This section describes a teaming and problem-solving process, aligned with best practices, that districts and schools can use or adapt to address student interfering behavior in a positive and teaching-focused way. It is especially compatible with the three tiers of the MTSS framework, including SEBH support, discussed in Section 2. While the process can be used in settings without MTSS established, MTSS markedly enhances the effectiveness and resource efficiency of this process. Without the intentional structure of MTSS and emphasis on high-quality universal supports, teams may find that they have a disproportionately large number of students who appear to need individual behavior plans. Teams that have incorporated the MTSS framework typically have regular team meetings to review student data, discuss progress, and determine next steps for support. This allows teams to proactively address student needs before larger problems develop. These steps are embedded in the problem-solving process described in this section. 

Multidisciplinary Teaming for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health (SEBH)

In this section, the term “multi-disciplinary team” is used as an inclusive term to refer to school teams which meet regularly to discuss student needs across the whole school. Schools may refer to these teams in a variety of ways (e.g., MTSS team, Response to Intervention [RTI] team, Student Success Team [SST], etc.). No matter the name, multi-disciplinary teams should engage in a variety of actions and processes to support student needs, including: 

• Collectively committing to a student-centered problem-solving process that affirms the student’s belonging and worth as a member of the school community
• Collecting and reviewing data to determine student and staff needs
• Implementing tiered supports and/or interventions that are evidence-based for the specific needs of students, including steps like:
  • Planning the support or intervention based on student data
  • Preparing materials
  • Arranging for training for all staff involved in implementation
  • Reflecting on the outcome of the support or intervention using data
• Coordinating team meetings, managing the team’s agenda, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and outlining next steps 

Multidisciplinary teaming should not be reserved just for specialists – it is best when used in a team approach including the staff who serve the student. The specific individuals who comprise a school’s multi-disciplinary team can vary. Effective teaming depends on whether the individuals on the team are prepared for the different responsibilities of the team, not on whether the school or district has specific individuals with specific job titles available to participate. In other words, even if a district does not employ a certain specialist, such as a school behavior analyst or school social worker, they should still have staff prepared to discuss and address student behavior who can participate in a multi-disciplinary team.

In most situations, a typical multi-disciplinary team focused on SEBH could include the following:

• The student’s teacher(s), including:
  • General education teacher(s)
  • Special education teacher (only if applicable)
• Principal or assistant principal
• Certificated staff who provide services related to social, emotional, and behavioral health (e.g., a school psychologist, behavior analyst, counselor, and/or social worker) 
• Other support staff or educational staff associates who serve the student

Student-Centered Problem Solving

This section outlines a student-centered problem-solving process for SEBH support that can be used by multi-disciplinary teams to support individual student needs. Guiding questions for the team are included on the page.

Step 1: Define the Behavior and Collect Baseline Data

First, the team collaboratively identifies one specific, measurable, and observable interfering behavior to prioritize. It is important that the team centers the student’s access to educational and social opportunity as they identify a priority behavior. The team should not prioritize a behavior that is of concern primarily due to staff convenience, personal preferences, or expressions of the student's disability that do not interfere with safety or learning. 

Once an interfering behavior is selected to prioritize, the team should define it in clear, measurable, and observable terms. The definition should allow anyone unfamiliar with the student to record the behavior’s occurrence or nonoccurrence as consistently as the student’s teacher. The team should then establish a short period for baseline data collection, gathered daily, and designate roles and responsibilities for recording data. This ensures the baseline captures a representative and reliable picture of the behavior over an adequate time span. Baseline data should be graphed using a line graph showing one data point per school day.

When appropriate, the team may use this time period to conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA; Section 4) to gather more systematic information about the root cause, or function, of the student’s behavior. Developing an FBA greatly increases the likelihood that the BIP will be effective. In an MTSS framework, this step typically occurs as the student is considered for, or is already served by, Tier 3 supports. The student does not need to qualify for special education or 504 services to have an FBA completed.

