Miami-Dade Schools Aim to Focus on Functions of Behavior

We applaud Superintendent Carvalho for standing up for his students, their rights, and understanding that they are worth fighting for. Behavior can change! Miami-Dade County School District’s superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, recently made big changes to the way the school district operates, and was quoted saying:

“Traditional outdoor suspensions and disciplinary actions don’t work. We ought to understand the root causes of student misbehavior…to actually address the human being behind the behavior, rather than simply condemning it and applying a consequence to it.”

We are extremely excited for our local community, as this is most definitely a step in the right direction. However, this notion can only be truly successful with professionals that are trained to “understand the root causes of student misbehavior…to actually address the human being behind the behavior, rather than simply condemning it and applying a consequence to it.” This is where behavior analysis comes in.

Behavior analysis is the study of behavior, and applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the sub-part that aims for improving human behavior. Nowadays, it seems awareness for ABA is growing, but seems it is often only known as an “autism treatment.” While it is true that ABA is deemed medically necessary for people with autism, ABA is not only successful for people with autism. We all behave, so ABA can work for everyone. All of our behaviors operate under the same principles and contingencies.

The application of ABA has proven to be successful in a variety of situations, with a variety of people. This includes success in school systems, with general and special education populations, with staff and employees, and even more areas. The purpose of The Behavior Station™ platform is to help share science-based resources and debunk myths of ABA.

Professionals trained in applied behavior analysis are typically Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). Behavior analysts are trained to identify and “understand the root causes of student misbehavior,” better known in the field of ABA as the function (or purpose) of inappropriate or undesirable behavior. Based on the behavior’s purpose, a behavior analyst determines the best way to make the person’s behavior change for the better and always to their benefit. Additionally, it is important to point out that behavior analysts also aim to find out why a particular person may not be doing a certain behavior and how they can learn or actually do that behavior; this point is crucial to understanding how ABA is successful – behavior analysts do not only work with “bad” behavior. This is great news for teachers, because they also have experience with “teaching.” The collaborations of well-trained teachers and behavior analysts can be an unstoppable combination and a huge benefit for their students and our society.

Other counties in Florida already have behavior analysis incorporated into their school districts, and this seems like the best time for Miami-Dade County Public Schools to hire behavior analysts to work in their schools. In the school system, some services behavior analysts can provide are: behavioral training to staff, serve as consultants to teachers or staff, can work 1:1 with students as necessary, conduct functional behavior assessments (FBAs) to write up behavior intervention plans (BIPs).

Behavior analysis works best with a collaborative approach to ensure consistency. A collaborative approach is already the way schools are structured, so this would be a win-win all around.

To learn more about behavior analysis in easy-to-understand terms, we recommend the film A Science of Teaching.

References and Resources

Article: Miami-Dade Schools Eliminating Out-Of-School Suspensions

Miami-Dade County School District’s Superintendent Alberto Carvalho: “Office of the Superintendent”

Behavior Analysis Resources via The Behavior Station™

Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)

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