Behavior Supports and BIPs in Arizona
How do behavior supports work in a Arizona IEP?
Arizona follows federal IDEA requirements for behavioral supports, including the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) for students whose behavior impedes their learning or that of others (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i); per federal baseline applied in AZ). When a pupil's behavior impedes learning, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions, supports, and other strategies, and document them in the IEP. A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) derived from an FBA should be incorporated into the IEP when behavioral needs are identified. Arizona has a dedicated restraint and seclusion statute, A.R.S. § 15-105, which creates a state-law trigger: after repeated incidents of restraint or seclusion, the school must review whether the pupil requires a functional behavioral assessment (A.R.S. § 15-105(F)). Schools may only use restraint or seclusion when the pupil's behavior creates imminent danger of bodily harm and less restrictive alternatives appear inadequate (A.R.S. § 15-105(B)). Parents must receive same-day notification (or within 24 hours) of any restraint or seclusion incident. Prone restraint (face-down) is not defined as prohibited by name in A.R.S. § 15-105 but restraints that impede breathing are explicitly prohibited, which effectively bans prone restraint in practice (A.R.S. § 15-105(B)(3)).
What Arizona Requires
When a pupil's behavior impedes their learning or that of others, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies, and document them in the IEP (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i); per federal baseline applied in AZ).
After repeated incidents of restraint or seclusion, Arizona law requires the school to review whether a functional behavioral assessment is needed (A.R.S. § 15-105(F)).
A BIP derived from an FBA should be documented in the IEP when behavioral needs are identified; the BIP must be based on functional assessment data.
Restraint and seclusion may only be used when the pupil's behavior creates imminent danger of bodily harm to the pupil or others AND less restrictive alternatives appear inadequate (A.R.S. § 15-105(B)).
Restraints that impede breathing are explicitly prohibited under Arizona law (A.R.S. § 15-105(B)(3)) — this effectively prohibits prone (face-down) restraint.
Schools must notify parents of any restraint or seclusion incident on the same day it occurs; if same-day notice is not possible, within 24 hours (A.R.S. § 15-105(D)).
Key Timelines
Parents must be notified of any restraint or seclusion incident on the same day it occurs; if same-day notice is not possible, within 24 hours (A.R.S. § 15-105(D)).
After repeated incidents, the school must review prevention strategies and determine if an FBA is needed — the statute does not specify a fixed number of incidents; the school determines when a pattern warrants review (A.R.S. § 15-105(F)).
BIPs incorporated into the IEP must be reviewed at least annually at the IEP meeting (A.A.C. R7-2-401; 34 CFR 300.324(b)).