Why study Behavior Intervention Plans?
As a Special Education Teacher, it is imperative to be knowledgeable when it comes to writing Behavior Intervention Plans. Consequently, I decided to focus my area of study on Behavior Intervention Plans and what constitutes a strong Intervention Plan. Problematic behaviors are escalating "within the public schools which forces many teachers to have to deal with disruptive behaviors on a daily basis" (Etscheidt & Clopton, 2008). In addition, the current graduation rate of students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) is 41.9%; therefore, "almost half of the students diagnosed with EBD quit school and they leave lacking the social skills required to be successfully employed" (Larrivee, 1999). The overall rate of suspensions and expulsions for students with disabilities has been escalating as well for three reasons: school personnel's inability to implement appropriate interventions because they are unable to determine the function of the behavior, interventions are often addressed inconsistently with minimal data collection, and schools tend to focus on disciplinary actions for students with behavior issues instead of putting positive interventions into place (Buck et. al, 2008). With the increase of behavior problems, it is imperative for schools to implement positive specially designed intervention programs to address the behavior concerns within schools (Gable, Quinn, Rutherford, & Howell, 1998). To address these behavior concerns within the schools and implement interventions, the "1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) address the issue of classroom behavior problems by requiring school based IEP (Individual Education Plan) teams to use positive behavioral interventions and supports to address behaviors that interfere with the learning of students with disabilities and that of others (or that required disciplinary action)" (Gable et. al, 1998, p. 106). Since there are no federal nor regulation specifics about what to specifically include in a Behavior Intervention Plan, it is important for educators to be knowledgeable about what components to include in a BIP to ensure students with behavior concerns are successful (Etscheidt & Clopton, 2008) (Maag & Katsiyannis, 2006).