Step 2: Identify Underlying Needs and Select Alternative Skills to Teach and Support

After baseline data are collected, the team should reconvene to review the data together and identify the underlying need(s) indicated by the student’s interfering behavior. To do this, the team should consider any patterns in their baseline data as well as other observations and information about the student’s overall needs. If the team has completed an FBA as recommended as part of the previous step, they should review and discuss the results at this time.

Once the team believes they have identified the underlying need(s) based on the information above, they can select at least one alternative skill (sometimes referred to as a replacement behavior) to teach the student. An alternative skill allows the student to meet the same underlying need as the interfering behavior. To be considered a skill, it must pass the potato test – meaning that it is not an action that cannot be performed by an inanimate object, such as a potato.⁸⁵  

An alternative skill is characterized by the following:

• Equally or more effective at meeting the underlying need than the interfering behavior was
• Positive and reflective of student strengths
• Appropriate for the student’s age/grade level
• Does not stigmatize the student
• Passes the potato test

It can also be very helpful for the team to discuss short-term and long-term goals for the student, both in terms of reducing the interfering behavior and learning the alternative skill. Since positive behavioral change is often a slow process, this can support the team in recognizing small indicators of early success.

Case Study Example: Choosing the Right Alternative Skills for Michael

Michael is an outgoing eighth grader with many friends and great taste in music. This year in math class, he has been acting out by swearing, flipping off others, making dismissive comments (“You don’t even know how to teach”), and leaving the room without permission. His team believes the underlying need is that Michael is struggling with math and too embarrassed to ask for help. They created a BIP, but it has been ineffective. The desired behaviors in this BIP were as follows: 

Michael will stay in math for the full duration of class, complete his work, and refrain from making rude comments.

After meeting to review his BIP and reflect on why has not been effective, Michael’s team determined the behaviors they were trying to teach him were not well-designed alternative skills: 

• None of the desired behaviors were as effective or more effective at helping Michael get support for his learning needs or cope with his stress
• None of the desired behaviors tapped into Michael’s existing strengths
• The desired behaviors are age/grade appropriate
• While the desired behaviors did not directly stigmatize Michael, they did nothing to help him avoid the embarrassment of struggling academically
• Several of the desired behaviors do not pass the potato test

Michael’s team decided to select more thoughtful alternative skills to teach Michael instead. After a collaborative discussion centered in Michael’s strengths and underlying needs, they identified the following alternative skills to teach:

Michael will get extra math support in WIN time, and will use what he learns in class with subtle reminders from his teacher. When frustrated, Michael will take a 5-minute break either by requesting a hall pass or by accepting when his teacher presents the option. Breaks will be presented as classroom help (e.g., “Can you get the copies from the front office?”) to avoid embarrassment. Michael can listen to music with earbuds during breaks.

These alternative skills:

• Are as effective or more effective for Michael’s underlying needs
• Incorporate one of his strengths (taking a break to listen to music)
• Are all age/grade appropriate
• Prevent stigma and embarrassment
• All pass the potato test

Step 3: Prepare Additional Teaching and Support

Once the team has identified an alternative skill to teach, they should prepare a BIP that both teaches the student to use the skill in real-world situations and reinforces the student for doing so. In districts using an MTSS framework, a BIP is typically considered a Tier 3 support. The BIP should be developed collaboratively with the student’s parent/guardian, along with the student whenever possible. When a BIP is developed for a student eligible for special education services, it becomes part of the IEP. However, a BIP can be developed for any student, regardless of whether or not they are eligible for special education or Section 504 services.

When developing the BIP, the team should document the time, resources, and staff responsibilities needed for implementation. This includes discussing when the intervention will start, who will create and/or purchase any materials, and how team members will be trained to implement it. This ensures the intervention is ready for implementation and helps the student benefit from the plan immediately. Without this step, the plan may not be implemented consistently and the student will likely not benefit. A coaching period may also be helpful, offering opportunities for modeling, practice, and feedback while helping address any practical challenges with implementation.

