Special education school, lesson #9: The BIP

Parenting Special Needs class is back in session, with instruction each school day from now to the end of the month on special education words and concepts you need to be familiar with. Today's topic is the Behavior Intervention Plan, which takes all those ideas developed in the Functional Behavioral Assessment and turns them into a course of action for improving behavior and classroom calm. Open your Web browsers to the definitions of BIP and begin reading, then review the past week's course work using the links below. You've got a quiz on Friday.

• Lesson #1: The IEP
• Lesson #2: The 504
• Lesson #3: OT and PT
• Week 1 Quiz
• Lesson #4: Speech therapy
• Lesson #5: Adaptive gym
• Lesson #6: IDEA, FAPE and LRE
• Lesson #7: ESY and EI
• Week 2 Quiz
• Lesson #8: FBA

Can't wait for your child's school to get a BIP going for your child? Try writing your own. It won't be as legally binding, but if you have a good relationship with your child's teacher -- and he or she is as frustrated with the school's foot-dragging as you are -- it may be all you need.