Identifying Student's Challenging Behavior Targeted to be Changed

 

The targeted challenging behavior should be the focus of the BIP (PBS); consequently, its selection is critical. Utilizing a variety of informational sources (e.g., referrals for school-based interventions or special education evaluations, evaluations, including functional behavioral assessments, teacher and parent input, cumulative school records, etc.), challenging student behavior, which interfere with participation and progress in the general education curriculum and program must first be identified in observable terms and agreed upon by stakeholders who are collaborating on developing and implementing the BIP (PBS). For example, a variety of off task behaviors can disrupt teaching and learning. The student can be out of his/her seat, constantly fidgeting, playing with objects (e.g. pencil, toys, etc.) and/or other children, making inappropriate gestures, acting silly, hitting, biting, or throwing things, fighting with others, calling out, talking to someone when prohibited, making noises, looking around, daydreaming, looking out window, skipping school, coming to class late, delaying starting assigned task, etc. Consequently, when identifying any challenging behavior (e.g., off task, aggressive and defiant, etc.), it must be defined in observable and measurable terms to ensure that stakeholders are referring to the same behavior.

 

Challenging Behavior Concrete Definition
Student is aggressive During lunch, when the student doesn't get his way, he  hits other students
Student is disruptive Student continuously calls out and makes inappropriate comments during mathematics classroom lessons
Student is hyperactive Student continuously moves around in his seat and gets out of his seat without permission. He rarely completes assigned tasks and is constantly talking without permission.

 

There are a number of criteria, which school-based intervention teams and IEP teams should utilize when identifying challenging behavior for possible BIPs (PBS):

 

1. Gap between behavioral expectations and a targeted student's challenging behavior

The following expectations can provide guidance in this process: 

a. Types and frequency of challenging behavior, which violate classroom/school rules and procedures, how they were addressed, and their results

b. Types and frequency of challenging behavior, which violate the district's discipline policy, how they were addressed, and their results

c. New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) related to behavioral expectations, how they were addressed, and their results:

Each of the above expectations should utilize research-based strategies to facilitate students' successful achievement, which can be utilized in a BIP (PBS) by school-based intervention &/or IEP teams. For example, see above hyperlinked expectations and resources for grade level CPIs related to social and emotional issues. In addition, for guidance on developing and implementing classroom rules and procedures, see the corresponding hyperlinked resources. Also, see the Newark Public School's Discipline Policy, for an example of a district's discipline policy, which can prevent and address challenging behavior when consistently implemented.

 

The above data that's collected can assist in identifying the gap between what is expected of the student and his/her actual behavior. This gap should provide  significant guidance in establishing goals and objectives for subsequent interventions. 

 

2. Prioritizing & Grouping the Challenging Behaviors

Because students frequently engage in more than one challenging behavior, prioritizing them and/or seeing if a number of them can be grouped together will assist in observations, understanding their causes, and developing/implementing interventions to address them.

 

a. Prioritizing the Challenging Behaviors

Stakeholders need to prioritize the challenging behaviors, which require interventions. A number of criteria can help in this process:

b. Categorizing the Challenging Behavior:

Previously mentioned off-task behavior can fit into the following categories, with abbreviations, which can assist in future observations, analysis of causes, and BIP (PBS) development/implementation:

3. Determining whether the challenging behavior represents a deficit in skills &/or performance.

The types of interventions will be different if a student's challenging behavior is caused by a skills deficit or a performance deficit. A skill deficit suggests that the student can’t do what's expected, because he doesn't have the necessary knowledge &/or skills. In this case, interventions need to teach and reinforce this skill. On the other hand, a performance deficit suggests that although the student has demonstrated that he/she has the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the requested activity, he/she won’t do it for a variety of reasons. This frequently means that there is a motivation problem and environmental contingencies may have to be manipulated. In most cases, both skill and performance deficits contribute to the student's challenging behavior and the BIP (PBS) will have to address these dual problems, once identified.

 

4. Legal Considerations:

IDEA requires the IEP team to consider BIP (PBS) if a child has behavior problems that interfere with his or her learning or the learning of others. This disruptive behavior should be noted in the PLEP section of the IEP. In addition, previous hearings and court cases suggest that problem behaviors requiring IEP services may include:

a. Disruptive behaviors that distract teachers from teaching and students from learning

b. Noncompliance

c. Verbal and physical abuse,

d. Property destruction

e. Aggression towards students or staff 

 

If the IEP team decides that positive behavioral supports are needed, they should be documented under the special factors section of the IEP, based on the student's needs. For example, PLEP statements on the IEP should clearly note the weaknesses and challenging behavior, with its strength in observable and measurable terms and its response to interventions. Under the special factors section of the IEP, the programs &/or services, which will address the challenging behavior (e.g., BIP/PBS, counseling for the student, counseling for student's parents, supports for school personnel, teacher aide, etc.), should be included.

 

 

Next Step

Once the school-based intervention &/or IEP team identify the challenging behavior, which will be targeted with interventions, baseline data on the targeted behavior is needed to determine the subsequent success of the BIP (PBS).