Appendix C

CSE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS
AND BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION PLANS

FIRST TIME A STUDENT IS SUSPENDED OR REMOVED FOR MORE THAN TEN SCHOOL DAYS IN A SCHOOL YEAR OR SUBSEQUENT SUSPENSIONS OR REMOVALS IN THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR THAT CONSTITUTE A DISCIPLINARY CHANGE OF PLACEMENT
What	Who	When2
Convene a CSE meeting to develop a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) plan. OR Convene a CSE meeting to review and modify, if necessary, an existing behavioral intervention plan (BIP) and its implementation.	CSE	No later than ten business days after first suspending or removing a student for more than ten school days in a school year or imposing a suspension or removal that constitutes a disciplinary change of placement, including a change of placement to an IAES for illegal drugs, controlled substances or weapons
Convene a CSE meeting to develop and implement a behavioral intervention plan based on the results of the FBA if the student does not have an existing BIP.	CSE	As soon as practicable after developing the behavioral assessment plan and completing the assessments required by the plan.
SUBSEQUENT SUSPENSIONS OR REMOVALS IN THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR THAT DO NOT CONSTITUTE A DISCIPLINARY CHANGE IN PLACEMENT
What	Who	When
Review an existing behavioral intervention plan and its implementation.	Each CSE member individually reviews.	As soon as practicable after the suspension or removal is initiated or imposed
Convene a CSE meeting if one or more members believe modifications to the plan or its implementation are needed. Review the student’s behavioral intervention plan and its implementation. Modify, as necessary, the behavioral intervention plan and its implementation.	CSE	As soon as practicable after any of the CSE members indicate the need to convene a meeting.
2This meeting may be conducted at the same meeting when a manifestation determination or the determination of the IAES setting is being made.

In conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA), the CSE determines why a student engages in behaviors that impede learning and how the student’s behavior relates to the environment. This must include, but is not limited to:

• the identification of the problem behavior;
• the definition of the behavior in concrete terms;
• the identification of the contextual factors (e.g., environmental, physical, instructional approaches, or other events) that contribute to the behavior, including cognitive (e.g., memory, problem-solving ability, ability to plan, initiate and/or inhibit behavior, ability to monitor behavior, attention, perception, organizing processes) and affective factors (e.g., emotional factors such as mood swings, depression, frustration tolerance); and
• the formulation of a hypothesis or a theory regarding the general conditions under which a behavior usually occurs and probable consequences that serve to maintain it.

Once a functional behavioral assessment has been conducted, a behavioral intervention plan (BIP) for that behavior must be developed and implemented. The BIP must be based on the results of the FBA and, at a minimum, must include:

• a description of the problem behavior;
• global and specific hypotheses as to why the problem behavior occurs. A specific hypothesis is a statement that specifies the events or factors that trigger the behavior and the function that behavior serves for the student. A global hypothesis identifies those broad influences in the student’s life (such as health, routines, relationships and student skills) that relate to the behavior; and
• intervention strategies to address the behavior.

In designing intervention strategies, the CSE should consider the results of the functional behavioral assessment, the student’s strengths and the concerns of the parent. The behavioral intervention plan should include positive strategies to address, as appropriate, the events or situations that trigger a behavior, instruction in alternative skills, consequences, and long-term prevention. The CSE should also determine the supports, if any, needed by school personnel (e.g., administrative, material, environmental, instructional or informational supports) to implement those strategies and a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the behavioral intervention plan.

The July 1998 memorandum Guidance on Functional Behavioral Assessments for Students with Disabilities (Policy 98-05) provides further information on conducting an FBA.

Committee on Special Education GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING AND ADDRESSING BEHAVIORS
Functional Behavioral Assessment	Behavioral Intervention Plan
Develop a plan to conduct a functional behavioral assessment of the student’s behavior or review an existing functional behavioral assessment: Identify the behavior that needs to be assessed. Determine how the function of the student’s behavior and the circumstances and factors associated with both the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behavior will be assessed. Determine who will be responsible for conducting the planned assessment. Determine who will coordinate the written report of the assessment. Establish a date for the assessments to be completed.	Develop or review an existing behavioral intervention plan based on the results of the functional behavioral assessment: Identify the behavior. Define the behavior in concrete terms. Select supports and interventions to address, as appropriate: antecedent and setting events alternative skills instruction consequence strategies that build skills and reduce problem behaviors long-term prevention support for team members Identify resources available, or that need to become available, to implement the plan. Identify who will do what, when and how. Determine a plan for monitoring the effectiveness of the supports and interventions. Develop a timetable for the review and monitoring of the plan. Determine what, if any, changes need to be made to a student’s IEP and/or behavioral intervention plan as a result of review.

Dutchess County BOCES: Code of Conduct
Introduction Definitions Student Rights and Responsibilities Essential Partners Student Dress Code Prohibited Student Conduct Reporting Violations Discipline Alternative Instruction Discipline of Students with Disabilities Corporal Punishment Alternative Procedures Student Searches and Interrogations Visitors to the BOCES Public Conduct on BOCES Poroperty Dissemination and Review	Appendix A: Interim Alternative Educational Settings Appendix B: Provision of Educational Services to Students with Disabilities Suspended or Removed Appendix C: CSE Responsibilities for Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavioral Intervention Plans Appendix D: Procedures for Determining If a Student is a Student Presumed to Have a Disability for Discipline Purposes
Go back to the List of Policies