Behavioral accommodations list

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Behavior accommodations change the setting, timing, presentation or response options so a student can stay regulated and do the work. Examples are a break card, a planned seat, advance notice of changes and a check-in at the start of class. Write each with what, when, how much and who, and tie it to the function of the behavior from the FBA.

A behavior accommodation is a change to the environment or the task that makes the problem behavior less likely. It is not a consequence and it is not a reward system. Those belong in a behavior intervention plan. The accommodation sits in the IEP's accommodations section and every teacher carries it out.

The 16 accommodations below are written the way they should read in the IEP, with the need each meets, its category, and its effect on grading and testing. They are illustrations; pick from the student's data. The pillar on IEP accommodations covers how to choose and write any accommodation.

Start from the function of the behavior

The best behavior accommodation removes the reason the behavior happens. A break card helps a student who leaves class to escape a hard task. It does little for a student who leaves class to get adult attention. That student needs a planned check-in instead.

When a student's behavior gets in the way of learning, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports.^[1] A functional behavior assessment tells you the function of the behavior. Use it to pick accommodations. Classroom-wide supports, such as clear routines and taught expectations, come first; the PBIS framework describes those as Tier 1.^[2]

Match each need to a category

Need seen in the data	Category	Example accommodation
Escalates during long independent work	Timing	Work in 10-minute chunks with a short break
Leaves seat to avoid writing tasks	Response	Choice of typing or dictating
Upset by unexpected changes	Presentation	Written notice of schedule changes each morning
Distracted by peers, then argues	Setting	Seat away from high-traffic areas
Seeks adult attention by calling out	Presentation	Planned check-in at the start of each class
Shuts down after a hard morning	Setting	Access to a calm space for up to 10 minutes
Rushes and gives up on tests	Timing	Tests split across 2 sessions
Conflicts in unstructured time	Setting	Early release to lunch or hallway

The four categories are presentation, response, setting and timing. A need often fits more than one; pick the one that removes the trigger.

16 behavior accommodations written for the IEP

Setting

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
1. The student may use a break card to go to the classroom calm area for up to 5 minutes, up to 4 times per day. The teacher honors each request and starts a timer.	Accommodation	None; test time stops during the break
2. The student sits away from doors, windows and the pencil sharpener, in a seat chosen with the student, in all classes.	Accommodation	None
3. The student leaves each class 3 minutes before the bell to reach the next room before the hallway fills.	Accommodation	None
4. Tests are given in a separate room with 5 or fewer students.	Accommodation	None; allowed on most state tests

Presentation and predictability

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
5. The case manager tells the student about schedule changes, such as assemblies or a substitute, by first period, with a written note.	Accommodation	None
6. The teacher greets the student at the door and gives a 1-minute preview of the class plan, at the start of each class.	Accommodation	None
7. Directions for independent work are given in writing, with the first step marked, in all classes.	Accommodation	None
8. The teacher gives corrections privately, at the student's desk or after class, not in front of the group.	Accommodation	None
9. A 2-minute warning with a visual timer before each transition between activities.	Accommodation	None

Timing

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
10. Independent work longer than 15 minutes is broken into parts of about 10 minutes, with a teacher check after each part.	Accommodation	None; the full task is still required
11. Tests over 40 minutes may be split across 2 sessions on the same day.	Accommodation	None; state tests follow the state manual
12. A 2-minute movement break, such as delivering a note to the office, once per class period of 45 minutes or more.	Accommodation	None

Response

Accommodation as written in the IEP	Type	Effect on grading and testing
13. The student may type or dictate written work over 5 sentences, in all classes.	Accommodation	None unless handwriting is graded
14. The student may answer aloud to the teacher instead of in front of the class, for oral checks of understanding.	Accommodation	None
15. The student may choose between 2 assignment formats that measure the same standard, such as a poster or a short essay, on projects.	Accommodation	None when the same standard and rubric apply
16. Work missed while the student was in the calm area or out of class is excused and not graded.	Modification	Changes what counts toward the grade; note per district policy

Item 16 is a modification because it removes required work. If the team uses it, cap how often it applies and track it. The page on accommodations vs modifications explains the test.

Accommodations, the BIP and goals: who does what

A student with significant behavior needs often has three pieces in the IEP. They should fit together, not repeat each other.

Piece	Job	Example
Accommodation	Removes a trigger or gives access	Break card, up to 4 per day
Behavior intervention plan	Teaches and reinforces the replacement behavior, and says how adults respond	Praise each break request; planned response to elopement
IEP goal	Measures the student's growth in the skill	Requests a break instead of leaving class in 8 of 10 opportunities

The behavior intervention plan template and the behavior IEP goals examples show the other two pieces.

A worked example

Jordan is a fictional 6th grader. In September he left math class without permission 3 to 5 times a week. ABC data over 3 weeks showed 11 of 13 exits came within 5 minutes of independent worksheets. The function was escape from long written tasks.

The team added items 1, 10 and 13. The goal targeted break requests. Over the next 6 weeks, exits dropped to 0 to 1 per week. Jordan used the break card an average of 2 times per day, well under the cap of 4. His math work completion rose from about 40% of assigned problems to about 75%, measured on the work completion method.

The team kept the break card but set a goal to lower break use as the work got easier. Accommodations that work should still be reviewed; some become unnecessary as skills grow.

Tracking whether it happens

Behavior accommodations fail most often because one teacher does not use them. A simple daily log per class, with a yes or no for each accommodation, catches that fast. The frequency data sheet works for counting break use. For setup and first-week steps, see how to take ABC data.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a behavior accommodation and a BIP?

An accommodation changes the setting, timing, presentation or response options so the behavior is less likely. A behavior intervention plan teaches a replacement behavior and says how adults respond when the behavior happens. Many students need both.

Can a break card be used during state tests?

Most state manuals allow supervised breaks, and some stop the clock during them. Rules differ, so check your state's accessibility manual and list the break on the testing page of the IEP.

How many behavior accommodations should an IEP have?

Only as many as the data supports and teachers can carry out every day. Four to six well-written accommodations used consistently do more than fifteen vague ones.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Classroom PBIS, Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Accommodations: Instructional and Testing Supports for Students with Disabilities, IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.