What Is a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)? A Guide for Parents and Teachers

When a child’s behavior keeps getting in the way of learning, the school day can turn into a string of phone calls, notes home, and meetings. A behavior intervention plan, usually shortened to BIP, is the document that turns that frustration into a concrete plan everyone can follow.

A BIP is a written plan that describes a specific behavior, explains why the child is doing it, and lays out what adults will change and what new skill the child will be taught instead. It is built from information, not guesses. The goal is not to make a child “behave.” The goal is to help the child get what they need in a way that works for them and for the people around them.

Below is a plain-language look at what goes into a BIP, who writes it, how it fits with an IEP, and how to tell whether it is working.

What a behavior intervention plan does

Most challenging behavior has a job. A child who throws a worksheet may be avoiding work that feels too hard. A child who calls out constantly may be looking for adult attention. A BIP names that job and then does three things:

1. Prevents the behavior by changing the situation before the problem starts
2. Teaches a replacement skill that gets the child the same result in a safe, appropriate way
3. Sets consistent adult responses so the old behavior stops paying off and the new skill does

This is why a BIP differs from a list of consequences. Punishment may stop a behavior for a day. A BIP addresses why the behavior shows up in the first place.

BIP vs. FBA: the order matters

A BIP should be built on a functional behavior assessment (FBA). The FBA comes first and is the information-gathering step. A trained professional observes the child, reviews records, and interviews teachers and parents to work out what the behavior accomplishes for the child. Our guide to functional behavior assessments explains that process in detail.

The BIP is what comes next. If the FBA answers “why is this happening?”, the BIP answers “so what are we going to do about it?”

What goes in a BIP

According to the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University, a behavior intervention plan includes:

• A description of the target behavior
• A summary of the data collected during the FBA
• The hypothesized function of the behavior (what the child gets or avoids)
• The replacement behavior that will be taught and reinforced
• The specific interventions the team will use
• A progress monitoring plan, so the team can see whether anything is changing

IRIS describes BIPs as the tool for students whose behaviors are severe or chronic and interrupt instruction. Milder concerns are often handled with simpler classroom supports first.

The target behavior

Good plans describe behavior in terms anyone could observe. “Is disrespectful” is a judgment. “Leaves seat and walks to the door during independent work, about three times per 30-minute block” is a behavior. Clear descriptions keep every adult measuring the same thing.

The function

Behavior analysts group the reasons for behavior into a few categories:

Function	What it looks like
Escape or avoidance	The child tries to get out of a task, a demand, or a social situation
Attention	The child seeks a reaction from adults or peers
Access to something	The child wants an item or activity
Sensory	The behavior feels good or relieves discomfort on its own

The same behavior can have different functions in different children. Yelling during math may be escape for one student and attention for another. That is why the same strategy can work beautifully for one child and fail for the next.

Prevention strategies

These change the setting so the behavior is less likely. For a student who escapes hard writing tasks, that could mean breaking the assignment into smaller chunks, offering a choice of how to respond, or pairing a difficult task with an easier one first.

Replacement skills

The child needs a better way to get the same result. If the behavior is escape, the replacement might be asking for a break with a card, a gesture, or a phrase. If the behavior is attention-seeking, it might be raising a hand or tapping a teacher’s desk card. Replacement skills only work when the adult responds to them quickly and consistently, especially at first.

Adult responses

This section tells every adult what to do when the behavior happens and when the replacement skill appears. When teachers, aides, and parents respond the same way, the child learns the new rules quickly. When responses vary, the old behavior sometimes still works, and it comes back stronger.

A simple example

Here is how one plan might read for a second grader. This is an illustration, not a template for any real child.

• Target behavior: Tears paper and pushes materials off the desk during independent writing, about four times a week
• Function: Escape from writing tasks that feel too long
• Prevention: Break the assignment into three short parts with a check-in after each; offer a choice between typing and handwriting
• Replacement skill: Hand the teacher a “break” card, then take a two-minute break at a calm corner
• Adult response: When the child uses the card, the teacher says “thanks for asking” and honors the break right away. When the child tears paper, the teacher calmly redirects to the card and returns to the next small step
• Progress monitoring: The teacher records tearing incidents and card use each day; the team reviews the data every three weeks

Notice that the plan does not ask the child to “just try harder.” It rebuilds the task and teaches a skill the child did not have.