Step 4: Teach and Support the Student and Gather Outcome Data

The plan should begin after any necessary materials are prepared and implementing staff are trained. Behavior change involves student learning, and all learning takes patience, time, and practice. The success of any behavior plan also depends on consistency and a good fit in the contexts in which it is implemented. Teams should schedule periodic fidelity checks for team members to observe each other implementing the plan. Staff should proactively discuss any challenges or barriers with the team as small adjustments to the intervention may resolve them. These practices can help the team ensure the plan is both feasible and successful, and avoid delays in student growth due to flaws in the intervention's design or implementation. 

Staff should be aware that a student’s interfering behavior may briefly increase at the start of implementation, a temporary pattern known as an “extinction burst,” before decreasing. Ongoing data can help identify this pattern. During this phase, it's crucial that all staff stay consistent with the plan and avoid making changes until the extinction burst subsides.

To measure the outcome of the plan, team members should continue to collect behavior data daily, using the same method used in the baseline phase. Outcome data should be graphed and compared regularly to the graphed baseline data. This will support the team in determining if and when the plan shows signs of success. It will also support any data-based discussions of modifications to the plan the team might consider.

Step 5: Review Outcome Data, Reflect on Student Needs, and Adjust Teaching and Support as Needed

After the plan has been implemented consistently for about four to six weeks, the team should reconvene to review progress data, evaluate whether the plan for teaching and reinforcing the student to learn the alternative skill is effective, and determine whether the student’s interfering behavior is decreasing as a result. As part of this discussion, it is also helpful for the team to revisit the student’s short-term goal(s) established in Step 2. 

For this step to be effective, the team must have data that reflects consistent implementation of the plan. This allows the team to review outcome data and engage in data-driven problem-solving. As discussed in Step 4, if significant barriers to implementation arise early in the process (e.g., major concerns about feasibility, lack of training, or other obstacles to implementation), team members should identify and address these immediately. This allows the team, when they meet for Step 5, to have implementation-based outcome data to review together. 

Guiding Questions for Each Step

Step 1: Define the Behavior and Collect Baseline Data    

• What is the interfering behavior we are prioritizing, and what does it look like when it happens?
• How will we measure this behavior, and who will collect data? 

Step 2: Identify Underlying Needs and Select Alternative Skills to Teach and Support

• Where, when, and how often does the behavior occur? What is the student usually doing (or is expected to be doing) when the behavior occurs? Is the behavior more likely in particular situations, with particular people, or at certain times?
• What purpose (i.e., function) is the behavior serving for the student? What alternative skill (behavior) will we teach the student to meet that underlying need in a healthier way? What does that skill look like and how will it be measured?
• What are our short-term and long-term goals for growth for the student, recognizing that positive behavior change takes time?

Step 3: Prepare Additional Teaching and Support

• How can the team address the interfering behavior’s antecedents to prevent the behavior from occurring?
• How and when will the alternative skill be taught? How can we ensure that, when the student uses the alternative skill, that it is immediately effective at meeting the underlying need?
• How will we respond if the interfering behavior occurs?
• How will staff implement the plan and collect outcome data? Are roles and responsibilities clear? Is any training needed?

Step 4: Teach and Support the Student and Gather Outcome Data

• Is the plan fully implemented, including outcome data collection?
• Are there any factors which may be hindering the effectiveness of the plan?  If so, how can those be addressed?

Step 5: Review Outcome Data, Reflect on Student Needs, and Adjust Teaching and Support as Needed

• How do the outcome data compare to the baseline data?  Has the level and/or trend of the interfering behavior declined?
• Is the student on track to meet a short-term goal set in Step 2?
• Considering the data, does the plan need to be adjusted? If so, how? Were there issues with the plan or its implementation?

