Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Behavior Supports and Interventions
The Office of Special Education (OSE) implements state and federal laws and regulations governing special education to ensure that students with disabilities in New Jersey receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). The office provides statewide leadership through the development of policy and documents, and provides guidance to school districts and parents regarding the implementation of special education programs and services. The office monitors the delivery of special education programs operated under state authority, provides mediation services to parents and school districts, processes hearings with the Office of Administrative Law, and conducts complaint investigations requested by the public. In addition, the office funds regional learning resource centers (LRCs) that provide schools and parents with information services, materials circulation, technical assistance, consultation services and production services. The office also provides technical assistance on topics related to students with disabilites and the development of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and accessing individual rights.
The OSE intends to continue to provide resources that are designed to ensure that all stakeholders have access to current information on how districts, educators, and families can work together to support the needs of students with disabilities. The following resources and guidance are designed to support the mission to meet the unique needs of all students in the area of behavioral and emotional support to best prepare them for further education, employment and independent living.
Please note that the links provided are suggestions for resources and do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the New Jersey Department of Education of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individuals.
- Guidance and Model Documents (NJDOE)
- General Guidance for Functional Behavioral Assessment, released 2023
- Emotional and Behavior Program Quality Indicators, coming soon
- Manifestation Determination Guidance and Model Forms, coming soon
- Model Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) for the IEP, coming soon
- General Resources
- National Association of Special Education Teachers: Discipline of Students in Special Education Series (naset.org)
- School Climate and Discipline - Rethinking Discipline(USED - ed.gov)
- Discipline Resources from the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
- Class Level Resources (NJ PBSIS)
- Discipline Resources from the Texas Project First (TEA)
- Professional Development
- Supporting Children with Complex Behavior Needs (BOGGs at Rutgers)
- Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis (BOGGs at Rutgers)
- Discipline of Students in Special Education Series (NASET)
- The IRIS Center Discipline Training Modules (for more see the IRIS Resource Locator) The IRIS Center Discipline Training Modules (for more see the IRIS Resource Locator)
- Parental Rights in Special Education (2019)
- The Preschool Backpack Series (English and Spanish)
- Community-Based Supports
- NJ Department of Human Services Hotlines and Treatment Directories
- Mental Health Screening Centers from the Department of Health and Human Services (English) (Spanish)
- Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies
- Person-Centered Planning Resources (BOGGs Center at Rutgers)
- What is Data-Based Individualization (DBI)? Intensive intervention helps students with severe and persistent learning and behavioral needs, including students with disabilities. Data-based individualization (DBI) is the National Center on Intensive Intervention’s (NCII's) approach to intensive intervention.
- Faculty Professional Learning Series on Intensive Intervention
- Data Teaming Tools (IDEAs that Work)
Access to Relevant Policy and Procedures
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Click here to access polices and procedure related to addressing student behavior:
- USOSEP's Key Provisions and IDEA REference Document
- NJ Code References - 6A:14-2.8 Discipline/suspension/expulsion
- Disproportionality
- Discipline Requirements
- Restraint and Seclusion
Functional Behavioral Assessments: General Information and Toolkits
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) contains various specifications related to the academic performance and classroom conduct of students with disabilities. These legislative specifications significantly impact the roles and responsibilities of school personnel in New Jersey. The information contained in this document addresses best practices in conducting a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and, in turn, developing a behavior intervention plan (BIP) for students with a disability.
This document is for school employees. If the school employee represents themselves as a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA®) or holds any certification from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®), for example, Registered Behavior Technician (RBT®), Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®), or Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®), this document is not intended for them. Those individuals certified by the BACB® are practitioners who have met the qualifications set forth by the BACB®. The information and guidance in this document are not identical to the practice or the qualifications set by the BACB®. This document is intended for school employees without BACB® licensure or certifications.
Click here, or on the picture provided, to access this resource document.
Functional Behavior Assessment Toolkit Resources:
FBA Data Collector Tool - Student Data Sample
New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJ PBSIS)
New Jersey Positive Behavior Support in Schools (NJ PBSIS) is a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Special Education and The Boggs Center, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and funded by I.D.E.A Part B.
NJ PBSIS provides comprehensive professional development to support the implementation of tiered interventions that provide equitable access to a range of school intervention needs including conduct, behavior and social and emotional wellness. Since 2003, NJ PBSIS annually enrolls a cohort of schools whose personnel participate in a three-year professional development experience to design and implement a plan for their tiered intervention system. There is no cost to schools or districts to apply, enroll, or receive the professional development services. However, only schools that successful complete a competitive application process are eligible for services. Visit the Enrollment tab for more information
NJ PBSIS is committed to supporting our school and district partners to install systems and practices that promote equity and dismantle systemic racism to improve the outcomes of students who are Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and to ensure that Black Lives Matter. Further, NJ PBSIS is committed to ensuring that professional development promotes equity and addresses systemic racism in schools by:
- Ensuring that NJ PBSIS training curriculum and materials reflects the principles of culturally responsive and trauma informed practices.
- Providing resources, tools, and products that support school personnel to make policy, procedure and practice changes that result in education equity.
- Providing school personnel with data system tools that illuminate patterns of disproportionality in discipline systems.
- Supporting school personnel to install systems and practices that neutralize implicit biases in decision making.
- Engaging in our own continuous professional development, reflection, and self-evaluation.
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