Behavior crisis plan template
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A behavior crisis plan is a short written plan for keeping a student and others safe when behavior escalates to possible harm. It lists early warning signs, what adults do at each stage of escalation, who responds and how to reach them, how the student recovers and returns to class, and who is notified afterward. It works beside the BIP, not in place of it.
A crisis plan exists for the rare moments when the teaching plan is not enough and someone could get hurt. Its main job is to stop most crises from happening at all, by naming the early signs and the calming steps that work for this student. The physical safety part should be the shortest section, and the one used least.
Write the crisis plan after, or alongside, a functional behavior assessment and behavior plan. The FBA and BIP guide covers that work; the BIP template covers the teaching plan. This page is only the safety plan.
When a student needs a crisis plan
A crisis plan fits when a student's behavior has put the student or others at real risk of injury, or is likely to. Examples: running toward a street, hitting with objects, self-injury that breaks skin, or climbing on high furniture. It does not fit for disruptive but safe behavior, such as shouting or refusing work. Those belong in the BIP.
If a crisis plan is used more than once or twice a month, that is a signal to revisit the FBA and the BIP, not to add more crisis steps.
The fill-in crisis plan template
Keep it to 2 pages. Staff need to read it in a few minutes and remember it under stress.
- Student and plan dates. Name, grade, date written, review date, team members who wrote it, parent signature or date shared.
- Behaviors this plan covers. Operational definitions of the unsafe behaviors only.
- Known triggers. Situations from the FBA that often come before escalation.
- Early warning signs. What the student looks like and sounds like as stress rises.
- Stage-by-stage response. For each stage: what the student does, what adults do, and what adults avoid.
- Calm space and safety. Where the student can go, what is in it, how the area is made safe.
- Roles and communication. Who responds first, who comes as backup, who takes the class, and the call or radio code.
- Emergency procedures. When to call the office, nurse, school safety staff or 911. Any physical intervention only as permitted by state law and district policy, by trained staff.
- Recovery and return. How the student calms, repairs and rejoins the class.
- After the incident. Documentation, parent notification, staff debrief, data review.
Completed example: Marcus, grade 3
The student and details are fictional.
1. Student and plan dates. Marcus, grade 3, autism and speech-language impairment. Written October 14 by the special education teacher, school psychologist, classroom teacher, principal and parent. Review date: December 9.
2. Behaviors this plan covers. Throwing hard objects (chairs, books, scissors) toward people. Running out of the building.
3. Known triggers. Unexpected schedule changes. Loud alarms. Being told "no" to a preferred activity without a warning.
4. Early warning signs. Repeats the same question 3 or more times. Covers ears. Paces near the door. Voice gets louder and higher. Pulls his hood over his head.
5. Stage-by-stage response.
| Stage | What Marcus does | What adults do | What adults avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calm | Works, follows schedule | Preview changes on his visual schedule; give 2-minute warnings | Surprise changes |
| Rising stress | Repeats questions, covers ears | Answer once, show the schedule, offer headphones or the calm corner | Long explanations, new demands |
| Agitation | Paces, voice rises, pulls hood | Lower your voice, fewer words, offer two choices, give space of about 6 feet | Touching him, crowding, threats |
| Peak | Throws objects, runs | Move other students away, remove throwable items, call for backup, keep sight of him | Chasing at a run, arguing, physical contact unless there is immediate danger |
| Recovery | Sits, breathing slows, may cry | Quiet presence, water, offer the calm box, wait | Discussing the incident right away |
| Return | Ready to rejoin | Short repair if he is ready, then an easy task he likes | Lecturing, a hard task first |
6. Calm space and safety. Calm corner inside the classroom with a beanbag, headphones and a sand timer. Soft items only. If the classroom must be cleared, the teacher takes the class to the library and the para stays with Marcus.
7. Roles and communication. First responder: the para or classroom teacher. Backup: the special education teacher, called by the code "Room 12 needs a hand." The teacher takes the class. The office is called if he leaves the room.
