Rather than leaning on theory divorced from practice, this conference features presenters who actively operate within classrooms, districts, research settings, and state-level systems.
Behavior analysts, educators, researchers, and system leaders come together to examine behavior change across multiple levels of impact — adult behavior, decision-making, values, and the systems that shape
outcomes.
The conference takes a behavioral leadership approach, focusing on how real-world constraints influence implementation and how prevention-first, values-aligned practices can be sustained over time.
Sessions address common breakdowns in school-based change efforts and offer practical, experience-informed strategies grounded in the science of human behavior.
Across keynotes, focused sessions, and a
multidisciplinary expert panel, presenters share lessons learned from doing the work — including when common practices help, when they hinder progress, and how to make decisions that reduce reactivity and improve safety, engagement, and outcomes.
Featured Sessions Include:
- Opening Keynote: When NOT to FBA — Matt Cicoria
Rethinking when functional assessment adds value and when simpler, more scalable supports are the better
choice. - Values-Based Interventions in Education — Dr. Paul “Paulie” Gavoni: Understanding why well-designed initiatives fail to sustain — and how values and contingencies shape staff buy-in.
- Stop Firefighting: Using Quick Wins to Drive Lasting Behavior Change — Anika Costa
A systems-level look at reducing chronic reactivity and building momentum through strategic, behaviorally informed actions. - Special
Topics Expert Panel: The Use and Non-Use of Personal Restraints A prevention-first discussion on safety, staff behavior, systems influence, and reducing reliance on restraint.
- Closing Keynote: Variations on a Theme – Social Validity Measurement — Jeanne Donaldson
Practical approaches to measuring what actually matters to students, staff, and communities.
What truly sets this conference apart is its emphasis on use and
transfer. Attendees receive real, downloadable, fillable tools — created by practitioners for practitioners — designed for immediate application in school settings.
Conference Date: March 5, 2026 (on-demand afterwards too!)
Format: Virtual conference via BehaviorLive
CEUs: 4 BACB® General and 1 Ethics CEUs available
Price: $79.99, but you can save $10 off that by
using the promo code: EARLYTOOLBOX10
If you’re interested in learning from people who have navigated the same pressures, led change inside real systems, and are committed to doing better with science, I think you’ll find this conference valuable.
You can learn more and register here:
