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A BSP is an individualized plan for success with intensive, targeted supports and oversight. A BSP could result in changes in instruction, types of support or intervention, or the environment. A BSP focuses on teaching alternate behaviors to meet the student’s needs and serves the same function as the behavior of concern. The BSP is written when a student's behavior is interfering with the learning of others or for themselves, with its purpose being to eliminate or reduce the behavior and its resulting impact on learning. Before implementing a plan designed to decrease undesirable behaviors, attempts should have been made to determine the effectiveness of other, less restrictive, less intrusive approaches, starting with positive interventions and supports first. This could include such activities as scheduled positive reinforcement, modifying the environment, redirecting the behavior, ignoring the behavior (extinction), etc. If such approaches prove ineffective, a functional behavior assessment should be completed. Such an analysis might lead to a less intrusive method for managing the behavior.
The BSP is initially created based on the information gathered through a formal Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) during a special education evaluation. The FBA identifies what is maintaining or causing a challenging behavior, and the BSP specifies the actions to take to improve or replace the behavior based on the recommendations of the evaluation. The process of creating a BSP is led by the individualized education program (IEP) team and includes the parents/guardian, teachers, support staff, and the student (as applicable). The BSP must have an operational definition for all targeted behaviors listed. For an initial BSP, that definition will come from the FBA. As target behaviors change, the IEP should define the new behaviors during their IEP meeting.
The replacement behaviors indicated on the BSP are linked to a specific goal/objective on the student's IEP. Therefore, as BSPs are reviewed annually as part of the annual IEP process, they are also reviewed on the same schedule as progress reports because staff is monitoring the goal/objective the BSP is tied to. During review, if student data (progress monitoring, incidents, etc.) indicates inadequate support, the BSP will be modified and/or changes will be made to improve fidelity. If data indicates the BSP is no longer needed as an extension of the IEP, the plan will be faded and, with continued data support, eventually terminated. A change to the BSP outside of the annual IEP cycle requires the case manager to complete an IEP Amendment.
My student has Level 1 behaviors on their Care Plan. Do I still need to write a BSP?
Most likely yes. The Level 1 behaviors on the Care Plan are specific to a medical need. The BSP is specific to the student's education and instruction. Some of the information might be the same, but they are different documents.
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Outside if defining the target behaviors, BSPs should be focused around what the student will do, not what they will not do. They also need to specify with the teacher/staff will do, any alterations in the environment, and how the new behaviors are going to be taught. BSPs are collaboratively developed and not consequence based.
Outside if defining the target behaviors, BSPs should be focused around what the student will do, not what they will not do. They also need to specify with the teacher/staff will do, any alterations in the environment, and how the new behaviors are going to be taught. BSPs are collaboratively developed and not consequence based.
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