Teacher Tools Related to Functional Behavior Assessment

  • Functional Assessment Checklist
    The functional assessment process should begin with person-centered planning (PCP) which is used by a group of people interested in helping a student build a lifestyle based upon his or her preferences, needs, and choices.
  • Functional Assessment Team Meetings
    Teams should involve the student, individuals who will be implementing the PBS plan, family members, people who know the student well, and a person who has experience using functional assessments and is familiar with the principles of behavior. Effective teams have critical features including a vision statement, ground rules for meetings, specific roles, agendas and minutes, data based decision-making, and evidence of dialogue and collaboration.
  • Record Reviews
    Record reviews provide important information about a student's medical background, past experiences, and behavioral and academic history.
  • Functional Assessment Checklist for Teachers and Staff (FACTS)
    FACTS is a two-page interview used by school personnel who are developing behavior support plans, and it is intended to be an efficient strategy for initial functional behavioral assessment (FBA).
  • Scatter Plot
    A scatter plot is an interval recording method that can help show patterns related to a problem behavior and specific time periods.
  • Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) Chart
    An ABC Chart is a direct observation tool that can be used to collect information about the events that are occurring within a student's environment. "A" is the antecedent, event, or activity that immediately precedes a problem behavior, "B" refers to the observed behavior, and "C" is the consequence, or the event that immediately follows a response.
  • Functional Assessment Direct Observation Tool
    This tool combines elements of the scatter plot and ABC Chart. It enables one to record behavior(s), setting events, antecedents, and consequences observed during a session and keep track of possible functions as well as actual consequences.
  • Measuring Behavior
    The ability to define and measure behavior helps identify the function maintaining a problem behavior and evaluate the success of a positive behavior support (PBS) plan.

Developed by: 
Rachel Freeman, PhD, University of Kansas 


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