The status of functional behavioral assessment (FBA): Adherence to standard practice in FBA methodology

The application of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) has become increasingly visible in school settings since its inclusion in the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Despite the mandate for FBAs within the educational program of students with disabilities displaying behavior problems, the federal government put forth guidelines that made what constituted an FBA subject to interpretation. Many states have assumed the responsibility of establishing policy for completing FBAs. This investigation examined the resources acquired or developed and disseminated by each of the 50 states for FBA completion and compared the information from these resources to standard practice for FBA and functional analysis (FA).