You have probably heard about something called a behavior intervention plan (or a BIP). But do you still have the question: what is behavior intervention plan referring to? Let’s break it all down in easy-to-understand terms so we can all be on the same page.
And if you need some help navigating what a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is, check out this post. FBAs and BIPs go together hand in hand so you really need to know both to tackle unwanted behavior.
This might be jumping the gun here, but if you are looking for an easy-to-follow process for writing a behavior plan, check out this FREE resource. It is a simple, 5 functional behavioral assessment steps guide. Plus it includes some great data trackers to help gather and organize all that behavior data. Tell me where to deliver this freebie below!
Behavior Intervention Plan Definition
So what is “behavior intervention plan” exactly? Basically, it is a written plan on how to handle and curb unwanted behavior.
Behavior plans are the next step after a functional behavioral assessment is done. (Not sure what this is? Read this post first.)
These are most often done when a student is being unsafe. Or when in a school setting their behavior is stopping their learning or those around them. Schools also use them as a way to spell out what will happen if a student displays a certain behavior so that everyone is on the same page.
How to Write a Behavior Intervention Plan
Behavior Information
First, start with information on the child and the behavior that is seen.
It is super helpful to collect data from day-to-day observations. Doing a few specific observations times is great too. Daily notes will help to see patterns in days/times. Specific observations are usually done by a person who is there to watch that child for a period of time. Then they document what they see. This data is often more specific and in-depth.
It is super important to know the ‘why’ behind a behavior. Again, having that functional behavioral assessment (FBA) done beforehand will really help with this.
Behavior Intervention Plan Goals
Making behavior goals is next.
What replacement behavior do you want the student to do instead? Note: if you want to change a behavior, you need to replace it with something else. You can’t just expect a student to stop doing something altogether with no expectations of what they can do. Children want to know what is acceptable behavior, not just what is not acceptable.
When writing behavior intervention plan goals, try to keep things positive. If you are writing a replacement behavior, this should be easy to do.
Strategies to Use
Include all the strategies that will be used to help the child stop this unwanted behavior.
This includes setting things. What is happening around them (people, events, time of day, etc.).
Also included should be the specific teaching that will be done. If you are writing a behavior intervention plan for physical aggression, you might have social skills on coping mechanisms when angry. Or there might be role-playing of how to handle different situations. Another great idea is to incorporate movement or mindfulness into the student’s day on regularly scheduled breaks. (Check out this blog post all about mindful movement breaks.)
Two more things to include are reinforcement and consequences. What is going to be done when a student uses a replacement behavior? Celebrate! Decide what feels celebratory for the student. There are some great forced-choice surveys out there to help with this.
Progress Monitoring
The last part is including how the plan will be monitored for effectiveness. This includes how often this will be done. Don’t forget to include who on the team is responsible for this.
Monitoring a plan is essential. Sure it feels good when things go exactly how you want them to, but that isn’t always the case. Behavior plans also need to be changed if they aren’t going well. Make a new plan to fit what is going on and try new things. Just make sure to give 4-6 weeks before making any changes. It takes that long to see the response to the intervention.
Data on progress is often shared at a meeting with other staff members and teachers. This typically happens during IEP (individualized Education Plan) meetings. (Check out this guide on how to run an effective IEP meeting for some helpful tips and tricks.)
Behavior Intervention Plan Template
So now that you know what a behavior intention plan is, do you need a place to start with writing your own?
Check out this 5 functional behavioral assessment steps guide FREEBIE. Plus it includes some great data trackers to help gather and organize all that behavior data.
Awesome behavior intervention plan checklist! It is so helpful in making sure you are dotting all your i’s and crossing all your t’s when figuring out student behavior and how to alter it. Get this free guide sent straight to your inbox by telling me where to send it to.
If you are looking for a detailed template for behavior intervention plan, check out this resource. Here you will find a detailed behavior intervention plan template and 2 functional behavioral assessment templates. You can print out this behavior intervention plan pdf template and fill it out by hand. Or you can use the editable behavior intervention plan template doc using Google Slides. So easy to edit and share with collaborators using the editable version.
There are also seven different data collection forms. These will help you collect all the data to see how effective (or not) the plan you made was. Having hard data is helpful in so many ways throughout the FBA & BIP processes.
This template for behavior intervention plan will save you so much time while making sure nothing gets missed. Plus the digital version makes it so easy to share with everyone involved.
More Resources
Want more on a behavior intervention plan autism centered information? This article by Autism Parenting Magazine could be helpful.
Looking for some great parenting information? Check out this great parent guide to BIPs from the Pacer Center.
Happy Teaching!
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