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⁸⁵ “Peter will sit quietly in his chair” is a description that does not pass the potato test.

When a student’s interfering behavior is not adequately addressed by supports at Tiers 1 and 2, the multidisciplinary team may determine that Tier 3 supports are needed.⁸⁶ These supports are provided in addition to, not instead of, Tier 1 supports. The intensive, individualized behavior support at Tier 3 typically involves two steps for the team: completion of a functional behavioral assessment and subsequent development of a behavioral intervention plan.

Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

The FBA is a process of structured, intentional information gathering about an interfering behavior that poses a significant barrier to the student’s learning, safety, and/or social relationships. Because it includes observation of the interfering behavior and its patterns in school contexts, it typically takes multiple days or weeks to complete. Through the FBA, the school team can determine why the student is engaging in interfering behavior and what underlying need (or function) that behavior meets for the student. 

Conducting an FBA supports the development of a BIP based on the function of the interfering behavior. The BIP supports the student to learn an alternative behavior that meets the same underlying need as the interfering behavior. Teams are strongly encouraged to view the FBA and resulting BIP as two equally important parts of the same student support process.

In pages 5–6 of their 2024 joint guidance, “Using Functional Behavioral Assessments to Create Supportive Learning Environments,” the federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) described the characteristics of an FBA.⁸⁷   Those characteristics are condensed and provided below.

Description of Behavior

An FBA should include a clear, specific, measurable, observable, and objective description of the behavior that interferes with learning. The description of the interfering behavior should be sensitive to cultural and linguistic differences, and should reflect objective observations free from bias and judgment. 

Data Collection

An FBA should be individualized and provide insights into the environmental and behavioral factors impacting the student. To do this, data should be gathered from multiple sources, including observations and interviews, to:⁸⁸  

• Collect and analyze direct data (e.g., classroom observations) to record when the behavior happens and when it does not happen (referred to as occurrence and non-occurrence). Data collection methods may include conducting observations to collect data on the frequency or duration of the behavior, the conditions and context in which the behavior occurred, and the physical location, environment, and individuals present to inform an antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) analysis, described below. 
• Collect and analyze indirect data (e.g., interviews with teachers) on when the behavior happens and when it does not happen. Data collection methods may include interviews with or anecdotal reports from educators, early childhood education providers, parents, and the student, if appropriate, that are focused on the interfering behavior; and 
• Review existing data in areas such as attendance, academic performance, prior behavioral incidents, student health records, and previously implemented academic or behavioral interventions.

Data collection for an FBA should be conducted by professionals with the necessary skills, training, and knowledge to identify and analyze, and address the student’s interfering behaviors. These staff should actively engage and collaborate with parents and students throughout the process.

ABC Analysis and Function-Based Behavior Review

Once data are collected, educators analyze the data related to: 

1. The events that happen before the behavior occurs, known as antecedents; 
2. the interfering behavior; and 
3. the events that happen immediately after the behavior occurs, known as consequences that maintain or reinforce the behavior⁸⁹

Analyzing ABC data allows the team to determine the function of the behavior. By considering the relationship between the antecedents, behavior, and consequences, the FBA identifies the function – or purpose – an interfering behavior serves. Typically, the function of behavior is categorized as a student’s effort to obtain something (e.g., peer or adult attention, access to a preferred activity, stimulation/sensory experiences), or to escape/avoid something (e.g., social experiences, a non-preferred activity, stimulation/sensory experiences).

Skill Development

After analyzing the data, educators identify what social, emotional, or academic skills the student needs to develop, and how and when those skills will be taught and supported by the team to support the student in using the new skills at appropriate times. The new skills should also address the function of the interfering behavior (e.g., obtain a reaction from classmates or escape/avoid schoolwork) by applying those skills (e.g., new social skills or academic strategies to complete work) rather than engaging in the behavior that interfered with learning.

Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP)

A BIP can be developed for any student regardless of disability. At minimum, a BIP must describe:⁹¹

1. The pattern of behavior(s) that impedes the student's learning or the learning of others;
2. The instructional and/or environmental conditions or circumstances that contribute to the pattern of behavior(s) being addressed by the IEP team;
3. The positive behavioral interventions and supports to:
   1. Reduce the pattern of behavior(s) that impedes the student's learning or the learning of others and increases the desired prosocial behaviors;
   2. Ensure the consistency of the implementation of the positive behavioral interventions across the student's school-sponsored instruction or activities;
4. The skills that will be taught and monitored as alternatives to challenging behavior(s) for a specific pattern of behavior of the student.

Teams can follow the student-centered problem solving process described in Section 4 to develop a BIP, support its implementation, and revise it (if needed) to meet the student’s needs.

1. Each BIP should be focused on positive strategies to teach an alternative skill that aligns with the behavior’s function. If the BIP is punitive and/or not teaching-focused, RREI teams recommend revising it.
2. Each BIP should be based on the results of an FBA. The BIP can incorporate function-aligned strategies that positively and proactively address all of the ABC data described on page 56 above. If the BIP does not align with the FBA, and the function of the behavior is not reflected across the BIP’s components, RREI teams recommend revising it.

Grounding the BIP in the FBA

The BIP should reflect the findings of the FBA and meaningfully incorporate them into function-based supports. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) have recently provided federal guidance on BIP components,⁹²  including the components that address the behavior’s function. This guidance is adapted below, with examples added to illustrate key points. While some of these components are beyond what Washington state minimally requires, they are evidence-based and linked to better and safer outcomes for students. Districts are encouraged to adopt these components in their policies, procedures, and practices for BIP development for all students.

• Summary statement describing the findings in the FBA, including 1) typical patterns in the environment and/or events observed just prior to the interfering behavior, 2) the specific interfering behavior observed, and 3) patterns in the response or environment change observed just after the interfering behavior that highlights the function of the behavior
  • For example: “When Carlotta experiences pressure from peers or adults to complete learning tasks quickly or without error, she may run out of the classroom to escape the task and/or the person she feels is pressuring her”
• Antecedent conditions that provoke the interfering behavior: Environmental factors such as lighting, seating arrangements, noise level, interactions with peers and/or adults, and accessibility of the academic curriculum that may contribute to the behavior occurring or not occurring
• Antecedent supports that prevent the interfering behavior: Prevention strategies, such as addressing antecedent events and environmental factors that provoke the interfering behavior
• Teaching strategies for a function-based replacement behavior: Instructional strategies and interventions that teach the student a replacement behavior that addresses the same function as the interfering behavior
  • For example: Since the function of Carlotta’s behavior is escaping tasks and pressure from others, the team decides to teach her how to request a short break to engage in self-regulation strategies, including physical activity (one of her preferences)
• Positive consequence/response strategies: Function-based reinforcement strategies that are used after the student uses the replacement behavior, and that encourage the student to continue to use that behavior as a way of meeting their needs (e.g., providing authentic positive feedback, access to preferred activities, or another form of recognition that is connected to the interfering behavior’s function)
  • For example: Each time Carlotta uses the replacement behavior of requesting a break, her teacher immediately responds by allowing her to use the break space for 5 minutes. This meets her need for escape, reinforces her for using the replacement behavior, and prepares her to return to schoolwork in a regulated state

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⁸⁶ A team may also elevate a student’s supports to Tier 3 more rapidly; this may be warranted if the student’s interfering behavior poses a significant safety risk to themselves and/or others.

⁸⁷ OSERS & OESE (2024). Using functional behavioral assessments to create supportive learning environments.

⁸⁸ Center on PBIS. (2022). Tier 3 comprehensive functional behavior assessment guide.

⁸⁹ National Center for Intensive Intervention (2021). Behavior basics: Understanding principles of behavior. 

