Here at ABA-LLC we often get questions asking if we provide services within schools…
The answer is…yes! Since our agency’s inception, we have proudly partnered with education systems around the state. We strive to meet the needs of their students and provide quality ABA services in schools. Many of our contractors have backgrounds in education. Therefor, they are deeply passionate about making sure that every child receives the education they deserve.
ABA services in schools can help children with autism and other developmental disabilities grow, learn, and advance alongside their peers. Having a structural support system in place can help children on the spectrum to advance academically and socially. Receiving services on site can address how the classroom environment may be triggering challenging behaviors.
What is Applied Behavior Analysis?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) uses data-verified science to help individuals learn new skills, reduce challenging behaviors, and work toward their goals. Therapists work to help identify what behaviors might be holding a person back. They identify what skills they need help developing, and how their environment shapes their behavior. While ABA is commonly associated with children on the Autism spectrum, ABA therapy is effective in a variety of contexts.
What are ABA School Services?
ABA-LLC’s founder, Chris George, has been contracting with school districts across the state for over 10 years:
“ABA, LLC is proud to contract with several school districts across the Commonwealth to provide behavioral consultation services. We have been contracting with districts for over 10 years. We collaborate to make sure the delivery of the services to meet each district’s unique needs. Under the direction of the Special Education Director, ABA-LLC focuses our time where it is needed most. Behavioral services that we provide include: behavioral assessments and interventions, using the ABLLS or VB-MAPP assessments to identify IEP goals and objectives, teaching general classroom management techniques, and providing recommendations for improving academic performance.
In one district, we collaborated to train all of the Primary School teachers and classroom aides on the ABLLS assessment. and teaching techniques that we use in our clinics. This collaboration and ongoing support from our BCBAs helped to provide greater classroom organization and advancement over the course of the school year.
One of our main goals is helping students with significant challenging behaviors to remain in the least restrictive academic setting. In one situation, a high school student had been placed on homebound due to severe aggression. We collaborated with the district to set up a 6 week plan to have him back in school. The plan included the student coming to our clinic to work on functional replacement behaviors and expected classroom behaviors. Over the 6 weeks, district staff came to our clinic to shadow and learn the techniques we were using, then our staff went with the student to the school to generalize skills to his regular classroom. The plan worked perfectly and the student was able to return to school full time with no other reports of aggression.’
Why school-based services matter
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), passed in 1990, codifies every child’s right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). ABA services are an effective treatment for students with developmental disabilities. While these students may struggle under traditional demands of the classroom, ABA can help teachers, parents, and peers better understand the student and where their behavior comes from. Using ABA strategies, adjustments and accommodations can be made to help reach every student where they are. ABA helps students learn skills that open the door to meaningful achievement in education.
District Funded ABA Services in Schools
Some school-districts allocate a certain amount of their Special Education budget into providing ABA therapy for students on the spectrum. The district will have a BCBA on staff who is able to provide specialized services for children for whom ABA therapy is deemed academically necessary. Additionally, the BCBA provides consultation and training for teachers and other staff about managing challenging behaviors in the classroom.
The BCBA will develop a behavior support plan (BSP) tailored to a student’s individual needs, and then help train teachers and other staff to support it. In some schools, a paraprofessional RBT may be available to work as a one-on-one aid for the student. The RBT, under the supervision of the BCBA, helps the student to stay focused on their work, complete tasks, acquire new skills, and engage with their peers.
Insurance Funded ABA in Schools
In some instances, a family’s insurance plan may cover the cost to hire a BCBA to work in the school with your child. The BCBA will observe your student in the school setting, conduct interviews with teachers, and create a recommended plan of care to help your student successfully move forward.
How to Get Started
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that your child has the right to a free and appropriate education (FAPE). This means that if ABA therapy is deemed necessary for your child’s education, they should be able to access such services in school.
To receive any kind of special education services for your child, including ABA, the first step is to help your child receive an IEP (Individualized Education Program) through their school district.
You can request an IEP meeting where you present an evaluation from a BCBA communicating how ABA will help support your child’s educational goals.
About ABA-LLC
ABA-LLC is one of the largest suppliers of Behavior Support in the State of Kentucky. Since 2007, the agency has created innovative strategies to improve the lives of unique individuals. ABA-LLC contracts with around 160 contractors, each dedicated to building an inclusive culture that celebrates individuals of all abilities. No matter who you are, you can reach your goals at ABA-LLC.
In everything the agency does, ABA-LLC is set apart from its competitors by its uniquely person-centered approach. The agency strives to provide services from a place of deep love for the population they serve. Their work exemplifies the belief that every individual has a right to live a fulfilling and independent life integrated within their communities. There is no objective to change a person, but rather to give them the tools they need to succeed. B.F. Skinner summarizes this vision in his quote: “I’m not trying to change people. All I want is to change the world in which they live.” Learn more about us at https://aba-llc.com/