Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) in Education: Understanding and Addressing Challenging Behaviors

Behavior can significantly impact a student's learning experience. When children struggle at school, whether by disrupting class, becoming withdrawn, or skipping class, their behavior may be a contributing factor. Recognizing that behaviors often stem from underlying causes is crucial for educators and families seeking to support these students. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) serves as a valuable tool in identifying these causes and developing effective intervention strategies.

What is a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)?

A functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is a systematic process employed by schools to understand the reasons behind challenging behaviors and to develop potential solutions. It's like an evaluation but focused on behavior. The FBA is done by a school team led by a person trained in understanding behavior, like a school psychologist or a behavior specialist. The team may also include teachers, school staff, service providers, the student, and their family. The ultimate goal of an FBA is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing a student's behavior, enabling the creation of targeted interventions that promote positive behavioral changes.

The purpose of an FBA is to identify the function or purpose behind a student’s behavior. Understanding what may be motivating a student’s behavior, will assist districts in the development of a BIP, which when implemented with fidelity should effectively reduce or eliminate the behavior.

When is an FBA Used?

While not all students with behavior challenges receive an FBA, there are specific situations where schools typically utilize this process:

As part of a special education evaluation: The evaluation team will look at all aspects of a student’s learning. This may include an FBA if the team thinks behavior is getting in the way of the student’s learning or their classmates’ learning. Learn more about evaluations for special education. The evaluation requirements of IDEA make it clear that children must be evaluated in all areas related to the suspected disability.
If new behavior concerns arise: If a child already has an IEP or a 504 plan, the school may do an FBA if new behavior concerns come up. By law, schools have to do an FBA whenever not doing one would deny kids a free appropriate public education.
In certain school discipline situations: If a student is disciplined for behavior that is caused by or had a direct relationship to their disability, then an FBA is required. It’s also required when law enforcement, weapons, drugs, or serious injury are involved. Learn more about school discipline rights for kids with IEPs and 504 plans. An FBA is sometimes required for students who have an IEP (Individualized Education Program), if the student is suspended or expelled for more than 10 school days. Under current 2025 rules (WAC 392-400-610 and WAC 392-172A-05148), districts must ensure that students continue to receive educational services during any suspension, expulsion, or emergency removal.

It's important to note that while an FBA isn't commonly used for students without an IEP or 504 plan, schools often have other systems, like PBIS, to help students with behavior. No. Functional Behavior Assessments are a tool that schools and families can use to help understand and address challenging behaviors for any student. The use of FBAs might be most familiar for students with IEPs because in some cases they are required (see the section on discipline). Also, special education rules require that IEP teams consider the use of “positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies” for any child with an IEP whose behavior is getting in the way of that own child’s learning, or of other students’ learning.

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The Four-Step FBA Process

The school team typically follows a structured four-step process to complete an FBA:

1. Define the Challenging Behavior

An FBA starts by defining the student’s behavior in a specific and objective way. For example, instead of saying the student is “defiant,” the team might say the student “rips up worksheets and doesn’t respond when asked to show work in math class.” 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 be written using objective observations free from bias and judgment.

2. Gather and Analyze Information

Next, the team pulls together information and data about the behavior. It may look at school records, interview staff who know and work with the student, and screen or test the student. The goal is to answer questions like:

When and where is this behavior happening?
Where is it not happening?
How often is the behavior occurring?
Who is around when it occurs?
What tends to happen right before and right after the behavior?

The student can provide this information, too. Only kids know how they feel in the moment. Asking them to keep track of feelings and emotions helps the team. The team might also note how classmates react. 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). Collect and analyze indirect data (e.g., interviews with teachers) on when the behavior happens and when it does not happen. By considering the antecedent-behavior-consequence relationship, the FBA documents the function, or purpose, an interfering behavior serves. A is for Antecedents - the events occurring prior to the problem behavior. Often, time and location are noted in this area too. What was the child doing immediately before the behavior? B is for Behavior - the problem behavior such as tantrums, hitting, etc. A note about the intensity or duration of the behavior can be noted here. What specifically happened? C is for Consequences - the consequences for the child of his behavior - the results which follow the child’s behavior (e.g., attention, power, or a correction such as time-out). How did others react? The data gathered during the FBA will be analyzed. It is important to look for any patterns or common trends, such as patterns in the days of the week, or times of the day when the problem behavior occurs. You will also want to think about when the behavior does not occur. Does the behavior stop after a particular consequence?

