“Our students have so many needs”: Building educator capacity to support positive learning environments through high-quality FBAs and BIPs

This article provides a program description of a project funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) through an Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B federal grant, aimed at strengthening school-based practices for supporting students with disabilities (SwD). The project focused on improving the quality and implementation of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) for students who qualify for special education services, with an emphasis on proactive, data-informed, and individualized behavioral supports. The professional development, trainings, guidance, and supports described were designed in alignment with state and federal guidance to build educator capacity and promote more effective responses to student behavior within educational settings. The article concludes with recommendations for future research and practice.