Preparation of Behavior Analysts for School-based Practice
Most new BCBAs feel lost in schools; a single school-based fieldwork rotation fixes that.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Copeland et al. (2025) asked certified BCBAs how well their first training got them ready for school jobs.
They used an online survey. Most people said they had little or no school-focused teaching during coursework or supervision.
What they found
The big result: BCBAs who did at least some of their fieldwork inside a school felt far more confident.
Everyone else felt lost. The study calls for making school-based supervision a routine part of training.
How this fits with other research
Vladescu et al. (2022) extends the same worry to law class. Their survey shows most BCBAs also feel shaky about federal special-education rules.
Reilly et al. (2025) offers a fix. The same year Copeland showed the gap, Reilly published a four-step teaming model so BCBAs can collaborate better once they land in schools.
MSáez-Suanes et al. (2023) systematic review backs the story. The review found hardly any experimental studies on BCBA supervision, meaning the field still doesn’t know which training methods actually work.
Why it matters
If you train future analysts, add a school practicum now. One semester on an IEP team beats extra lecture slides. If you’re a new BCBA, ask your supervisor for at least one school site, even if it means extra driving. The data say that single change can replace months of second-guessing.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Schedule your current trainee to shadow you during the next school IEP meeting.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
While working in educational settings remains the second largest area of professional emphasis for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), there is a scarcity of research about how these professionals are prepared to provide services and supports in school-based placements. We investigated perceptions of school-based behavior analysts about their levels of preparation and confidence in applying their understanding of knowledge areas specific to school-based practice (i.e., multidisciplinary teaming, Individual Education Program teams, educational curricula and assessments, grade level benchmark standards and alternate standards for students with extensive support needs, educational law, and case law). Our focus was on identifying facilitators and barriers to effective school-based practice within their initial preparation. Additionally, we investigated how these professionals continued their education in these areas after receiving their initial credential. A total of 116 BCaBAs, BCBAs, or BCBA-Ds across each major geographic area of the United States completed a 26-item survey containing closed and open-ended questions. Most respondents perceived their initial behavior analysis training as providing no or minimal preparation in specific areas related to provision of services in educational settings. Those who had received supervised fieldwork in school settings rated their confidence in application of these areas in their practice higher than those who lacked such experience. Many respondents indicated that they had pursued or planned to seek additional training in these areas. They also identified facilitators and barriers to preparation for effective school-based practice. We discuss the results, implications for systems change, professional practice, and areas of future research. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40617-024-01028-7.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40617-024-01028-7