IEP Checklist for Students with Disabilities Who Exhibit Challenging Behavior
Kathleen M. Whitbread, Ph. D., Reprinted from
The Inclusion Notebook, Summer 2000The IEP includes positive behavioral interventions and strategies to address the problem behavior.
A functional behavioral assessment was completed to determine what might be causing the problem behavior.
A behavior plan was developed based on the functional behavioral assessment.
The behavior strategies are designed to support the child in the general education setting.
Supports are in place to prevent the child’s behavior from interfering with classmates’ learning.
Suspension of a child with a disability for behavioral misconduct does not exceed ten consecutive school days for a single incident.
If suspension or expulsion of more than ten days in a school year occurs, all IEP services resume on the 11th day.
A manifestation determination is completed if the school is considering a change of placement as a result of misconduct. The manifestation determination includes:
A review of all evaluations;
Input of the child’s parents;
A review of health records;
Observations;
The review of whether the IEP was implemented;
Consideration of whether the child’s disability affects his/her understanding of the consequences of his/her behavior;
Consideration of whether the child’s disability affects his/her ability to control the behavior that resulted in disciplinary action.
The student is not suspended long-term or expelled for behavior that is a manifestation of his/her disability.
When it has been determined that the misconduct is not a manifestation of the child’s disability, the procedures for suspension and expulsion of children with disabilities are consistent with the disciplinary procedures for non-disabled children.
Parents are informed on the same day that the decision is made to consider a change of placement because the student has violated a rule that applies to all children in the school.
Parents are given 48 hours’ notice of an IEP meeting to consider expulsion.
The expulsion hearing is held only after the manifestation determination is completed showing that the behavior was not a manifestation of the student’s disability.
The expulsion hearing is held only after it has been determined that the student’s placement was appropriate.
The expulsion hearing is held only after the behavior strategies specified in the IEP were tried.