3. Find Out the Reason for the Behavior

Using the information collected, the team makes their best guess about what’s causing the behavior. It may be that the student is trying to escape or avoid something, for example. An FBA leads to a hypothesis about what “function” or purpose a behavior serves, so a team can identify alternative “replacement” behaviors that can serve the same function, or meet the same need, without interfering with learning.

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4. Make a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

Finally, led by the school psychologist or a behavior specialist, the team creates the behavior intervention plan (BIP). The plan helps teach and encourage positive behavior by the student. Often, as the team learns more, it will need to adjust the plan. The skills that will be taught and monitored as alternatives to the challenging behavior. The plan should identify what replacement behavior will be taught, how it will be taught, and who is responsible for teaching it to the student.

The Importance of Understanding Behavior as Communication

Our behaviors (what we do), can communicate a lot about what we think, feel, want or need. Exactly what a behavior is communicating is often not clear, and can be misinterpreted. What about a student crying? Is that communicating sadness? Frustration? What about a student looking away and shaking their head in response to questions? Is that communicating confusion? Defiance? Exhaustion? If we misinterpret the meaning of a behavior, our responses can be ineffective. Students face a variety of behavior expectations at school. They are generally expected to sit quietly, listen to the teacher, walk, not run, use indoor voices, and respect others. This list could be endless if we tried to include all expectations at different grade levels, in different settings, and the many different approaches to behavior in different classrooms and schools. Students need opportunities to learn behavior expectations, just as they need opportunities to learn reading, writing and math. They need opportunity to learn what expected behaviors look like, how to meet the expectations, and why they matter. They need opportunities to practice, to learn from mistakes, and to receive positive feedback when they meet expectations. If a student is struggling to meet behavior expectations, a first step is to check that the student understands what is expected, and how to meet expectations.

How Parents and Educators Can Help

An FBA may not be a quick solution to behavior challenges. But it can give a complete picture of why a student is struggling.

Parents and caregivers: You can help by observing your child and telling the school what you’re seeing at home. Use the behavior log in Understood's free app to help you keep track of behavior patterns.
Educators: You may be asked to work on an FBA for a student. Find out as much as you can about the process, and communicate with parents and caregivers about what’s happening. Explore our teachers’ guide on understanding behavior as communication.

Requesting an FBA

The best practice is to make a request for an FBA in writing. Keep a copy for yourself. Check out the Sample Request for an FBA. You can also make a request for an FBA in person at a meeting, or in a conversation with your student’s teacher or principal. If you make the request for an FBA at an IEP meeting, be sure to check to see that the request and the team’s response to it is reflected in a Prior Written Notice (PWN) after the meeting. The Prior Written Notices help you and the others on your student’s IEP team keep track of important requests and decisions. If you still do not hear back, consider elevating the request to the principal, a school psychologist or a district special education supervisor. Before the meeting, ask the school to gather information in order to share an update regarding your student’s recent behavior. After getting additional information, if it appears that a pattern of behavior is disrupting your student’s learning, you can ask the team to consider the request for an FBA again. If the school does not see a pattern of problem behavior, or believes there are additional interventions they can try first, ask to set a date to check in again to review how things are going.

Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)

Yes, if it was for a student with an IEP. Under special education rules, each time a district does an evaluation, if a parent disagrees with the results, the parent can request an Independent Educational Evaluation at district expense. An FBA that looks at an individual’s student’s behavior is a type of evaluation, so if a parent disagrees with the results, the parent can request an IEE at public expense. The district either can agree, or must initiate a due process hearing to defend its own evaluation.

The Broader Context: Supporting All Students

While FBAs have traditionally been used to support students with disabilities who receive services through an individualized education program (IEP), the use of FBAs has evolved, and they are now widely seen as helpful to students with and without disabilities.[16] We believe that FBAs can and should be used as a strategy to support any student whose behavior interferes with learning. By using FBAs, educators can gain a better understanding of a student’s needs by identifying factors that contribute to the behavior’s occurrence. This guidance clarifies that FBAs should be utilized more frequently than currently used to understand behaviors that interfere with learning and inform appropriate instructional strategies or interventions.

Addressing Disparities and Promoting Equity

For years, data have demonstrated clear disparities in the use of discipline for students with disabilities. OSEP has previously shared data demonstrating that many students with disabilities were subjected to high rates of disciplinary removals. To address these disparities, OSEP has emphasized the importance of creating safe and supportive learning environments that use evidence-based practices and strategies to support and respond to the needs of students with disabilities.

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