School Behavior Modification Plan

If your child is suffering from certain recognized learning or behavioral disorders such as autism, or ADHD he may qualify for a school behavior modification plan or Individual Education Plan under Federal Law. The plans, which can include behavior modification that will help keep your child in the public school system, fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of the US Department for Education.

The Act defines a disability not only as physical, but any condition that prevents a student from equal access to education.  This included behavior, mental, social, and physical disabilities.  The purpose of a school behavior modification or Individual Education Plan is to provide a child with specialized or individualized assistance, which can include behavior modification, in school. 

In order for a Behavior Modification Plan or an IEP to be developed for a child, school personnel must first evaluate the child and identify a qualifying disability.  This stage can take months, being the most frustrating for parents, teachers, and higher school officials.  The greatest reason for the wait it you must be certain that each child is properly diagnosed or certain parts of school behavior modification could worsen the child’s condition.

Once a child has been evaluated as having a qualifying disability, a team comprised most often of the classroom teacher, special education teachers, behavioral therapists if necessary, and any administrators that may have relevant knowledge of a specific disability will develop an IEP for the student.  As a parent, it is important that you sit back and allow the process to fold out as needed.  Understandably, it is hard to allow others to make large decisions for the better of your child but they have the tools, knowledge, and experience to be trusted.

The key to any qualifying school behavior modification plan is individualization, so each IEP will be specifically designed for an individual child. There are some elements of any behavior modification plan used in school that will be consistent from child to child as certain aspects of the program have been proven to be effective - but the idea behind this type of behavior modification plan in school is to have it as a whole be designed specifically for each child.


 

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