Hope Bridge Basics
Hope Bridge Academy's mission combines individualized instruction, ABA support, and life-skills training to promote what three long-term student outcomes?
Independence, confidence, and long-term success.
What federal law protects student educational records and personally identifiable student information?
FERPA — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
What does ABA stand for?
Applied Behavior Analysis.
What does BIP stand for?
Behavior Intervention Plan.
At Hope Bridge Academy, safety is whose responsibility?
Everyone's/shared responsibility.
Name three commitments Hope Bridge Academy makes to its students.
Accept any three: safety, respect, individualized support, evidence-based instruction, opportunities for independence, and belief in student potential.
True or False: An employee may discuss confidential student information with any Hope Bridge employee because they work for the same organization.
False. Information should only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate educational need to know.
What is the primary purpose of a Functional Behavior Assessment?
To identify the function—or “why”—behind a behavior.
A BIP should be viewed as more than a response to challenging behavior. The training describes it as what?
A roadmap for helping an individual succeed.
What should staff do before a developing situation becomes unsafe?
Act early—use prevention and de-escalation and ask for help before safety is compromised.
What five expectations apply to Hope Bridge Academy staff?
Maintain professionalism, follow ABA principles, ensure student safety, maintain confidentiality, and follow all policies and procedures.
Employment decisions at Hope Bridge Academy should be based primarily on what?
Qualifications, performance, and professional conduct rather than bias or discrimination.
What should employees ask instead of only asking, “What is the student doing?”
“What might the behavior be communicating or accomplishing?”
Complete the relationship: FBA = Understand WHY; BIP = determine ________.
HOW we support.
During the agitation stage of the Behavior Escalation Pyramid, what two responses are recommended?
De-escalate and offer choices.
Who is responsible for developing and monitoring behavioral programming and supervising ABA implementation?
The BCBA.
Name three federal laws discussed during training that influence Hope Bridge Academy operations.
Hope Bridge Academy's ABA decisions should be guided by observable data and evidence rather than what?
Assumptions or personal opinion. The training emphasizes scientific research, measurable data, individual needs, progress monitoring, and BCBA oversight.
During escalation, what should generally happen to staff verbal interaction as the student's intensity increases?
Verbal interaction should decrease, while the focus on safety increases.
What becomes the immediate priority when behavior reaches the crisis stage?
Staff should follow approved procedures and the student's BIP
A student is struggling academically because communication and behavioral challenges are interfering with learning. Based on Hope Bridge Academy's model, should those concerns be addressed separately or through coordinated support?
Through coordinated support integrating academics, ABA/behavioral support, social development, adaptive skills, and individualized instruction. The academy's goal includes functional growth and greater independence, not academic progress alone.
You overhear two employees discussing a student's behavioral data by name in a public hallway. What should you recognize as the compliance problem?
A potential confidentiality/FERPA violation. Student information should not be discussed where unauthorized individuals may overhear it, and staff should use appropriate private locations and approved communication methods.
A student consistently becomes disruptive immediately before difficult assignments. Rather than assuming the student is “being defiant,” what should staff do?
Observe objectively, collect required data, look for patterns and possible behavioral function, follow the established plan, and share observations with the clinical team/BCBA rather than making assumptions or independently changing interventions.
You believe a different intervention would work better than the strategy written in a student's BIP. What should you do?
Continue following the BIP as written and consult the supervisor or clinical team/BCBA. Staff should not improvise, reinterpret, or independently modify the plan.
A student's behavior is becoming increasingly intense. The employee starts giving more directions, asking more questions, and trying to reason extensively with the student. What should the employee do differently?
Reduce unnecessary language and interaction, remain calm and neutral, reduce stimulation, follow the student's BIP/approved procedures, and increase the focus on safety as intensity rises.