School-Based ABA Therapy

Planned with your family and school • Teacher collaboration • Skills that travel

School is where children learn, make friends and follow routines with many other people. Some children need extra support to do that. Our school-based ABA therapy brings individualized behavior support into the school day, working with your child's teachers so goals line up across home and school. Services in schools are arranged with the family and the school.

Get started today 561-337-8865

4.9 on Google (13 reviews, October 2026)
No waitlist
BCBA-led programs
BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, UMR, TRICARE
Home, school, daycare & center

The short answer

School-based ABA therapy is applied behavior analysis provided in a child's school setting. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst designs the program and works with the family and teachers so goals fit the classroom and any IEP. Services in schools are arranged with each family and school, and the focus is on using skills across settings.

A child working on schoolwork at a table with an adult nearby

What is school-based ABA therapy?

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) focuses on changing behaviors by understanding what happens before and after them. The CDC notes that treatments can be given in education, health, community or home settings, or a combination of settings.

School-based ABA takes that individualized approach into your child's school day. We offer therapy at home, at school, at daycare, in the community and at our locations in West Palm Beach, Temple Terrace (Tampa), Port Charlotte, Jacksonville and Sebring. Services in schools are arranged with the family and the school, so every plan starts with a conversation.

How do we work with teachers?

Teachers know the classroom. Parents know the child. Our team works with both. Collaboration can include:

Talking with teachers about what they see during the day
Sharing strategies that fit classroom routines
Keeping goals consistent between home and school
Reviewing progress data together with the family

We respect each school's rules and staff, and we work within the arrangement the family and school agree on. Sessions are delivered by a Registered Behavior Technician (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 can call or text their RBT, their BCBA or our front desk.

A team of adults meeting around a table to plan

How does ABA connect to my child's IEP?

The CDC explains that children with disabilities, including autism, may be eligible for services through the local education system, and many have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan.

An IEP is created by the school and the family. Our role is to support it. A BCBA can help line up ABA goals with your child's IEP goals and share what is working, so everyone works toward the same goals. Where the school and family allow it, our staff can join IEP meetings. Changes to an IEP itself are made by the school team and the family.

Talk with us about school support

Why does generalization matter?

Generalization means using a skill in new places, with new people and in new situations. A child who can ask for help at home also needs to ask for help in class.

Working in more than one setting gives children chances to practice skills where they need them. School-based support can sit alongside therapy at home and in the community. Learn about in-home ABA therapy.

What skills can school-based ABA support?

Goals are individualized. Depending on your child's needs, school-based ABA may focus on:

Attention and focusStaying with a task and following directions.
Social skillsTaking turns, joining play and talking with classmates.
CommunicationAsking for help, a break or what they need.
Self-regulationCoping with changes, noise and frustration.
Classroom routinesTransitions, lining up and moving between activities.

How do we set up school-based services?

1Call usReach us at 561-337-8865 or office@hopecenteraba.com. There is no waitlist.
2Check your benefitsWe accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna (Evernorth), UMR, Personify Health and TRICARE East (Humana Military), with Optum coming soon. Self-pay is available, and we check benefits before starting.
3Assessment and planA BCBA meets your child and family and builds an individualized plan.
4Arrange with the schoolServices in school are arranged with your family and your child's school. There is no waitlist: it can take as little as three weeks from first call to first session, and once insurance approves the plan, services usually begin within 3–5 business days.

Questions families ask

Do you have a contract with my school district?+

School-based services are arranged one family and one school at a time. We work with your family and your child's school to see whether sessions at school are possible and how they would work. Call us to talk through your child's situation.

Can ABA therapy happen during the school day?+

It can, when the family and the school agree to it. Each school has its own rules about outside providers. We talk with you and the school before anything is set up, and we also offer therapy at home, at daycare, in the community and at our locations in West Palm Beach, Temple Terrace (Tampa), Port Charlotte, Jacksonville and Sebring. See where we provide ABA for the other areas we serve, including Broward, St. Lucie, Orlando and Lakeland.

Can you help with my child's IEP meeting?+

Yes. Where the school allows it, our staff can join your child's IEP meeting, and a BCBA can share your child's ABA goals and progress with the IEP team. The IEP itself is written by the school and the family. Ask us how we can support you before your next meeting.

Does my child need a diagnosis for school-based ABA?+

A diagnosis comes from a qualified provider, such as a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, psychiatrist or pediatric neurologist. BCBAs do not diagnose. Insurance-funded ABA usually requires a diagnosis such as autism (ASD) or Down syndrome. Self-pay is available for all services, so a diagnosis is not required to self-pay. We check benefits before services start. See our insurance page.

Is school-based ABA available for children with ADHD or ODD?+

We provide ABA-based support for children with ADHD, ODD and intellectual disability, as well as autism. Goals for school might include attention, organization and self-management. Read more about ABA for ADHD and ODD.

Support for your child at school

Talk with our team about school-based ABA. We plan it with you and your child's school, and there is no waitlist.

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

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