Behavior Supports and BIPs in South Dakota
How do behavior supports work in a South Dakota IEP?
South Dakota addresses behavior supports for students with disabilities through both proactive frameworks and reactive disciplinary procedures. The South Dakota Department of Education actively promotes Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a tiered prevention framework that the DOE has implemented in partnership with 50+ districts over the past 18 years. The three-tier PBIS continuum includes universal (Tier 1) supports for all students, targeted (Tier 2) supports for students at risk, and intensive (Tier 3) individualized supports for students with significant behavioral needs. The DOE provides Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) training (1-day format) and Behavior Support Plan (BSP) training (2-day format), as well as data collection forms and competing behaviors pathway documentation. For students with disabilities whose behavior impedes their learning or that of others, the IEP team must consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies to address that behavior (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)). Under discipline procedures governed by ARSD 24:05:26, when a pattern of removals constitutes a change of placement, or when a student is removed for more than 10 school days, the district must conduct an FBA and implement a BIP if one does not exist, or review and modify an existing BIP. South Dakota's discipline guidance document ('Discipline in Detail') provides detailed protocols for manifestation determinations, FBAs, and BIPs.
What South Dakota Requires
When a student's behavior impedes their learning or that of others, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies to address the behavior (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)).
When a discipline removal constitutes a change of placement (more than 10 consecutive school days or a pattern of removals), the district must conduct an FBA and implement a behavior intervention plan (ARSD 24:05:26; 34 CFR 300.530(d)(1)(ii)).
South Dakota provides PBIS implementation support through the DOE's Office of Special Education Programs, including FBA and BSP training resources for school teams.
BIPs must be based on FBA data and include positive strategies, programming modifications, and supplementary supports designed to address the behavior of concern.
The IEP team must review and modify a BIP if one already exists following a manifestation determination or when a student continues to have significant behavioral challenges (34 CFR 300.530(f)(1)).
Key Timelines
When a student with a disability is removed for more than 10 school days and the behavior is a manifestation of the disability, the district must conduct an FBA within 10 school days of the removal decision (34 CFR 300.530(d)).
A BIP based on FBA results must be implemented as soon as practicable following the manifestation determination (34 CFR 300.530(d)).
Existing BIPs must be reviewed and modified as needed when a student's behavior escalates or when disciplinary patterns suggest the plan is not effective (34 CFR 300.530(f)(1)).