A behavior plan meeting can go badly in a few ways: it can run long with no decisions, it can turn into a list of complaints, or it can leave the family feeling outnumbered. A short agenda prevents most of it.
This page offers a sample agenda, who to invite, what to send ahead, and how to close with actions.
Who comes
For a plan that is part of an IEP, section 300.321 names the IEP team: the parents, at least one regular education teacher of the child, at least one special education teacher, a representative of the public agency who is qualified to provide or supervise specially designed instruction and knows the curriculum and the district's resources, an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, other individuals with knowledge or special expertise at the discretion of the parent or the agency, and the child whenever appropriate.
For a behavior plan, that usually means adding the people who hold the data and will carry out the plan. Colorado's guide says the BIP is intended to be developed as a team in a meeting, rather than by one person in isolation. Illinois's list of FBA contributors includes school clinicians, behavior analysts, and others who regularly interact with the student.
Before the meeting
Section 300.322 requires the district to notify parents early enough to ensure they can attend and to schedule the meeting at a mutually agreed time and place. The notice must state the purpose, time, location, and who will attend. Illinois's guidance adds a state rule that, no later than three school days before an IEP meeting, the school must give parents copies of all written material the team will consider, so they can take part as fully informed members.
| Item | Who prepares it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| FBA summary and hypothesis | FBA lead | Everyone starts from the same evidence |
| Graph of baseline and any plan data | Teacher or case manager | Shows the picture at a glance |
| Draft plan, labeled as a draft | Plan writer | Gives the family time to read |
| Short list of questions for the family | Case manager | Invites their view before the meeting |
| Meeting roles | Facilitator | Avoids confusion on the day |
Also decide who will facilitate, who will keep time, and who will take notes. A short note to the family before the meeting that says what the meeting is for, and what they are welcome to bring, helps.
A sample 60 minute agenda
| Minutes | Item | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Welcome, purpose, roles, ground rules | Name the goal: a plan that helps the student |
| 5 to 12 | Strengths and the family's view | Start with what is going well, then what the family sees at home |
| 12 to 22 | Assessment findings | The definition, the data, the hypothesis, in plain words |
| 22 to 40 | Plan sections | Prevention, skills to teach, responses, reinforcement, data |
| 40 to 48 | Who does what | Training, materials, schedule, how staff will be told |
| 48 to 54 | Family communication and student voice | How and how often, in what form |
| 54 to 60 | Decisions, actions, and review date | Read back the list |
If the plan is long, split it. A second short meeting to review the first weeks of data often works better than trying to settle everything at once.
Ground rules
- Describe, do not judge. Use the definition. Say what the student did, not what the student is like.
- Strengths first. Colorado's guide emphasizes a strength-based approach to building the plan.
- One conversation at a time. The facilitator keeps the order.
- Questions welcome. No jargon without a quick explanation.
- Decisions are made together. The family is a team member, not an audience.
Running the table
Present the data briefly. A graph and the hypothesis in two sentences usually works better than a long report. Invite the family to say what matches their experience and what does not. When the group reaches the plan, go section by section and ask of each strategy: who does it, when, and how will we know it is done? That is the contextual fit questions Colorado lists: who needs to be involved, what training and resources are needed, and how fidelity will be measured. See what to include in a BIP.
Bringing the student in
Section 300.321 says the child attends whenever appropriate. For many students, even a few minutes at the start or end makes a difference. Ask the family first. Then prepare the student: what the meeting is for, who will be there, and what they can say. A student can name what helps, what is hard, and which rewards they would actually want. Colorado's guide says reinforcers should be based on individual preferences, so the student's own answer is useful data. If the student does not attend, ask for their views beforehand, in writing or in a short talk, and read them aloud.
Ending well
End with a list read aloud: each action, the person responsible, and the date. Set the next review. Colorado suggests data be reviewed about every three weeks, or after about 15 data points. Say who will tell the family how it is going and by what means, and when the plan will be shared with all the staff who need it. See sharing a BIP with all staff.
After the meeting
Within a few days: write up the notes and actions, send them to the family, update the plan, and confirm training dates. Illinois notes that the family is entitled to prior written notice when the district proposes or refuses to change the identification, evaluation, placement, or provision of a free appropriate public education, and that this applies to BIP-related decisions. Ask your case manager which notices apply in your state.
If the meeting gets tense
Sometimes a family arrives upset, or staff arrive frustrated. Pause and return to the purpose: a plan that helps the student. Name what you have heard, and go back to the data. If needed, offer a short break or schedule a second meeting. A plan agreed in a heated meeting is rarely carried out well, and one that waits a week is often better.
Meeting slips
- No agenda. Time runs out before the plan.
- Data dump. Share the graph ahead of time.
- Family hears the plan for the first time. Send a draft.
- A plan no one volunteers to carry out. Name roles in the meeting.
- No review date. The plan drifts.
Terms are in the glossary.
What your district requires
The type of meeting, required attendees, timelines, and forms vary by state and district. The IDEA sections cited here apply to IEP team meetings. Ask your special education director whether a behavior plan meeting follows the same rules in your district.