Considerations of Baseline Classroom Conditions in Conducting Functional Behavior Assessments in School Settings
Check four class-wide basics first; you may skip the full FBA.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kestner et al. (2019) wrote a how-to guide for school teams.
They said: before you start a full FBA on one child, first look at four class-wide basics.
The four items are: how many kids answer aloud, if work matches skill level, how fast teachers give feedback, and how clear the transitions are.
What they found
The paper does not give new data.
It gives a checklist and a flow chart.
The flow chart says: fix the four basics first; if problem behavior drops, you may skip the heavy FBA.
How this fits with other research
DeRoma et al. (2004) looked at 100 school studies and saw half skipped FBA—and kids still got better.
That sounds like FBA is optional, but Kestner et al. answer: try class-wide fixes first; if they work, you never needed the full FBA.
Nesselrode et al. (2022) show schools now use short 5-minute FAs.
Kestner’s four-step check can be done in the same short window, so the ideas fit together.
Dudley et al. (2008) proved FBA-based homework plans beat guesswork.
Kestner adds: run the four class checks first; if the room is still chaotic, then move to the child-level FBA that O et al. used.
Why it matters
Next time a teacher says “This kid needs an FBA,” walk in with a stopwatch and a worksheet.
Count how many kids respond aloud during the lesson.
See if the work is too hard for most.
Time how long it takes to start math after recess.
Fix any weak spot for three days.
If behavior drops, you just saved weeks of interviews and 20-minute FAs.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research has shown that environmental classroom variables affect academic performance and student behavior, and appropriate behavior is often related to the presence of effective teaching practices and classroom management (Moore Partin, Robertson, Maggin, Oliver, & Wehby Preventing School Failure, 54, 172–178, 2010). For behavior analysts consulting in elementary education, some referrals for assessment and treatment of individual student behavior can be resolved by helping teachers establish effective class-wide practices. For this reason, some researchers suggest that behavior analysts should assess baseline classroom conditions as part of a functional behavior assessment (FBA; Anderson & St. Peter Behavior Analysis in Practice, 6(2), 62, 2013; Sutherland & Wehby Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, 239–248, 2001). Through a literature review on effective classroom practices, we identified four specific classroom variables that have large effects on both learning outcomes and student behavior; we suggest consultants consider these four variables in baseline classroom assessments: (a) rates of active student responding (ASR), (b) appropriateness of the curriculum, (c) feedback and reinforcement, and (d) effective instructions and transitions. In this article, we will discuss each of these variables, describe how they can affect classroom behavior, and provide recommended targets from the research literature. We also provide a data-collection form for practitioners to use in their assessments of baseline classroom ecology, and for situations when these practices are not in place, we suggest potential resources for antecedent- and consequence-based interventions to decrease challenging classroom behavior. The online version of this article (10.1007/s40617-018-0269-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2019 · doi:10.1007/s40617-018-0269-1