Who writes a BIP

A BIP is a team product. IRIS says it should be developed collaboratively by educators, the student and their family, and other relevant professionals. Depending on the child, the team may include parents or caregivers, the classroom teacher, a special education teacher, a school psychologist, and a behavior specialist or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Parents bring something no one else has: knowledge of what works at home and a long view of the child’s history.

Under the federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), IEP teams must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports for a child whose behavior impedes their own learning or the learning of others (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)). A BIP is one of the most common ways teams do that.

Is a BIP part of an IEP?

Often, yes. The California Department of Education’s guidance for school districts says that if an IEP team decides a BIP is appropriate, it must be included in the IEP. Our guide to ABA in the classroom and IEPs shows where behavior plans fit among the other documents a school may use.

Not every behavior plan is tied to an IEP. The U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 guidance says FBAs and behavior support plans can be used for any student whose behavior interferes with learning, and that IDEA itself requires a BIP only in certain discipline cases. Some schools use plans for students with a 504 plan, or through school-wide tiered supports, where the formal FBA-and-BIP process is typically reserved for students with the most intensive needs. Rules and terminology vary by district, so the best move is to ask the school how it handles behavior plans for your child.

Federal rules do require functional assessment and behavior planning in specific discipline situations. If a student’s conduct is found to be a manifestation of their disability, the IEP team must conduct an FBA and implement a BIP, or review and modify an existing BIP (34 CFR 300.530(f)). Families who are in that situation may want to consult a special education advocate or attorney. Disability Rights California publishes a free special education manual that explains these rights.

How to tell whether a BIP is working

A good plan produces visible change within a few weeks. Look for:

• A drop in how often, how long, or how intensely the behavior happens
• More use of the replacement skill
• Adults reporting that the plan is clear and easy to follow
• A child who seems calmer, more engaged, or more confident

If the numbers are not moving, ask the team to review the plan. The function may have been misread, the replacement skill may be too hard, or the plan may not be carried out the same way by every adult. Plans are meant to change as the child changes.

What parents can do

• Ask for the data. A BIP should be based on documented observations. Ask what was collected and who collected it.
• Share what you see at home. Triggers, calming strategies, and favorite rewards help the team choose supports that fit.
• Ask how the plan will be taught. A replacement skill has to be practiced, not just announced.
• Ask how and when it will be reviewed. Request a date for the next check-in.
• Practice the same skill at home. When a child hears the same words and gets the same response in both places, learning moves faster.

What teachers can do

• Keep data simple enough to collect every day
• Respond to the replacement skill every time you see it, especially in the first weeks
• Tell the team early if a strategy is hard to carry out in a busy classroom. A plan that cannot be implemented will not work
• Share small wins with the family

Frequently asked questions

What is a behavior intervention plan?

A behavior intervention plan is a written plan that identifies a specific behavior, the reason it is happening, the strategies adults will use to prevent it, and the replacement skills the child will be taught.

What is the difference between an FBA and a BIP?

The FBA is the assessment that finds out why a behavior is happening. The BIP is the action plan built from those findings.

Can a child have a BIP without an IEP?

Sometimes. Schools may use behavior plans for students with a 504 plan or through school-wide tiered supports, but the formal FBA-and-BIP process is most often tied to an IEP. When an IEP team decides a BIP is appropriate in California, it must be included in the IEP. Ask your school how it handles this.

Who creates a behavior intervention plan?

A team creates it, often including parents, the student, teachers, a special education teacher, a school psychologist, and a behavior specialist or BCBA.

How long does a BIP last?

A BIP stays in place as long as the child needs it. Teams review it regularly and change it as the child learns new skills or circumstances shift.

What makes a BIP effective?

An effective plan rests on a thorough assessment, describes behavior in observable terms, teaches a replacement skill, is carried out consistently by every adult, and includes a progress monitoring plan so it can be reviewed using data.

Does a BIP use punishment?

A well-designed BIP focuses on prevention, teaching, and reinforcing positive behavior. It does not rely on punishment as its main tool.

When your family or school needs extra support

EducationBX supports schools and families across the Bay Area, Clovis, North San Diego, and the Central Coast. Schools can learn about our student behavior support and classroom consultation services, where our BCBAs and RBTs help develop practical behavior plans and coach staff to carry them out. Families can explore our family support services or contact our team with questions.