Behavior Supports and BIPs in Utah
How do behavior supports work in a Utah IEP?
Utah requires that when a student's behavior impedes the student's learning or the learning of others, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions, supports, and strategies, consistent with Utah Admin. Code R277-750-2(2) and federal law (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)). A functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is the foundational tool for developing behavior intervention plans (BIP). While federal law triggers an FBA requirement upon discipline involving a change of placement, best practice in Utah — reflected in USBE guidance — is to conduct FBAs proactively when problem behavior is identified. When a disciplinary change of placement is made for a student with a disability whose behavior was determined to be a manifestation of the disability, the LEA must either conduct an FBA (if not already done) and implement a BIP, or review and modify an existing BIP (34 CFR 300.530(f)). Utah Admin. Code R277-609 (Standards for LEA Discipline Plans and Emergency Safety Interventions), effective April 4, 2025, governs LEA discipline policies and emergency safety interventions more broadly. Under R277-609-3, LEAs must implement positive behavior interventions, supports, and accountability practices as part of a continuum of behavior intervention strategies, including: written standards for student behavior expectations, effective instructional practices for teaching expectations, systematic methods for reinforcing expected behaviors, and uniform methods for correcting student behavior. USBE's MTSS framework encompasses positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) as a school-wide prevention framework at Tier 1, targeted group supports at Tier 2, and intensive individualized supports (including FBAs and BIPs) at Tier 3.
What Utah Requires
When a student's behavior impedes their learning or that of others, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions, supports, and strategies (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-2(2); 34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i)).
An FBA must be conducted and a BIP developed or reviewed when a student with a disability is subject to a disciplinary change of placement and the behavior is a manifestation of the disability (34 CFR 300.530(f); Utah Admin. Code R277-750-2(2)).
LEAs must implement positive behavior interventions and supports as part of a continuum of strategies including written behavior standards, instructional practices for teaching expectations, systematic reinforcement, and uniform correction methods (Utah Admin. Code R277-609-3).
Behavioral supports and interventions documented in the IEP must be based on individualized FBA data and use positive, evidence-based approaches (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-2(2); R277-609-3).
The IEP team must include special factors, including behavior support needs, in the IEP and must consider them at each annual review (34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)).
Utah's MTSS/PBIS framework provides school-wide supports at Tier 1, targeted group supports at Tier 2, and intensive individualized supports (including FBAs and BIPs) at Tier 3 (USBE MTSS guidance; R277-609-3).
LEAs shall use effective, evidence-based interventions matched to student needs before suspension or court referral (Utah Admin. Code R277-609-3).
Key Timelines
FBA must be conducted promptly when a change of placement for disciplinary reasons reveals a manifestation of disability, within the 10-school-day manifestation determination window (34 CFR 300.530(e)-(f)).
BIP must be developed or reviewed as part of the manifestation determination process within 10 school days of a disciplinary change of placement decision (34 CFR 300.530(e)-(f)).
Behavioral supports in the IEP must be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if behavioral concerns escalate (Utah Admin. Code R277-750-2(2); 34 CFR 300.324(b)).
If a student is restrained or secluded three or more times within 30 school days, the IEP team must convene within 10 school days to review the BIP (Utah Admin. Code R277-609; Utah Code § 53G-8-302).
Sources
Related IEP Guides
FBA and Behavior Plans: A Parent's Complete Guide
Learn what an FBA is, how to read a BIP, what makes a good behavior plan vs. a bad one, and when to push back on your child's behavior supports.
Your Child Isn't Misbehaving — They're in Fight or Flight
Learn why aggression in children with disabilities is often a stress response, not defiance — and what the IEP should include to actually help.
Color Cards, Point Sheets, and Daily Reports: Understanding Your Child's Behavior Tracking System
Color card systems and behavior charts: what they measure, what they miss, and the right questions to ask when data connects to your child's IEP.