Vermont Behavior Intervention Plan: What It Is and How to Get One That Works

A Behavior Intervention Plan is supposed to prevent problem behavior and teach replacement skills. In practice, many Vermont parents find that their child's BIP is a single page of generic strategies that nobody follows — and when the behavior continues, the school's response is more discipline instead of a better plan.

Understanding what a legally sound BIP requires, and what it doesn't, puts you in a much stronger position at the IEP table.

The BIP's Legal Trigger

Under IDEA and Vermont Rule 2360, the IEP team must consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports whenever a student's behavior impedes their own learning or the learning of others. This obligation exists even if the student hasn't been suspended or formally disciplined.

The BIP typically follows a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) — a structured analysis that identifies the function or purpose of the problem behavior (what the student is getting or avoiding through the behavior). A BIP that isn't grounded in a completed FBA is essentially guesswork.

If your child has ongoing behavioral challenges and there is no FBA in the record, the first step is requesting one in writing. The existing post on Vermont functional behavioral assessments covers that process in detail. This post focuses on what happens after the FBA — what the BIP must contain and how to ensure it's implemented.

What a Legally Adequate Vermont BIP Must Include

The BIP is a written document, part of the IEP or attached to it. Courts and state complaint investigations consistently find BIPs deficient when they lack these elements:

1. The function(s) of the behavior The BIP must clearly state what the student is communicating through the behavior. The four most common functions are: obtaining attention, obtaining a tangible item or activity, escaping or avoiding a demand or situation, and sensory stimulation. If the BIP doesn't name the function, the strategies won't address the real driver.

2. A description of the behavior in observable, measurable terms "Aggressive behavior" is not a behavioral definition. "Hitting peers with an open hand during unstructured transition times, occurring approximately 3–5 times per week based on October data" is. Vague definitions make it impossible to measure whether the plan is working.

3. Antecedent strategies (prevention) What specific changes to the environment, schedule, or adult responses will be made to reduce the likelihood that the behavior occurs? These might include modified seating, a visual schedule, pre-corrects before difficult transitions, or removing a specific trigger.

4. Teaching replacement behaviors The BIP must identify a functionally equivalent replacement behavior — a new skill that meets the same need as the problem behavior, but in an acceptable way. If a student hits to escape overwhelming noise, the replacement behavior might be asking for a break using a break card. The plan must specify who will teach this skill, how, and in what settings.

5. Consequence strategies (reinforcement) How will adults respond when the student uses the replacement behavior? How will they respond when the problem behavior occurs? Consequence strategies must be consistent across all settings and staff.

6. Data collection method Who will collect data, how often, and what does that data look like? Without data, there is no way to know if the plan is working or needs revision.

7. Crisis procedures If the behavior can escalate to the point of safety risk, the BIP should include a separate crisis protocol that is consistent with Vermont's rules on restraint and seclusion.

The Problem with Generic BIPs in Vermont Schools

Many Vermont districts, particularly smaller supervisory unions without a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) on staff, produce BIPs that read like policy statements: "Staff will use positive reinforcement," "Student will be redirected," "Student will take a sensory break when agitated." These are not plans — they are platitudes.

A well-written BIP is specific enough that any substitute teacher, paraeducator, or specialist could pick it up and implement it consistently on day one.

Vermont's special education rules do not specify that a BCBA must write the BIP, but if your child's behavioral needs are complex, you can request that the district contract with a qualified behavior specialist to conduct the FBA and write the BIP. Vermont does have behavior analysts practicing in the state, including through regional educational service agencies.

What to Ask at the IEP Meeting

When a BIP is being presented or reviewed, push the team to answer these questions:

• What is the identified function of the behavior based on the FBA data?
• What replacement behavior is being taught, and which staff member is responsible for teaching it?
• How many minutes per week is the student receiving direct instruction in the replacement behavior?
• What does the data show about the current rate of the problem behavior versus the replacement behavior?
• When was the BIP last reviewed based on data?

If the team cannot answer these questions concretely, the BIP is not being implemented as a plan — it's being used as a paper compliance document.

When the BIP Isn't Working

If your child's behavior is not improving, or is getting worse, the IEP team is required to reconvene and revise the plan. You do not have to wait until the annual review. Send a written request for an IEP team meeting stating that the current BIP is not resulting in progress and that you are requesting a review and revision.

If the team fails to convene, or if the revised BIP is still not grounded in the FBA, you can file an administrative complaint with the Vermont Agency of Education. Failure to implement a BIP that is in the IEP is a compliance violation.

Vermont Legal Aid (1-800-889-2047) can advise families in severe situations where behavioral challenges are leading to repeated exclusions or discipline disproportionate to the disability.

The Vermont IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a BIP review checklist that walks through each required element, so you can assess whether your child's current plan meets the standard before the next IEP meeting.

Restraint, Seclusion, and the BIP

Vermont has specific rules governing the use of physical restraint and seclusion in schools. These interventions are not behavioral interventions in the IDEA sense — they are emergency safety responses and must not appear in a BIP as a planned consequence for behavior.

If your child has experienced restraint or seclusion, Vermont law requires the school to notify parents within 24 hours and submit a report to the Agency of Education. Any pattern of restraint or seclusion should trigger an immediate request for an IEP meeting and BIP revision. The goal is to identify what environmental and instructional changes would prevent escalations to the point of crisis — not to normalize the use of physical interventions.

A BIP that relies on behavioral suppression rather than skill-building is not a legally adequate plan under Vermont's rules or IDEA's positive behavioral interventions framework.

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