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Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

Guide and Checklist

What is a Behavior Intervention Plan?

A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is a detailed document that lists specific strategies to help prevent and respond to challenging behavior. It is personalized for each student to make sure they have the support they need. 

The BIP serves as a guide for teachers, caregivers, and other people working with the student. When adults follow a BIP consistently, they respond to the student’s actions in the same way across different settings. This helps the student know what to expect throughout the day.

The BIP should also list specific behaviors that the student will be taught to replace the challenging behavior. This instruction helps the student learn better ways to communicate their needs. 

When is a BIP needed?

According to Iowa IDEA Information (i3), 

  1. A BIP may be created for any student who has behaviors that are interfering with their learning or the learning of others. This could be for any student, with or without an IEP or 504 Plan.
  2. A BIP must be completed, or reviewed, for any child with an IEP who is removed from their regular setting because of behavior for: 
  • more than 10 days in a row; or 
  • more than 10 school days in a school year for separate, similar incidents that show a pattern
  • AND a manifestation determination meeting has been held, and the team decided that the behavior was caused by or related to the child’s disability.

How is a BIP created?

When a BIP is created by an IEP team, it is best practice to use the results of a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). Understanding the reason or function for a student’s behavior can help the team come up with ways to prevent and consistently respond. The BIP also includes how to teach new and positive behaviors instead of challenging ones. Al strategies are tailored to the individual student’s needs.

Who is involved in creating the BIP?

A member of the school team or Area Education Agency (AEA) who has experience and training in writing BIPs leads this process. This person could be a school psychologist, a school social worker, a special education consultant, a member of a behavior team, or a special education teacher.

Parents also play an important role in the BIP process. Their knowledge about their child is valuable when creating a consistent plan. Parents can provide insight on what has been tried in the past and what strategies work or don’t work at home. They can also share recommendations from a therapist or other outside providers.

What if I have concerns that my child’s BIP is not working?

When a BIP is first started, the student’s behavior may get worse before it improves. This can happen when they are learning their new plan. If the BIP has been followed for several weeks and the data does not show improvement, the team, including parents, could meet to discuss these questions developed by Kristi Miiller, Grant Wood AEA Behavior Consultant.  

  • Is the plan being implemented as written? The team could use the BIP Implementation Checklist within ACHIEVE to make sure all parts of the plan are being followed consistently and can be implemented in the child’s school setting.  This process involves observing how adults and the student interact during the day. This helps to make sure that the plan is being followed correctly.
  • Are there any challenging behaviors missing from the current FBA and BIP?  If recent behaviors are not included in the current FBA and BIP, the team should consider conducting a new FBA to include all behaviors of concern. Example: Student is eloping from the building, and the FBA and BIP do not include elopement as a behavior of concern.  
  • Are there any missing components to the plan? The BIP may need to be reviewed to make sure all components are included. See the BIP Checklist in this document.

  • Is more support needed in the BIP?  The supports listed in the BIP may not fully meet the student’s needs. The team could consider updating the plan to support the student’s needs better.

In conclusion, when a BIP is successful, it effectively supports students, teachers, and parents, allowing them to focus less on behavior and more on the student’s learning.

Related Resources:

Search these titles at www.askresource.org/resources

  • Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Guide and Checklist
  • Challenging Behavior in School
  • The ABCs of Challenging Behavior
  • Removal of Students with Disabilities from School
  • Progress Monitoring

ASK Essential Questions:

  • What interventions have been tried to address my student’s behaviors of concern?
  • Do the strategies in the BIP match the functions of behavior identified in the FBA?
  • Is the team using the BIP Implementation Checklist to ensure the plan is being followed?
  • How will the team communicate?

References:

Iowa IDEA Information (i3). “Three Situations an IEP Team Develops a BIP. https://iowaideainformation.org/special-education/individualized-education-programs/behavior-in-an-iep/

Iowa Department of Education. (2025, September 17). Changes to functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans in ACHIEVE [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/pDyc4yLMyso

Miiller, K. (May 3, 2025). What to Do When the BIP Isn’t Working. https://youtu.be/Ap4Ym-jfXcA?si=LuxUmNtfTgqhbdsx


BIP Checklist

Available within the PDF button at the top of this page.