⁹⁰  Hanley, G. (2020, January 24). Practical functional assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior [PowerPoint presentation]. Presentation at the Melisa Nellesen Center for Autism, Utah Valley University.

⁹¹ WAC 392-172A-01031 defines the minimum requirements for a BIP for students eligible for special education services. Districts are strongly encouraged to follow these requirements for a BIP developed for any student (regardless of special education eligibility) and should not create a different definition for BIPs developed for students ineligible for special education services.

⁹² OSERS & OESE (2024). Using functional behavioral assessments to create supportive learning environments.

Intensive behavior supports require close and thoughtful monitoring. Students who engage in extensive interfering behaviors can take time to respond to a BIP or other support practices. Daily progress monitoring in the first stage of a BIP’s implementation can help teams distinguish between a BIP that is ineffective versus a BIP that is not yet fully effective. 

When a BIP appears ineffective after 4–6 weeks of implementation, teams should consider two critical questions: 

1. Is the BIP fully implemented?  
2. Is the BIP a good fit for the student? 

To consider these critical questions, teams must have gathered and graphed behavior progress data to review together. Strategies for data collection are described below. 

Choosing the Right Tool for Data Based Decision Making

There are a variety of ways to measure a student’s behavior. To select a measurement tool, teams should consider the characteristics of the behavior they are measuring, and the question they are seeking to answer. Identifying the best measurement method depends on 1) how frequently the behavior occurs, and 2) whether the behavior is discrete or non-discrete. 

• Discrete behaviors have a clearly recognizable (and usually rapid) start and stop. Examples include raising one’s hand, kicking a wall, or screaming 
• Non-discrete behaviors typically have a less clear start and stop, and are often more complex categories of behavior the student engages in for longer periods of time. An example includes off-task behavior – which might include varying degrees of more than one behavior considered off task (e.g., being out of seat, talking to neighbors, looking off into space, sleeping during instruction, working on things not related to the task) 

Whatever method of data collection the team uses, that method should be the same across baseline and intervention phases to allow for accurate comparisons between phases.

The sections below summarize a variety of common behavior data collection methods, and includes guidance for their selection. 

Frequency Data

Frequency data can answer the question, “How often does this behavior occur?” and are collected by recording a tally mark each time the behavior occurs during data collection. This method is appropriate for discrete behaviors with a clear start and stop, and for behaviors with low to moderate frequency. Behaviors that occur with extremely high frequency (e.g., many times per minute) are usually not practical to record with frequency data.

Duration Data

Duration data can answer the question, “How long does this behavior last?” Data are collected by writing down the start and end time for each instance of the behavior, and then subtracting the earlier time from the later time to get the duration. Data should indicate whether the time measured is in seconds, minutes, or hours. This measure is appropriate for non-discrete behaviors. 

Latency Data

Latency data can answer the question, “How long until a behavior occurs?” It involves similar timing procedures as duration recording, and measures the time between an event (e.g., the teacher asking students to start independent work) and the beginning of a desired behavior (e.g., the student beginning their work). This requires careful observation during specific moments. This measure is appropriate when supporting the student to learn certain alternative or replacement skills. It can also help the team measure changes in a student’s prompt dependency (which can develop if the student has been over supported by adults). 

Interval Recording: Whole Interval

Whole interval data collection involves scoring the interval with a (+) if the behavior of interest occurred for the entire interval. For example:

• A teacher is measuring screaming behavior using intervals that are 15 seconds long. The student screamed for the entire 15 second interval, so the teacher marks that interval with a (+)
• A school social worker is measuring on-task behavior using intervals that are 30 seconds long. The student was on task for the entire 30 second interval, so the school social worker marks that interval with a (+)
• A paraeducator is measuring out of seat behavior using intervals that are 60 seconds long The student was out of her seat for the first 55 seconds and seated for the last 5 seconds of the interval, so the paraeducator marks that interval with a (-)

This method of interval recording can be appropriate when measuring non-discrete behaviors with a long duration. Whole interval recording is not usually appropriate for behaviors best measured with frequency data (e.g., hitting, swearing). In addition, whole interval recording tends to underestimate behavior since the interval is only scored if the behavior occurs for the entire time. To address this, select a shorter interval length, or consider a different measure (such as duration recording or momentary time sampling).

