Not the Enemy: Working with school teams as a behavior analyst at IEP meetings

Behavior analysts are increasingly invited to IEP meetings by families, schools, and clinical teams, yet few receive training in how to participate in them. Without that preparation, behavior analysts may stay silent when their expertise is needed, or may make statements that go beyond their data or their scope of competence. Either can damage working relationships with school teams and limit the benefit to the student. This session examines the ethical responsibilities that guide behavior analysts when they communicate concerns and recommendations in an IEP meeting. Participants will practice telling apart concerns that are supported by data from statements that exceed the available evidence or the behavior analyst's competence. They will also practice responding to disagreement with an IEP team that communicates the concern clearly while respecting the perspectives and expertise of other team members. All examples and scenarios are composites and do not describe real students or families.