School is where children practice the hardest skills: waiting a turn, following a group routine, making a friend. School-based ABA brings your child's therapist into that setting, working alongside teachers instead of around them, so what your child learns in therapy shows up in the classroom.
What school-based ABA is
School-based ABA is one-on-one therapy delivered during the school day, in your child's own classroom or another school setting, by an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) supervised by a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst). It is private therapy that you arrange for your child, in addition to the education the school already provides.
The therapist does not replace the teacher or the school's special education team. The goal is for everyone to pull in the same direction. When the classroom, the therapist and the family use the same strategies, a child does not have to figure out different rules in each place.
What Florida law says about private therapists at school
Florida has a law written for this situation, section 1003.572 of the Florida Statutes. It says that private instructional personnel hired by parents, including ABA providers and the Registered Behavior Technicians they employ, must be permitted to observe the student in the educational setting, work with school staff there, and provide services there. This law applies to public schools, including charter schools. Private schools set their own rules.
There are conditions. The school can ask for the consent of the child's teacher and principal on the time and place of the services, and the private provider has to meet the state's background screening requirements for people who work around students. The law also says schools may not charge a fee for this. It adds that using a private therapist does not take away your child's right to a free appropriate public education under federal special education law.
In practice, every school runs this a little differently, so we start by talking with you about your child's school and what the principal and teacher will need to see.
How it works with an IEP or 504 plan
If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, that document is the starting point for school-based therapy. Sunshine Health's published Medicaid policy, for example, says a request for ABA in a school must include the child's IEP. If there is no IEP, or the IEP does not include ABA, the provider has to explain why the service is needed and when an IEP will be done or updated. If the school does not have an IEP or a 504 plan, the provider documents that instead.
This is paperwork we know how to handle. You do not need to be an expert in special education law. Bring what you have, such as your child's IEP, recent evaluations and any notes from teachers, and we will help figure out the next step.
What the therapist actually does in class
Every child's plan is different, but school-based goals often include:
- Following classroom routines such as lining up, circle time and transitions between activities
- Asking for help, a break or a turn with words, pictures or a device
- Playing and talking with classmates at recess and lunch
- Staying with an activity a little longer each week
- Coping with changes, noise and hard moments without a meltdown
- Learning skills that teachers have asked the team to focus on
A word about 1:1 aides and shadows
Many parents ask whether ABA at school is the same as a shadow or a one-on-one aide. It is not. Medicaid coverage for ABA is for treatment: assessment, a written plan, measured goals and supervision by a BCBA. Sunshine Health's policy specifically says Medicaid does not pay for supervision, personal care, companion or chaperone services, or acting as a one-on-one aide. A school-based ABA therapist works on skills the plan names, with the goal of needing less support over time.
If your child needs a full-time aide at school for safety or access, that conversation belongs with your school and your IEP team.
Home and school together
Many of our families have therapy at home and at school. When the same team sees both settings, the BCBA can compare notes, notice patterns and update the plan for both. If your child is already receiving in-home ABA with us, school-based support can be added when your plan authorizes it. If you are starting from scratch, many families begin at home and then bring therapy to school once routines are working.
Parent training ties it all together. A BCBA can teach you the same strategies so that evenings and weekends build on the school day, not undo it.
Getting started
Start with a free consultation booked as soon as you call. We will ask about your child's school, grade and current supports, then check your insurance, whether it is Florida Medicaid or a private plan. There is no waitlist: we have openings. What sets the pace after that is the paperwork (the doctor's referral, a diagnostic evaluation, and insurance or Medicaid authorization) and your family's schedule. Our team is bilingual in English and Spanish, so conversations with the school can happen in the language that feels comfortable to you.
Send us the quick request form on this page or call (561) 421-0047 to begin.
Can my child's ABA therapist come to school with them?
Florida law allows private ABA providers hired by parents to observe and provide services in the educational setting at a public or charter school, with the teacher's and principal's consent on time and place. Your plan must also authorize services in school.
Does school-based ABA replace special education services?
No. It is meant to work alongside what the school already provides. Using a private therapist does not take away your child's right to a free appropriate public education.
Do I need an IEP?
If you have one, we use it. Some insurance plans ask for the IEP when authorizing ABA in a school. If your child does not have an IEP or a 504 plan, we can document that and talk through your options.
Does Medicaid pay for ABA at school?
Florida Medicaid plans can authorize ABA in school when it is medically necessary and the request includes the right documents. We verify your benefits for free first.
Will you talk to my child's teacher?
Yes, with your permission. Good communication between the team and the teacher is a big part of how school-based ABA works.