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School-Based ABA Therapy in Jacksonville, FL

Duval County Public Schools • Private schools and daycare • Florida s. 1003.572

Skills your child learns at home do not always show up in a classroom of 20 children, with bells, lines and noise. School-based ABA brings your child’s therapist into the school day so new skills get practiced where they are needed. In Florida, a state law gives parents a clear path to bring a privately hired BCBA or RBT into public school. Hope Center for Behavior Change helps Duval County families use it, and also works in daycares and private schools that agree.

Get started today 561-337-8865

The short answer

School-based ABA in Jacksonville lets a privately hired BCBA or RBT work with your child at school. In Duval County public schools, Florida statute 1003.572 says these providers must be permitted when the teacher and principal agree to the time and place and the provider passes background screening. Hope Center for Behavior Change helps families request it.

What does Florida law say about private ABA in Duval schools?

Section 1003.572, Florida Statutes, applies in every Florida district, including Duval County Public Schools. Private instructional personnel hired by parents may observe your child in the educational setting, collaborate with school staff there and provide services there, when two conditions are met:

  • Your child’s teacher (public instructional personnel) and principal consent to the time and place
  • The provider meets the background screening rules in s. 1012.32 or the exception in s. 1012.321

The law says a district may not add requirements beyond these or charge fees for this purpose. It covers certified behavior analysts and RBTs who are supervised by and employed by such a provider. Private services are meant to enhance, not replace, the district’s duties, and using them does not waive your child’s right to a free appropriate public education. Read the full background in private ABA in public school under s. 1003.572.

A child working on schoolwork with an adult beside them

How does a Jacksonville family request it?

  1. 1Set the purpose with your BCBAObservation, teacher collaboration, direct support in class, or a mix. Name the target skills, such as transitions, group directions or asking for a break.
  2. 2Check coveragePlans differ on ABA in a school setting. We check your benefits for free. See [ABA at school and insurance](/florida-aba-guide/insurance/aba-at-school-insurance-coverage/).
  3. 3Talk to the ESE contactAsk your school’s ESE contact or case manager who coordinates private providers and whether Duval uses a specific form.
  4. 4Send a written requestWrite to the principal and teacher, cite s. 1003.572 and propose days, times and a place. Use our [letter template](/florida-aba-guide/school/letter-request-rbt-in-classroom/).
  5. 5Screening and scheduleYour provider completes background screening through the district’s process. Confirm the agreed time and place by email.
  6. 6Review after a few weeksMeet with the teacher and BCBA to adjust the plan.

This is an example sequence, not a promise of timing. Screening, scheduling and insurance approval can each take several weeks. Duval-specific tips are in Duval schools and private ABA.

Ask us to help set it up
A team of adults meeting around a table to plan

How do we work with your child’s IEP team?

The IEP is written by the school team and your family. Our job is to support it. A BCBA can line up ABA goals with IEP goals, share what is working at home, and suggest strategies that fit the classroom routine. Florida’s IEP rule lets parents invite other people with knowledge or special expertise about their child, and where the school allows it, our staff can join IEP meetings.

If your child does not have an IEP yet, you can ask the school in writing for an evaluation. Our guides to the Duval schools IEP and ESE process and bringing your BCBA to the IEP meeting walk through both.

What about daycare, VPK classrooms and private schools?

Section 1003.572 is written for public schools. Daycares and private schools set their own rules about outside therapists, so sessions there depend on the program saying yes. Charter schools are public schools, but practice varies, so ask for their procedure in writing.

For a daycare, start by asking the director whether an RBT can work with your child during the day, what paperwork they need (ID, background check, a signed agreement) and where sessions could happen. See ABA at daycare with Hope Center for the full checklist.

  • Public schoolTeacher and principal consent to time and place, plus screening.
  • Charter schoolPublic, but ask for its written procedure.
  • Private schoolThe school decides whether outside providers may work on site.
  • DaycareThe director decides, and the plan must cover the setting.

TRICARE families: school rules are narrower

TRICARE allows only limited, targeted ABA in a school or preschool setting, delivered by the treating BCBA and pre-authorized in the plan. It does not pay for an RBT to shadow a child at school, and it treats daycare differently. If you are a NAS Jacksonville or Mayport family, read TRICARE ABA at school and our TRICARE ABA in Jacksonville page before scheduling.

Who supports your child at school

Sessions at school are delivered by an RBT. A BCBA writes and reviews the plan and supervises the RBT every week, and our clinical director reviews every plan before it goes to insurance. Parents get training every week and can call or text the RBT, the BCBA or our front desk.

School sessions usually sit alongside in-home ABA in Jacksonville, so skills get practiced in more than one place. We serve Duval County; we do not currently serve Clay County, Orange Park or St. Johns County. We accept Florida Blue, Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East, with self-pay on a sliding scale. We do not accept Medicaid.

Questions families ask

Does Duval County Public Schools pay for my child’s private RBT?+

No. Section 1003.572 covers providers hired or contracted by parents. Funding usually comes from health insurance, if your plan covers ABA in a school setting, or self-pay. We check your benefits for free before anything is scheduled.

Do you have a contract with Duval County Public Schools?+

No. School-based ABA is arranged one family and one school at a time, under the state law and the school’s scheduling. We work with you and your child’s teacher and principal to set it up.

Can the principal say no?+

The teacher and principal consent to the time and place, so a school can reasonably ask to adjust times, for example around testing. A general refusal or extra conditions are harder to square with the statute. Ask for the reason in writing and the district’s procedure. A Florida education attorney can advise on disputes.

Can an RBT work at school without a BCBA?+

No. The law covers RBTs who work under the supervision of a qualifying behavior analyst and are employed by that provider. Your child’s BCBA is responsible for the plan the RBT follows.

Will private ABA replace my child’s IEP services?+

No. The statute says private services enhance but do not replace the district’s duties, and they do not waive your child’s right to a free appropriate public education. Keep the IEP’s services in place. See can ABA replace school?

Where do I start?+

Call 561-337-8865 or contact us. We check your benefits, assess your child (usually at home) and help you prepare the request to the school. More about our Jacksonville team is on the Jacksonville hub.

Related

Bring ABA into your child’s school day

Call 561-337-8865 or send a request. We will check your benefits for free and help you plan the request to your child’s school.

Our ABA programs are developed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and carried out by Registered Behavior Technicians.

  • No cost to talk to us
  • No waitlist: starting can take as little as three weeks from your first call
  • Free benefits check, sliding scale and self-pay options
  • Our operations team calls you back

Contact us today to get started!

Free consultation. No waitlist. We’ll call you back and check your insurance.

We do not accept Medicaid or public assistance plans.

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