If your child has trouble with their behavior at school, you can write goals into the IEP to address the behaviors.
Here are some tips and examples:
- If you have not done a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), it can help to get one. You can add goals to the IEP even if you haven’t done this, but an FBA can help to understand the pattern of behaviors and reasons behind them. This can help you to write more effective goals. (See last page for more on the FBA.)
- Make sure the goals relate to your child’s specific needs and habits, and are written in a positive way. For example:
- Yes: Maria will ask for a break if she needs one...
- No: Maria will stop hitting her classmates...
- The real goals, of course, will be more specific and include ways to measure the goal. (e.g. in 4 out of 5 times...)
- The goals can relate to things like keeping calm, using their body safely, asking for breaks when they need them, or following rules or instructions.
- Click here for examples of behavior-related goals. (It will open in a new tab.)
What if we’ve already signed the IEP and the behavior problems are new?
- Remember you can ask for a Team Meeting anytime. If your child’s behavior is just starting to be a problem, ask for a meeting. You may want to suggest they do an FBA first and then discuss it at the meeting.
Source for behavior-related goals: Intensive Care For You