Other Research

Reflecting on 25 years of the Comprehensive Application of Behaviour Analysis to Schooling (CABAS) model in the UK – Hawkins & Grant (2026)

This paper reflects on 25 years of the CABAS® (Comprehensive Application of Behaviour Analysis to Schooling) model at Jigsaw School. The authors describe how the school has used data, individualised teaching and staff training to support autistic learners with learning disabilities. Over this period, the school has grown from supporting six pupils to 80 learners aged 4–19 and has maintained consistently high standards of educational provision.

The paper highlights three key factors that have contributed to learner progress: measuring learning through learn units, assessing learners’ development using the Verbal Behaviour Development Assessment (VBDA), and investing in a comprehensive staff training programme. These systems help ensure that teaching is tailored to each learner’s needs and that staff have the skills required to support progress effectively.

The authors conclude that careful measurement of learning, high-quality staff training and a focus on developing broader learning capabilities have been central to the school’s success. They suggest that some elements of the CABAS® model could be useful for educators working in a range of different settings.

This paper provides a reflective review of the implementation of the CABAS® educational model at Jigsaw School over a 25-year period. Rather than focusing on a single intervention, the article examines the systems, assessment tools and training structures that have supported learner progress and school development. The authors describe CABAS® as a comprehensive, data-driven educational framework in which behaviour analysis is applied across all aspects of teaching, learning, staff development and organisational management.

A central theme of the paper is the importance of measurement. Learner progress is evaluated through the use of learn units, which provide a direct measure of teaching and learning interactions. The school monitors the number of learn units required for learners to achieve objectives, allowing staff to evaluate whether targets are appropriately challenging and whether instructional programmes need adjustment. During the 2024–2025 academic year, approximately 1.5 million learn units were delivered across the school, with learners typically achieving new objectives on a regular basis.

The paper also highlights the role of the Verbal Behaviour Development Assessment (VBDA) and the ELCAR assessment system. Unlike traditional skills-based assessments, these tools evaluate developmental capabilities and behavioural cusps, such as naming, observational learning and listener literacy. The authors argue that identifying and addressing these foundational learning capabilities can improve instructional efficiency by enabling learners to acquire skills beyond those explicitly taught. This focus on emergent learning is described as a key feature of the CABAS® curriculum and an important contributor to learner progress.

A further area of emphasis is the school’s intensive staff training programme. Through the CABAS® rank system, staff engage in structured professional development that combines theoretical knowledge, classroom application and data-based analysis. The programme promotes active engagement with research, problem-solving and instructional decision-making. Over the past 25 years, staff at the school have completed 190 CABAS® ranks and 63 Master’s qualifications in behaviour analysis, contributing to a highly skilled workforce and a strong culture of evidence-based practice.

The authors conclude that the long-term success of the school has been supported by a combination of precise measurement systems, individualised curricula, ongoing assessment of learner development and sustained investment in staff expertise. They suggest that educational settings may benefit from adopting similar approaches to monitoring learner progress, developing staff competencies and promoting learning that extends beyond directly taught skills.

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Developing and Refining a Process to Improve Teacher Engagement with the Performance Management System in a School Setting

This study looked at how to improve teachers’ engagement with a school performance management system. The system involved teachers setting and reviewing targets linked to professional development, teaching quality and organisational priorities, with rewards provided when targets were achieved. The overall aim was to improve staff performance and, in turn, improve outcomes for autistic students.

The researchers used a tool called the Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC) to identify barriers that were preventing teachers from fully engaging with the process. Changes were then made, including simplifying paperwork, introducing clearer guidance, setting rolling targets, increasing line management meetings and requiring regular reporting.

Following these changes, more teachers participated in the performance management process and the average number of targets achieved increased substantially. Staff satisfaction with the system also improved. The findings suggest that relatively simple organisational changes can increase staff engagement and support a culture of continuous professional development.

This organisational behaviour management (OBM) study evaluated and refined a performance management system designed to improve teacher productivity and professional development. The system linked teacher targets to three key areas: job performance, professional development and organisational priorities. Achievement of targets resulted in points that could be exchanged for financial rewards, with the broader objective of improving outcomes for autistic students through increased staff effectiveness.

