problem behavior there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First off, again like the target behavior you want it to be observable and measurable.  When writing it for an IEP goal, you want to make sure that it is clear and achievable. However, in addition, I also always suggest a stretch goal. This means it is a goal that may be hard for the student to achieve right now. But this goal is the direction we want to head in. It gives everyone a clear path and helps align the steps you will need to get there.

There are so many ways to write these goals, but if you struggle with that- I have a freebie that I created with Stephanie from Mrs. D’s Corner. You can grab that here.

Another consideration is the involvement of the student. This will depend upon the students age and their ability to participate. However, we should always try our best to involve the student in some way in this decision making. We are working on interventions that are chaining them, it is only fair (and ethical) to have them be apart of the process.

Using Positive Reinforcement & Replacement Behaviors

Positive reinforcement and the introduction of replacement behaviors are crucial components in changing student behavior. Positive reinforcement involves providing a reward or incentive when the student displays desired behavior. This approach encourages the repetition of positive behavior by making it more rewarding than the problematic behavior. For example, praising a student for raising their hand instead of calling out in class can reinforce the appropriate behavior. This can be something tangible they receive (like a sticker, token, or piece of candy), attention (like the example of praising a student), or escape from a demand (like a homework pass). Remember reinforcement does not mean the same thing as rewards.

Introducing replacement behaviors involves teaching the student alternative ways to meet their needs that are more appropriate than the problematic behavior. These replacement behaviors should serve the same function as the disruptive behavior. For instance, if a student engages in disruptive behavior to escape a difficult task, teaching them to ask for a break or assistance can serve as a replacement behavior.

Replacement behavior may even be learning specific social skills. It may be learning how to regulate their emotions, work through a disagreement, or even how to overcome failure. If you need support with these types of skills, reach out to your school counselor. They are a great resource and probably have many tools that you can use to support your students.

How to Develop a Behavior Plan

Step-by-step guide to developing a behavior plan:

1. Gathering data on the student’s behavior (ABC)

The first step in developing a behavior plan is to gather comprehensive data on the student’s behavior. This involves conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), which includes the ABCs of behavior: Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence. Observing and recording what happens before the behavior (antecedents), the behavior itself, and the consequences that follow help in understanding the patterns and functions of the behavior. This data will guide you to identify the root causes (or the function of the behavior) of the disruptive behavior and is crucial for developing interventions that will actually work and not waste your time.

If you need a free way to collect this data, you can grab one here. It is all digital so makes it easy to collect and analyze.

2. Identifying triggers, or antecedants, for disruptive behavior 

Once data is collected, the next step is to analyze it to identify the specific triggers or antecedents that lead to the disruptive behavior. Triggers can be environmental factors, specific tasks, social interactions, or other things that precede the behavior. This can be simply giving a directive, presence of a specific peer, noise volume and more. 

Understanding these triggers allows educators to anticipate and prevent some problem behaviors by modifying the environment or changing the conditions that lead to the behavior. This proactive approach is essential for reducing the frequency and intensity of disruptive behaviors. 

However, we do not want you to have to be constantly walking on egg shells in your classrooms. That is exhausting. This is only one step of the formula. You and I both know that inappropriate behavior will still happen even with the best proactive interventions. We will get to what to do about that in a few steps.

3.Establishing specific, measurable goals 

With a clear understanding of the behavior and its triggers, the next step is to establish specific, measurable goals. We already talked about setting goals above, so this is a brief recap.

These goals should be realistic and achievable, focusing on reducing the problematic behavior and promoting positive, alternative behaviors. 

Goals should be clearly defined, stating exactly what behavior needs to change and that anyone working with the child can understand what the goal is. For example, a goal might be to reduce instances of calling out in class from five times per day to once per day within a month. Having measurable goals allows for tracking progress and adjusting the plan as needed.

4. Creating a plan of action (interventions, support strategies)

The final step is to create a comprehensive plan of action that includes specific interventions and support strategies. This plan outlines the steps that will be taken to address the behavior, such as positive reinforcement for desired behaviors, teaching replacement behaviors, and providing additional supports as needed.  Remember, this is an individual behavior plan. Although you may have several students who have a behavior plan they need to look vastly different from one another.

Interventions might include strategies like providing breaks, using visual supports, or implementing a reward system. It is important to think of interventions at different times during the behavior as well. For example, if you know a student starts getting upset and they start ripping their paper you may intervene differently than if they are becoming extremely agitated and out of control and throwing chairs. Outlining how to respond to the different levels of the problem behavior is important to consider as well. 

