Professional development on the basics of behavior assessment and intervention: training by school district staff for district staff

Research shows that schools struggle with conducting high quality functional behavior assessments (FBA) and implementing effective behavior intervention plans (BIP). Access to training is a documented challenge to effective implementation. One training with preliminary empirical support is Basic FBA. This pilot study extended the research on Basic FBA to determine whether the intervention could be implemented effectively by district staff. Fourteen staff working in an urban school district completed within-district training consisting of four modules on FBA/BIP with aligned between-session assignments; half were randomly assigned to receive coaching support. Participants increased their knowledge and skill in FBA/BIP and rated the training as socially acceptable. Differences in outcomes for coached and control groups were minimal, with some higher social validity ratings and more FBA/BIPS developed by those receiving coaching.