ISBE School Wellness Conference

The Behavior Assessment Training (BAT) Project is a newly awarded statewide initiative, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education and housed at Illinois State University, designed to strengthen how schools and districts approach Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs). Moving beyond compliance-driven practices, BAT emphasizes function-based, instructionally meaningful behavior planning that supports both student outcomes and adult capacity.
The BAT Project provides tiered professional learning, coaching, and implementation guidance focused on building sustainable district and school team capacity for effective behavior assessment and intervention. A central goal of this session is to introduce the BAT Project while beginning to build it in partnership with the field. This conference provides an ideal opportunity to listen and learn from educators, administrators, and support staff who are navigating behavior support challenges in real time.
During the session, participants will be invited to share their perspectives, needs, and priorities through intentional interactions designed to inform the professional learning content, resources, and targeted supports the BAT Project will develop as it launches. Input gathered will help shape how BAT focuses its training and technical assistance to best meet district and school needs across Illinois, ensuring supports are practical, relevant, and responsive to the realities of school-based practice.

SOS Signs of Suicide teaches students how to identify signs of depression and suicide in themselves and their peers, while training school professionals, parents, and community members to recognize at-risk students and take appropriate action. Using SOS, 90% of schools have seen an increase in students seeking help for themselves or a friend, with 95% believing the program also reduced stigma in schools.