Interval Recording: Partial Interval

Partial interval data collection involves scoring the interval with a (+) if the behavior of interest occurred at any time during the interval. For example:

• A teacher is measuring screaming behavior using intervals that are 15 seconds long. The student screamed once during the interval, so the teacher marks it with a (+)
• A school social worker is measuring on-task behavior using intervals that are 30 seconds long. The student is briefly on task for one second at the start of the interval, so the school social worker marks that interval with a (+)
• A paraeducator is measuring out of seat behavior using intervals that are 60 seconds long. The student is seated for most of the interval, but stands up once for a couple seconds, so the paraeducator marks that interval with a (+)

This method can be effective with behaviors that are infrequent or hard to anticipate. It tends to overestimate behavior since the interval must be scored if the behavior occurs at all during the interval. To address this, select a shorter interval length, or consider a different measure (such as frequency recording or momentary time sampling).

Interval Recording: Momentary Time Sampling

Momentary time sampling involves scoring the interval with a (+) if the behavior of interest is occurring at the moment the interval ends. For best results, the observer should look away from the student until the last moment of the interval, then look at the student to determine if the behavior is occurring. This allows for the most accurate measurement without allowing the rest of the students’ actions leading up to that moment to influence data collection. For example:

• A teacher is measuring screaming behavior using intervals that are 15 seconds long. The student screams twice during the interval, but neither time was at the 15-second mark, so the teacher marks the interval with a (-)
• A school social worker is measuring on-task behavior using intervals that are 30 seconds long. When the school social worker glances up at the end of 30 seconds, the student is on task, so she marks that interval with a (+)
• A paraeducator is measuring out of seat behavior using intervals that are 60 seconds long. The student is seated when the paraeducator looks up at the 60-second mark, so he marks that interval with a (-)

This method balances some of the disadvantages of whole interval and partial interval recording. It is appropriate for a variety of behaviors, but still carries the risk of underestimating behavior if intervals are inappropriately long.

Behavior Rating Scales

A behavior rating scale is another method of estimating behavior change. Teams can create a simple scale based on their knowledge of the student and their specific behavior patterns. Data should be collected frequently enough that it can inform decision making. For example:

A team wants to collect baseline data for a student’s behavior using a 3-point rating scale. Using this scale, the teacher circles the appropriate rating on a datasheet at the top of each hour. The points on the scale are defined as follows:

1. Last hour, the student followed classroom expectations with 0–2 reminders 
2. Last hour, the student followed classroom expectations with 3–4 reminders
3. Last hour, the student received 5+ reminders to follow classroom expectations

Teams may also use the Direct Behavior Rating (DBR)⁹³  scale. Using this scale, teachers can estimate the occurrence of a behavior using a 0–10 scale. A rating of 0 estimates that the behavior occurred 0% of the time, while a rating of 5 estimates the behavior occurred 50% of the time, and so forth. Since teachers may disagree on their subjective rating using DBR, it works best for showing changes in an individual teacher’s ratings over time.

While less precise than other measures, a rating scale is very feasible for teachers and other staff. It can be a good fit when measuring a student’s use of desired behaviors, or when a student’s specific expression of the interfering behavior changes frequently. It’s important to predefine the points on the rating scale using definitions that are as measurable and observable as possible. All team members should have a shared understanding of which end of the scale corresponds to desired behavior. Teams should also decide in advance when and how often a rating should be recorded.

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⁹³ University of Connecticut (n.d.). Direct Behavior Ratings.