Questions to ask your BCBA each month: stay aligned and see real progress

ABA is most effective when the team is aligned and goals make sense for your real life. Monthly check-ins help ensure sessions are not just happening—they’re helping. Use these questions to stay informed, collaborate with your BCBA, and keep goals meaningful.

Goals and priorities

• What are the top 3 goals we’re targeting right now, and why those first?
• How do these goals show up in daily life (mornings, meals, outings, school)?
• What would “success” look like in 4–8 weeks?

Data and progress

• What does the data show this month—improvement, plateau, or increase?
• Are we tracking the right thing (frequency, duration, independence, prompts)?
• What’s the biggest barrier to progress right now?

Behavior and regulation

• What triggers are showing up most often, and how are we preventing escalation?
• What replacement skills are we teaching (break, help, wait, “all done”)?
• How should we respond at home to reduce reinforcement of unsafe behavior?

Generalization (making skills stick)

• Where else should we practice these skills—bedtime, car rides, community?
• What should we do between sessions to reinforce progress?
• How can siblings/other caregivers support the plan consistently?

Parent coaching and next steps

• What do you want us to focus on this month as caregivers?
• What is the simplest change we can make at home to support progress?
• What will we adjust if the data doesn’t improve in the next few weeks?