Manassas Park school board hears plan to expand embedded behavioral supports from Evidence Based Classroom Solutions

Manassas Park City Schools trustees on the evening's agenda heard a detailed presentation from Evidence Based Classroom Solutions (EBCS) about expanding in-district behavioral supports for students and staff.

Chad Honeycutt, EBCS founder and CEO, told the board the company provides school-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) services delivered by licensed teachers, board-certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) and registered behavior technicians (RBTs). "ABA is just simply good teaching. It's, we call it operant learning," Honeycutt said, describing the data-driven approach the firm uses to set targets and measure progress.

Britney Klingens, an educational specialist and school psychologist with EBCS, outlined a pilot at the middle school that used an "if-then" chart to make the division's code of conduct easier for staff and students to follow. Klingens said the pilot produced an expected short-term increase in referrals followed by a decline once the chart clarified expectations. "We created an if then chart to make it very clear what the expectations were, for the students as well as the staff," she said.

As proposed, EBCS would provide division-level embedded supports, including two full-time BCBAs and regular on-site coaching (their described model delivers multiple days of embedded support). Honeycutt said EBCS logs contacts and produces monthly summaries and coaching reports; under the existing engagement they reported more than 2,000 contacts with teachers to date as evidence of sustained interaction.

The presenters described a three-phase approach: phase 1 (data collection and analysis), phase 2 (training and implementation, slated to begin in August) and phase 3 (sustaining practices and fading external support). Klingens said deliverables will be informed by phase 1 data and that EBCS intends to compile a single, hyperlinked repository of policies and practical procedures for staff.

Board members raised practical questions about applying the model across jurisdictions with different demographics, how to account for home-family factors that affect behavior, and whether coaches would work with bus drivers, administrators and other school staff. One member asked whether offering multiple summer professional development programs around the same dates would overload teachers; district staff said they had worked to stagger and chunk the training.

EBCS also described planned staff wellness supports such as post-incident assistance for teachers, acceptance and commitment therapy-style counseling and mindfulness resources for staff. The presenters emphasized tailoring: "The principles stay the same, but how we apply it is different based on each individual situation," Klingens said.

No formal vote on a new contract or budget for expanded services was recorded during the meeting; the board took the presentation and asked clarifying questions. The presenters thanked the board and said they would return with materials informed by the phase 1 data analysis. The board recessed before entering a closed meeting.

Why it matters: The district's plan responds to state expectations to provide ABA services in schools and to local concerns about teacher retention, student transitions and rising behavioral needs following pandemic disruptions. If adopted, the plan would add on-site behavioral expertise intended to reduce out-of-school placements and support classroom inclusion.

What's next: EBCS said phase 2 would begin in August and that the company will provide a clearer list of deliverables, timelines and suggested continuing supports after completing phase 1 analysis.