The School-Based Contextual Behavior Analyst

This handbook is a comprehensive, field-informed guide for Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) working in school settings. It integrates applied behavior analysis with contextual behavior science, including Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), Relational Frame Theory (RFT), and the principles of Today's ABA.

Written by a doctoral-level BCBA with direct experience in public education, this book bridges the gap between clinical training and the complex realities of school systems. It offers practical tools, ethical guidance, and a values-based framework for delivering meaningful behavior support that aligns with instructional goals, educational law, and student dignity.

In an educational climate shaped by inclusion mandates, teacher burnout, and growing awareness of neurodiversity, behavior analysts need more than technical skill, they need relational fluency, legal knowledge, and systems thinking. This handbook provides just that.

Whether you're supporting IEP teams, consulting within MTSS, or designing schoolwide behavior interventions, this book offers a framework grounded in equity, collaboration, and psychological flexibility.

• A contextual approach to ABA using ACT, RFT, and values-based practices

• Guidance on designing legally sound, instructionally relevant behavior intervention plans (BIPs)

• Strategies for embedding behavior support across PBIS, MTSS, and inclusive classrooms

• Practical tools for coaching, consultation, generalization, and data-based decision making

• Ethical frameworks that emphasize student assent, autonomy, and cultural responsiveness

• Clear alignment with IDEA, FAPE, LRE, and 504 requirements

• 20+ customizable tools and templates for immediate use in schools

• BCBAs and BCaBAs practicing in public, charter, or private school settings

• New graduates entering educational systems

• Supervisors preparing candidates for school-based roles

• Faculty in ABA and special education programs

• District leaders and school psychologists seeking to integrate contextual ABA into teams