8. Emergency procedures. If Marcus leaves the building, the backup adult follows at a distance and keeps him in sight while the office calls the parent and, if he approaches the road, 911. Physical intervention is used only as permitted by state law and district policy, by staff trained in the district's approved program, when there is imminent risk of serious injury, and ends as soon as that risk passes.
9. Recovery and return. Marcus rests in the calm corner for at least 10 minutes. An adult offers a choice of two easy tasks. He returns to the group at the next natural break.
10. After the incident. The responding adult completes the incident report the same day. The teacher calls the parent the same day. Staff debrief within 2 school days. The case manager graphs incidents weekly.
What reviewers and parents look for in each section
| Section | What a reviewer checks | What a parent often asks |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviors covered | Only unsafe behaviors, defined clearly | Is my child being described fairly? |
| Triggers | Drawn from FBA data, not guesses | Do you know what sets it off? |
| Early warning signs | Specific enough that a substitute could spot them | Will a new staff member know the signs? |
| Stage responses | De-escalation steps come first and take up most of the plan | What do you do before it gets bad? |
| Roles | Named roles, a backup, a way to call for help | Who stays with my child? |
| Emergency procedures | References state law and district policy; trained staff only | Will anyone put hands on my child? When would you call me? |
| Recovery and return | A plan to rejoin class, not to send home | Is my child sent home after every incident? |
| After the incident | Notification, debrief and data review | How will I find out, and how fast? |
Parents often ask most about the emergency section. Answer plainly. Say what the district policy allows, which staff are trained, and how quickly the family will be told. Many states set notification timelines; the explainer on restraint and seclusion documentation and notification describes how those rules usually work.
Keep the plan focused on prevention
Most of the plan's value is in sections 3 to 5. If staff spot the early signs and use the calming steps, the peak stage often never comes.
- Preview changes. Most of Marcus's incidents followed a surprise. A visual schedule with a "change" card cut that trigger.
- Use fewer words as stress rises. Long explanations add demands at the worst moment.
- Offer a way out that is not the behavior. A calm corner or a break card gives the student a safe option that works as fast as throwing.
- Teach the replacement skill when calm. Asking for a break or headphones is a skill to practice daily, not only during a crisis.
Those steps connect to goals. The safety behavior goals page has full wording for goals like using a calm space or staying in a designated area, and the coping skills goals guide covers self-calming routines. The de-escalation entry explains the term.
After an incident
Document the incident the same day using the behavior incident report template. Notify the family as the district requires. Hold a short staff debrief: what were the early signs, which steps were used, what would we change. Then look at the data. If incidents are rising, the BIP may need work; see when a BIP is not working.
When a student's behavior impedes learning, the IEP team must consider positive behavioral interventions and supports.[1] The Center on PBIS describes Tier 3 as intensive, individualized support built from a functional assessment, which is where a crisis plan belongs: inside a larger behavior plan.[2] Rules on physical restraint and seclusion are set mostly by states and districts, so check both before writing section 8.
Frequently asked questions
Is a crisis plan the same as a BIP?
No. The BIP teaches skills and changes the conditions behind a behavior. The crisis plan covers what adults do to keep everyone safe when behavior escalates to possible harm. A student with a crisis plan should also have a BIP.
Should a crisis plan include restraint?
Physical intervention is governed by state law and district policy, which vary. Many plans state that physical intervention is used only by trained staff, only when there is imminent risk of serious harm, and only as policy permits. Check your state and district rules.
Who should have a copy of the crisis plan?
Every adult who works with the student: teachers, paras, specials teachers, lunch and recess staff, the office and substitutes. Keep a copy in the substitute folder. Share it with the family so home and school use the same calming steps.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Safety behavior goals
- Crisis plan in the IEP glossary
- De-escalation in the IEP glossary
- Restraint and seclusion in the IEP glossary
Related guides
- FBA and BIP: a practical guide for IEP teams
- BIP template with examples
- Behavior incident report template
- Restraint and seclusion: documentation and notification
- Behavior scatterplot template
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
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.