Aggression: goals that teach what to do instead

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Aggression IEP goals should teach a safe behavior that gets the student what the aggression gets them, such as a break, help or attention, and track aggression going down at the same time. Start from the FBA's function. Example: during writing, when frustrated, Marcus will hand an adult his break card instead of hitting in 8 of 10 opportunities, with hitting reduced from 5 to 1 or fewer per week.

Hitting, kicking, biting, throwing things at people and similar behaviors put the student and others at risk, so the first job is always safety. The second job is teaching. A goal that only says "Marcus will not hit" tells the team what to stop, but not what Marcus should do when he is overwhelmed, wants out of a task or needs an adult. Without that, the aggression usually comes back.

The 12 goals below are built on the function of the behavior, the reason it keeps happening. They are written for BCBAs, school psychologists and teachers working from a functional behavioral assessment. Students and numbers are fictional illustrations. For the full process, start with the FBA and BIP guide.

Safety first: what the goal is not

The goal is not the crisis plan. A student who is dangerous needs a written crisis plan with steps for keeping everyone safe. That plan sits beside the goals, not inside them.
Restraint is never a goal or a teaching method. It is an emergency response governed by state law and district policy. See restraint and seclusion notification.
Zero is a fine target, but not the only one. Pair any reduction goal with a replacement goal.

How to choose an aggression goal

The FBA tells you what the aggression gets the student. The goal should give the student a faster, safer way to get the same thing. When a student's behavior impedes learning, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports.^[1]

FBA function	What the student gets	Replacement to teach	Measurement method
Escape	Out of a hard task or setting	Break or help request	Opportunities: requests out of chances
Attention	An adult or peer reacts	Appropriate way to get attention	Opportunities; frequency of aggression
Tangible	An item or activity	Asking, waiting, accepting "not now"	Opportunities
Sensory or internal	Relief from overload, pain or arousal	Using a calming space or tool	Opportunities; frequency

If the function is unclear, collect more ABC data before writing goals. The replacement behavior examples list options for each function.

Replacement requests

1. Break request (escape). During writing, when frustrated, Marcus will hand an adult his break card or say "break" instead of hitting, in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 10; hits staff in 5 of 10.
2. Help request (escape). During independent math, Talia will raise her help card within 1 minute of getting stuck, instead of throwing materials at peers, in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 5.
3. Attention request. During independent work, Devon will tap an adult's shoulder or use his "look at me" card to get attention, in 8 of 10 opportunities, with adult attention given within 15 seconds. Baseline: 2 of 10; kicks peers in 6 of 10.
4. Asking for an item. During free choice, Sami will say "my turn, please" or use his AAC device to ask for a toy instead of grabbing and biting, in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 5.

Weak: "Marcus will not hit others when upset." Measurable: goal 1. It names the situation, the safe behavior that gets the same result, and a criterion. More on teaching requests is in functional communication training goals.

Early coping before aggression starts

Aggression usually has a build-up: pacing, a louder voice, clenched fists. Goals at this stage teach the student to act before the peak.

5. Noticing early signs. When shown his "body signals" card during the escalation phase, Marcus will point to the signal he feels and choose a calming option, in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 5.
6. Using a calm space. When upset, Talia will walk to the calm corner and use a calming tool for up to 5 minutes, then return, in 4 of 5 episodes. Baseline: 1 of 5.
7. Moving away. When a peer provokes him, Devon will move at least 6 feet away and tell an adult, in 3 of 4 recorded incidents. Baseline: 0 of 4; pushes the peer.

Weak: "Talia will calm down when angry." Measurable: goal 6. It names the place, the time limit and the return. The coping skills goals guide has more options.

Reducing aggression

8. Frequency. Marcus will reduce hitting from an average of 5 incidents per week to 1 or fewer per week, for 4 consecutive weeks. Baseline: mean 5 per week over 3 weeks, range 3 to 8.
9. Intensity. Devon will reduce aggressive episodes that require clearing the room from 3 per month to 0 per month, for 2 consecutive months. Baseline: 3 per month for 2 months.
10. Biting. Sami will have 0 biting incidents per day on 18 of 20 school days. Baseline: biting on 9 of 20 days.

Weak: "Devon will have fewer behaviors." Measurable: goal 9. It names the behavior by its severity and gives a starting count. Define each behavior first; the operational definition examples show how.

Recovery and repair

11. Returning to the routine. After an aggressive incident, once calm, Talia will complete a 3-step return routine (drink of water, check schedule, rejoin the activity) within 10 minutes, in 4 of 5 incidents. Baseline: stays out of the activity for the rest of the period in 4 of 5.
12. Repair. After hurting a peer or damaging property, once calm, Marcus will take part in a short repair (an apology, help fixing or replacing) within the same day, in 3 of 4 incidents. Baseline: 0 of 4.

Weak: "Marcus will take responsibility for his actions." Measurable: goal 12. It names the repair actions and when. Avoid forcing repair while the student is still upset.

How to measure aggression goals

Measure two lines on one graph: the replacement behavior and the aggression. Use an opportunity data sheet for the replacement (each trigger is one opportunity) and a frequency data sheet for aggression, recorded by day and period. Record every school day while the plan is new; this is one goal where a missing day can hide a pattern.

Also record intensity and duration for serious incidents on an incident report. If the replacement rises and aggression does not fall, check whether adults still sometimes respond to the aggression in a way that keeps it going. The BIP not working guide walks through that check.

Short-term objectives

With a full prompt at the first sign of frustration, the student uses the replacement in 8 of 10 opportunities.
With a gesture prompt, 8 of 10.
Independently, 8 of 10, with aggression at no more than 3 per week.
Independently across settings, with aggression at 1 or fewer per week.

Adapting by age and support level

Student	Replacement often used	Example target
Preschool or early communicator	Picture card, single sign, AAC button	Uses "break" card in 8 of 10 chances
Elementary	Break or help card, calm corner	Calm corner and return in 4 of 5 episodes
Middle school	Break pass, walk-away plan, check-in adult	Moves 6 feet away and tells an adult in 3 of 4
High school	Discreet signal, self-monitoring, counseling plan	Aggression 0 per month for 2 months

Tier 3 PBIS describes intensive, individualized support built from an FBA, with a plan that teaches replacement behaviors and changes the environment.^[2] The IRIS Center's FBA module walks through linking the hypothesis to the plan.^[3] The What Works Clearinghouse classroom behavior guide recommends teaching skills that replace problem behavior.^[4]

For full goal wording, see the safety behavior goals, the replacement behavior goals and the behavior IEP goals hub. Paste drafts into the goal checker. For students who run when upset, see elopement and safety goals.

Frequently asked questions

Can an aggression IEP goal just say the student will not hit?

It can include a reduction target, but it should not stop there. Pair it with a goal that teaches a safe behavior serving the same function, such as asking for a break. Without a replacement, the aggression often returns.

Is a crisis plan the same as an aggression goal?

No. A crisis plan tells adults how to keep everyone safe during a dangerous incident. Goals teach the student new skills and track progress over time. Students with serious aggression often need both, written separately.

How often should aggression data be collected?

Every school day while the plan is new, by period or activity. Aggression can follow patterns by day, setting or person, and missing days can hide them. Record the replacement behavior on the same days.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Tier 3, Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Functional Behavioral Assessment: Identifying the Reasons for Problem Behavior and Developing a Behavior Plan, IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University
Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences

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.