In my brief commentary, I offer a look to the past to celebrate lessons learned in social, emotional, and behavioral assessment. Then, I respectfully pose considerations for researchers and practitioners committed to early detection, intervention, and assessment of students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Specifically, I…

In this replication and extension study, we examined the effects of educators' participation in practice-based professional learning (PBPL) to design, implement, and evaluate functional assessment-based interventions (FABIs). We randomly assigned school-site teams (k = 69; N = 342) to cohorts trained by either university or state technical…

This systematic review investigated one systematic approach to designing, implementing, and evaluating functional assessment-based interventions (FABI) for use in supporting school-age students with or at-risk for high-incidence disabilities. We field tested several recently developed methods for single-case design syntheses. First, we appraised…

Content-focused practice-based professional development (PBPD) with active learning is one avenue to support teachers in learning new strategies, practices, and programs. This type of professional development moves away from traditional lectures. In this descriptive study, the authors used a pre-post group design to examine the extent to which a…

It can be challenging for educators to select intervention tactics based on the function of the student's behavior. In this article, authors offer practical information on behavioral function and environmental-focused intervention ideas for educators developing behavior intervention plans. Ideas are organized according to the hypothesized function…

Precorrection is a proactive strategy designed to prevent problem behavior from occurring by identifying contexts likely to occasion problem behavior and facilitating the occurrence of appropriate behavior. To determine the evidence base for this practice we applied the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) "Standards for Evidence-Based…

In this replication study, we examined the effect of educators' participation in a practice-based professional learning series for designing, implementing, and evaluating Functional Assessment-based Interventions (FABI; Umbreit, Liaupsin, Ferro, & Lane, 2007) on their actual knowledge and perceived knowledge, confidence, and usefulness of…

This review of the literature was conducted to explore the evidence base for functional assessment-based interventions (FABIs) for one systematic approach developed by Umbreit, Ferro, Liaupsin, and Lane (2007). Specifically, this review examined the evidence base for this systematic approach to FABI for young students by applying quality…

This paper provides outcomes of a study examining the effectiveness of a year-long professional development training series designed to support in-service educators in learning a systematic approach to functional assessment-based interventions developed by Umbreit and colleagues (2007) that has met with demonstrated success when implemented with…

Harry, a fifth-grade student attending a public middle school that serves students from fifth to eighth grade, was described by the math and special education teachers as monotone, not caring about school or friends, and generally off task. Ms. Hart, the special education teacher, considered Harry's lack of attention, doodling, playing with his…

In this study we examine the impact of the Behavior Education Program (BEP; Hawken, MacLeod, & Rawlings, 2007) with four middle school students who were not responsive to a comprehensive primary prevention program including academic, behavioral and social components. To extend this line of inquiry we (a) conducted a functional behavioral…

Committed teachers and administrators often look for strategies and practices to better support students struggling to negotiate the academic, social, and behavioral demands of the classroom setting. Such practices may include modifications to how they deliver instruction or manage behavior for their entire class. Other strategies may include more…

In this study, the authors examined the effects of a systematic functional assessment-based intervention (FABI) to identify the function of a third-grade student's off-task behavior and create a plan to increase academic engaged time (AET). The FABI was designed and implemented in an urban elementary school with a comprehensive, integrated,…

This book provides tested, easy-to-implement strategies for preventing problem behavior in the classroom and responding effectively when it does occur. Chapters describe specific steps that K-12 teachers and other school-based professionals can take to develop effective classroom rules and routines; plan suitably challenging instruction; and…

Some students exhibit behavioral issues as early as preschool and kindergarten. Conventional wisdom suggests waiting to see whether students outgrow these difficulties. However, there is extensive evidence that early detection and intervention is preferred to the wait-and-see approach because it is more likely to result in better academic and…