Functional assessment in school settings

The mandate that schools address the relationship between student behavior and classroom learning by means of functional behavioral assessment poses m any challenges, since not all clinical procedures of proven effectiveness a re practical in school settings. Compensatory options and new strategies an d procedures are needed to bolster our present methodology so that the cont rol and experimentation that characterizes clinical assessment is not aband oned. We must establish and support valid and effective methods that are pr actical in school settings and that adequately address the multifarious rel ationship between problem behavior and its social/environmental context. If we can do so, then the complex nature of functional behavioral assessment will not limit its value in school settings.