Report page 10

Identifies threatening and other concerning behaviors and assesses them in context

When student behaviors elicit concern for their safety or that of others, they should be assessed in context and not in isolation.

The multidisciplinary team should gather information from multiple sources (e.g., the student of concern, teachers, classmates, family, and friends) to better inform a more accurate understanding of the student’s thinking, behavior, and situational circumstances (e.g., stressors).

Gathering information from diverse sources helps to ensure the team identifies concerning behaviors and accurately assesses the student’s risk and needs to better provide appropriate interventions, supports, and resources.

Additionally, multidisciplinary teams should evaluate the student’s concerning behaviors in the context of their age and social-emotional development.

Although some behaviors may seem inappropriate or maladaptive, they may be typical for adolescent behavior or in the context of identified mental health or developmental needs.

Focusing on a continuum of concerning behaviors allows teams to identify students in distress and intervene before their behavior escalates to the point of harm to themselves or others.