Behavior Supports and BIPs in Colorado
How do behavior supports work in a Colorado IEP?
Colorado follows the federal framework for behavior supports in IEPs under 34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i), requiring IEP teams to consider positive behavioral interventions, supports, and strategies when a child's behavior impedes the child's learning or that of others. The ECEA Rules do not establish a separate state behavioral intervention plan (BIP) mandate beyond federal requirements, but Colorado's Children's Act for Positive Practices (C.R.S. §22-20-108.5, updated by HB22-1376) creates a statewide framework for positive behavioral supports and restricts use of aversive or punitive behavioral practices. Colorado's Abbreviated School Day Schedule policy (1 CCR 301-8, §8.01(1)(j)) has direct behavioral implications: schools must treat unilateral informal removals of students for behavioral reasons as disciplinary removals that count toward the 10-day cumulative threshold, triggering disciplinary protections including manifestation determination reviews. Functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) must be conducted when a manifestation determination finds the behavior is a manifestation of the disability or when the AU changes placement for disciplinary reasons (34 CFR 300.530(d)(1)).
What Colorado Requires
The IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports when a child's behavior impedes learning, and document the consideration and outcome (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)).
Behavioral support strategies and any behavioral intervention plan must be based on a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) when the behavior is a manifestation of the disability (34 CFR 300.530(d)(1)(ii)).
Colorado's Children's Act for Positive Practices (C.R.S. §22-20-108.5, HB22-1376 (2022)) establishes statewide expectations for positive behavioral interventions and restricts the use of aversive and mechanical restraint techniques in schools.
When a school unilaterally shortens a child's school day for behavioral reasons, this is a disciplinary removal that must be tracked and counted toward the cumulative 10-day threshold triggering disciplinary protections (1 CCR 301-8, §8.01(1)(j)(ii)).
Abbreviated School Day Schedules placed on students through the IEP team for legitimate FAPE reasons must document how FAPE and LRE will be achieved with the abbreviated schedule (1 CCR 301-8, §8.01(1)(j)(iv)).
Key Timelines
FBA and behavioral intervention plan must be implemented within 10 school days of a decision to change placement for behavioral reasons (34 CFR 300.530(d)(1)).
Manifestation determination review must occur within 10 school days of a removal decision constituting a change of placement (34 CFR 300.530(e)).
Behavior supports must be reviewed at each annual IEP review, at minimum every 365 days (1 CCR 301-8, §4.03(3)).