To identify factors reducing teacher engagement, the researchers used the Performance Diagnostic Checklist (PDC), a behavioural assessment tool commonly used in organisational settings. Interviews with teachers highlighted barriers relating to antecedents, processes and consequences rather than a lack of knowledge or skills. Specific issues included a lack of visual prompts, overly complex reporting requirements, insufficient opportunities to review targets with line managers and limited performance feedback.

Following the assessment, a package of interventions was introduced. These included a flowchart summarising the performance management process, reduced graphing requirements, rolling performance targets, mandatory regular meetings with line managers and monthly reporting requirements. Many of the rolling targets were directly linked to educational quality indicators, such as teacher accuracy during observations, decision-making accuracy and the number of instructional learn units delivered to students.

The intervention led to measurable improvements in teacher engagement. The proportion of teachers submitting monthly performance management reports increased from 33–43% during baseline to 55–60% following implementation. In addition, the average number of performance management points earned increased from 25 points per month during baseline to 57 points post-intervention, representing a 128% increase. Staff ratings of satisfaction with the system also improved.

The authors conclude that behavioural assessment tools such as the PDC can be valuable for identifying organisational barriers and designing targeted interventions. The findings support the application of organisational behaviour management principles in educational settings and suggest that increasing teacher engagement with performance systems may contribute to improved educational outcomes by strengthening teaching performance, accountability and professional development.

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Intensive Behavioural Intervention in a School Setting for Ten Years – Emma Hawkins and Kate Grant

This paper reports the progress of two autistic pupils who received intensive behavioural education over a period of ten years. Their development was measured using the Preschool Inventory of Repertoires for Kindergarten (PIRK®), an assessment tool that tracks skills across areas such as learning, communication, social development, self-help, play and physical development. This assessment tool is now known as the Early Learner Curriculum and Achievement Record (ELCAR).

Both pupils made substantial progress over the ten-year period. They developed a wide range of academic, communication, self-management and physical skills, while also increasing their independence. One pupil became toilet trained, developed reading and writing skills, and increased participation in everyday activities. The second pupil made significant gains in literacy, communication and self-management, and no longer displayed the self-injurious behaviour that had previously affected his learning.

The findings suggest that meaningful progress can continue for many years when pupils receive intensive, individualised behavioural education. Although the study only included two participants, it provides encouraging evidence that long-term intervention can support ongoing development beyond the early years of education.

This study examined the long-term outcomes of two autistic pupils who received intensive behavioural education within the CABAS® framework over a ten-year period. Progress was measured using the Preschool Inventory of Repertoires for Kindergarten (PIRK®), a curriculum-based assessment tool designed to identify and track the development of key repertoires required for successful learning. The assessment evaluates six areas: academic literacy, communication, community of reinforcers, self-management, social skills and physical development. This assessment tool is now known as the Early Learner Curriculum and Achievement Record (ELCAR).

Both pupils entered school with significant developmental needs and were assessed using the PIRK® on entry, after three years and again after ten years. The data demonstrated substantial gains across multiple domains. One pupil increased overall completion of PIRK® objectives from 12% at baseline to 50% after ten years, while the second pupil progressed from 8% to 82% completion. Improvements were particularly evident in academic literacy, self-management, physical development and participation in a wider range of activities and learning opportunities.

The study also highlighted important individual outcomes. One pupil acquired functional communication skills, became toilet trained, developed independent self-help skills and increased engagement in a variety of leisure and educational activities. The second pupil developed advanced literacy and numeracy skills, increased independence in daily living tasks, and no longer displayed significant self-injurious behaviour or disruptive vocalisations. These changes enabled greater participation in learning and everyday school life.

Although the authors acknowledge the limitations of a two-participant case-study design, the findings provide valuable evidence that progress can continue well beyond the early years of intervention. The study challenges the assumption that the benefits of intensive behavioural intervention occur only during childhood and suggests that sustained, individualised instruction may continue to support meaningful development over many years. The authors also note that communication and social skills remained relative areas of difficulty for both pupils, highlighting important directions for future curriculum development and research.

Link to paper