It’s important that the plan is tailored to the individual needs of the student and includes input from all stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and the student when appropriate. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the plan are essential to ensure its effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.

Why Collaboration and Communication are Key

Effective behavior intervention plans (BIPs) rely heavily on collaboration and communication among all staff members involved in a student’s education. The incorporation of all teachers, school counselors, and support staff in the plan ensures a consistent and cohesive approach to addressing behavioral challenges.

Why can’t it just be the special education teachers who implement this? Great question- we do not work in silos. Our students do not only interact with one teacher. To be a fully functional behavior plan, every single adult who works with this student needs to know the plan. Do they have sticker charts? Do they have a behavior chart they need to check in with? Are there specific things that set the student off or specific ways to help them remain calm?

This is why all staff need to be included. The sped teacher but also the gen ed or classroom teacher, school psychologist, social workers, behavior specialist, SLP, OTs, PTs, teaching assistants and the list goes on.

Not only staff but parents should be included as well. They should have input on the plan. This will help in a few ways. They can give you valuable insight but also they can replicate what you are doing at school at home. If you are having challenging behaviors at school, more than likely they are also displaying behaviors at home. Working together with the parents is a great way to just support your students. 

Evaluating and Adjusting the Behavior Plan

Regularly Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Behavior Plan

Regular evaluation of the behavior plan is crucial (and a legal requirement) to determine its effectiveness and ensure it is meeting the student’s needs. This involves ongoing data collection and analysis to monitor the student’s behavior and progress toward the established goals. Tools such as behavior tracking sheets, observation notes, and progress reports can be used to gather data. 

Consistent evaluation helps identify trends, patterns, and areas that may require additional support or intervention. When you are writing the behavior intervention plan, it should be included how often you are collecting data as well as how often you are coming together to review it. You do not have to wait until the annual review to change the Behavior Intervention Plan.

Making Necessary Adjustments Based on the Student’s Progress

As the student progresses, it’s essential to make necessary adjustments to the behavior plan. This might involve modifying the interventions, changing the reinforcement strategies, or setting new goals as the student achieves the initial targets. Flexibility is key; the plan should evolve to address the student’s changing needs and ensure continued growth. Adjustments should be data-driven, based on the information gathered through regular evaluations.

If you need more help in understanding how to collect behavioral data, here are some blog posts that can lead you in that direction:

-How to collect behavior data: frequency

-How to collect behavior data: intensity

-How to use scatterplots

Having an effective behavior plan is essential for supporting students with behavioral challenges. A well-designed plan not only addresses disruptive behaviors but is also a good way to create a positive learning environment. By following a structured process, involving all staff and parents, and continuously evaluating and adjusting the plan, educators can ensure that the interventions are effective and tailored to the student’s unique needs.

Tips for Staying Committed to the Plan

1. Patience and Persistence: Behavioral change takes time. It’s important to stay patient and committed to the plan, understanding that significant progress may not happen overnight. Avoid making drastic changes after just one day; give the strategies time to work. It is also important to know, sometimes the behavior may get worse before it gets better- don’t give up! Students are use to their behaviors getting them what they want- keep at it a bit and use that data!
2. Consistency is Key: Implement the behavior plan consistently across different settings and by all involved staff members. Consistency helps the student understand expectations and reinforces positive behaviors.
3. Regular Monitoring: Keep track of the student’s behavior and progress regularly. Use data to inform decisions and make adjustments only when necessary and based on evidence. Don’t forget, this is a requirement just like progress monitoring academic goals!
4. Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate small successes along the way. Recognizing incremental progress can boost the student’s confidence and motivation to continue improving on that good behavior.
5. Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to seek support from colleagues, specialists, or external resources if needed. Collaboration and shared expertise can enhance the effectiveness of the behavior plan.

By staying committed to the behavior plan, being patient, and consistently implementing the strategies, educators can create a supportive environment that encourages positive behavioral change and helps students reach their full potential.

Need some resources to help implement that amazing Behavior Intervention Plan you just wrote? Check these out!

– Preference Assessment: figure out what your students actually will work for. This can give you not only a list, but also a hierarchy so you never run out of things for the student to work for! Grab it here.

–Visual directions: This is great for a proactive strategy. You can visually put the steps or the behavior expectations you are requiring on the board and your students don’t have an excuse to forget what comes next! Get them now!

-Visual cues: These are a must have- easy way to remind students of the expectations without using your words.

–Thinking sheets: These are perfect for connecting with students once a behavior does occur. It helps teach them what they should do instead as well as connect the behavior to an emotion. Click here for them!