ABA in Schools

[u/Kind-Ad4622]

Hey everyone! I just wanted your opinion on ABA being used in schools, especially for our special needs learners or children with social-emotional challenges. I have been working with a SPED teacher since the beginning of the school year and every opportunity she gets, she always mentions that, "ABA isn't the solution" and that "I need to go back to a clinic" as well as not allowing me to practice my ABA interventions (even though that's why I was hired by the principal) and actively discouraging me. Is this just a bad teacher? Should I stay in the school district? Go back to a clinic? Any advice on the matter would be appreciated. 😌

[u/bkingslake]

I think the school likely did not know what hiring an RBT meant. If you want to stay in the school, set the expectation that you are a para educator, nothing more and review what that actually means. Overall, it is your responsibility to comply with the RBT ethics code so even if it’s false pretenses, you need to ensure you are within compliance as it’s your license on the line.

[u/Kind-Ad4622 → u/bkingslake]

I see. Well I don't have a license, in fact I just have 3 years of experience, thats why they hired me, and I was under the impression that I'd be able to freely work without even knowing that I needed a BCBA to supervise me. I feel horrible knowing I've been doing bad things in regards to how ABA is ran. I should probably go back to a clinic or at least in home care because it's more clear than the school district as I'm now finding out.

[u/Tlacuache_Snuggler → u/Kind-Ad4622]

Hey, I’m a BCBA in public schools and want to chime in. The comment about not being able to practice without a BCBA supervisor isn’t necessarily true and it depends on the job you were hired on for.

If they hired you for a job that specifically mentions requiring your RBT cert, then it’s true you need a BCBA supervisor.

If they hired you as a general behavior aide or interventionist, you do NOT need to be under a BCBA. Any practitioner can use ABA-aligned strategies as ABA is a science, not a treatment. We have teachers using ABA strategies in classrooms all the time!

[u/Kind-Ad4622 → u/Tlacuache_Snuggler]

Really? Now I know I definitely need to research some things, especially because this is what I want to do, but dang I want to be able to do it freely. (with supervision but yk what I mean lol) I already contacted the admin of the SPED department, so let's see how it goes from there.

[u/Tlacuache_Snuggler → u/Kind-Ad4622]

Really! I’ve been a BCBA in public schools for 10 years. Most of the folks in this thread are probably assuming you are an RBT, hence all the comments about you getting in trouble.

But it’s totally okay for you to be hired on as an interventionist using principles of ABA to guide you. Tons of school districts expect that of their teachers anyway.

What’s not okay is billing Medicaid as “ABA therapy” — ABA as a therapy requires licensure. ABA methodologies as an applied science doesn’t; school psychologists are perfectly able to provide mentorship for that.

[u/Kind-Ad4622 → u/Tlacuache_Snuggler]

Yes, I was not hired as an RBT, just a SLC tech (basically an aide) and I use ABA as a way to help the students.