A checklist titled “BIP Checklist” designed to help parents understand the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) for their child. It explains required sections based on Iowa’s online IEP system, ACHIEVE. The table is divided into two parts: Required Section | Description Learner: Student’s name. Date: Date of the current BIP. FBA Date: Date of the most recent Functional Behavior Assessment (if conducted). Team Members: List of names and titles of all required attendees at the meeting. Overview and Behavior Goals: Strengths and Skills: Skills the student does well that can be built upon. Example: Good at building with blocks or strong in math. Preferences and Interests: Items, events, or people the learner prefers or enjoys. Example: A token board with superheroes for meaningful rewards. Appropriate Behavior Statements: Factors that increase the likelihood of appropriate behaviors. Example: Giving the student a choice of tasks encourages positive behavior. Target Behaviors of Concern: Specific explanation of behaviors interfering with learning, including examples and non-examples. Example: Physical aggression (e.g., hitting, kicking); non-examples include fist bumps or kicking a ball in P.E. Footer includes: © ASK Resource Center, 2025 | Phone (515) 243-1713 | Toll-free (800) 450-8667 | askresource.orgA chart outlining new and existing components of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) required after September 2025. The chart includes six main sections with descriptions: Generalization Plan – Steps to help a student use a skill with different people, in new places, and during other activities. Required for each teaching strategy. Additional Strategies to Address Lagging Skills – Strategies to help students develop missing skills (e.g., communication, social skills, executive functioning). Implementation and Monitoring Progress – Describes who provides support, who receives it, when and how often it’s provided, and how progress will be tracked. Includes an example using the BIP Implementation Checklist. Reintegration Plan (as needed) – Required when a student’s behavior affects access to general education; focuses on increasing time in general education settings. Safety Plan (as needed) – Outlines steps when behaviors pose risks; includes an example for students who leave campus. Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) Items Deemed Not Applicable for this BIP – Lists identified lagging skills not included in the BIP, with explanations. A note at the bottom explains that all items marked with an asterisk (*) are new to the BIP as of September 2025 and will be required for all BIPs created or reviewed after that date. The footer shows the ASK Resource Center’s contact information and copyright notice (© ASK Resource Center, 2025).A page from a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) Checklist that explains how to write hypothesis statements and develop strategies for addressing student behaviors. The document is divided into two main sections: Hypothesis Statement(s) and Strategies. Sections and Descriptions: Behavior/Function/Hypothesis Statement: For each behavior of concern, the team writes a statement explaining why the behavior is happening. These statements identify the function of the behavior. Example: During instruction, when tasks are presented, the student engages in refusal/noncompliance to escape work. Strategies: Prevention Strategies: Explains how to change the environment to prevent behaviors of concern. Example: The student will have a visual schedule and be informed of any changes to their day. Teaching Strategies: Describes specially designed instruction (SDI) provided to help the student meet their goals. Example: The student will be taught appropriate ways to ask for help. Replacement/Appropriate Behavior Response Strategies: Explains how staff should respond when the student demonstrates appropriate behaviors. Example: Immediately praise the student when they ask for help appropriately. Behaviors of Concern Response Strategies: Describes staff actions when the student exhibits behaviors of concern. Example: If the student becomes vocally disruptive, an adult will visually prompt them to ask for help. *Fading Plan: Outlines a process to gradually remove support as the learner gains independence. It includes how the team will know when the learner is ready for support to be reduced. Required for prevention strategies, replacement/appropriate behavior strategies, and behaviors of concern strategies. If no fading plan is included, the team must explain why. Footer: © ASK Resource Center, 2025 | Phone (515) 243-1713 | Toll-free (800) 450-8667 | askresource.org