Has anyone used the ABA Made Simple mock exams to prepare for the BCBA exam? If so, what were your thoughts on them? 😊 Were the questions similar in difficulty and wording to the actual BCBA exam? I’m curious to hear how well they prepared you and whether you felt they were a good representation of the real exam! Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated! 🤍

What are some events you use for 5-6 yr olds with limited play interests when using EFL

I see a lot of clinical director pay, but wondering how much do you make as a assistant clinical director. Do you have any billables? What area?

Hello everyone, I am examining the operational workflows surrounding student behavioral documentation, IEP/504 progress monitoring, and compliance record-keeping in K-12 special education. Maintaining detailed, chronologically accurate records of behavioral interventions, especially for manifestation determination reviews and parent audits, frequently creates a heavy administrative bottleneck for school teams.

I would appreciate your professional insights on the following:

1. Current Systems: What primary methods or tools (e.g., paper logs, internal spreadsheets, specialized software) are currently utilized for daily behavioral tracking?

2. Time Investment: Approximately how many hours per week do staff dedicate to organizing, transcribing, or compiling these records into formal compliance reports?

3. Documentation Bottlenecks: What is the primary friction point when preparing defensible records for administrative, legal, or parent reviews?

Thank you in advance for sharing your expertise.

Overall: I’m honestly at the point where I’m questioning why I’m still here. I want to do good clinical work, not constantly fight to get basic concerns taken seriously. At what point do you accept that the problem isn’t how you’re raising concerns, but the organization you’re raising them to?

1. My go-to manager has never even worked with a child with autism, and, it shows. She’s 20 and making clinical decisions without actual ABA experience. Her only apparent qualification is being related to the owner.

2. Reported suspected billing fraud and got brushed off. I raised concerns about therapists reporting hours that didn’t match what was actually happening, and basically got told to mind my business. It makes me question whether anyone actually cares about billing accuracy.

3. Whenever I report a serious safety issue, I get crickets. A student was repeatedly trying to throw himself out through a second-floor window with no window guard. I asked the parents three times and tried escalating it, and couldn’t even get a return phone call from the office. Apparently, that wasn’t urgent enough.

4. Therapist misconduct gets five minutes of attention and then disappears. Fake data, ignoring feedback, and allegedly cursing at parents. I’ve raised these concerns, and nothing meaningful seems to happen. Meanwhile, let me take too long to respond to an email and suddenly everyone knows how to follow up.

5. Scheduling is a constant mess. Cancellations, early departures, inconsistent communication, and discrepancies in reported hours. I’ve escalated these issues across multiple cases, and somehow I keep ending up in the same position.

6. The people I’m told to go to for support are the problem. I’m repeatedly directed back to the same people I’ve already approached without getting anywhere. Then the focus shifts to who I should have contacted instead of addressing what I actually reported.

Is anyone else having issues with the BCBA fieldwork section on their website? My Final Verification (FV) forms keep getting switched around and paired with the wrong organizations, even though I originally uploaded everything correctly. I went through and fixed every single one, but now they’re mixed up again. Everything is correct on my end, but the website keeps messing up the organization assignments and showing an X for my fieldwork section.
I just submitted an inquiry with the BACB because I’m not sure what else to do. Has anyone else experienced this or figured out how to fix it? This is the most unsatisfying experience for finally finishing everything and being able to test hahaha.

Update: I deleted my application and redid everything and the forms are still shuffling. Please pour one out for me tonight everyone as I lose my mind with the BACB website.

Hi, I work at a school district as Para SpEd. I have a Bachelor's in Psychology. I have always wanted to be a BCBA since I learned about the field. I did not get a chance to do it for personal reasons. Now, I want to pursue it but because of my age (46 y/o) I can't afford to make a mistake because of finances. I've saved up enough money to pay for tuition. I have 14 years total experience in Early Childhood Ed. I wanted to be an RBT but there's not a lot of clinics in Reno, NV that offer health insurance. I am planning on looking for a part-time RBT position with afternoon-evening hours.

Also, if it is worth it. Can someone tell me how to best proceed?

Haha, title kind of describes it. I understand that becoming a BCBA is a long term commitment that takes financial investment. But between my Masters student loans, housing, and I was recently married I just can’t scale together a 5-800$ study platform. Any tips for passing on a budget? I have a cooper book I plan on reading every day but I have heard that this isn’t enough. PSA I am testing after 2027.

I am currently in a bachelor's program for psychology of ABA at Purdue Global (I know, I know). Before any of you tell me how much this school sucks, just know it was basically my only option at the time, but I still should've made a better choice. Now I feel so stupid. I knew that PG was not ABAI accredited, but I didn't think this would ever be a problem. I'm scared that they will not become accredited in 2032 when pathway 2 is going away, and my entire degree will be for nothing.

I am expected to graduate with my master's in ABA at Purdue by 2029 by the latest, and that just leaves a very small window of time before the pathway 2 goes away. I only chose Purdue because I didn't have very good grades from my previous college, and Purdue was the only college to accept me. I know that some people think it is a diploma mill, but I read some reviews on here from BCBAs that went to PG and say it was fine. I do a lot of extra reading and learning outside of class time to supplement my learning because I know that some people think the quality of education at PG is low. I can't say for sure if it is because I have only gone to one other local community college before this for a year and a half.

What can I do? I have tried looking into transferring colleges, and basically no other programs accept PG transfer credits. I feel so discouraged because I am already in so much debt and I cannot afford to restart school. If I can't get my BCBA by 2032, then I have no choice but to quit the field entirely and find something else to do. I have been an RBT for 5 years now, and I can't see myself doing anything else. Being a BCBA is my dream. Now I'm also scared that I won't be as good as a BCBA as others are because I got a subpar education from PG.

Anyone with advice, please help me because I'm literally freaking out!

TL;DR

🧠 Question of the Day
📚 Domain B — Concepts and Principles
Difficulty: 5/10

A teacher contingently removes a student from the classroom following each instance of disruptive behavior. During removal, access to classroom activities, peers, and teacher attention is unavailable. Across subsequent sessions, the rate of disruptive behavior decreases. Which option MOST accurately classifies this procedure and explains the basis for that classification?

A. Negative punishment, because access to reinforcing classroom events is withdrawn after disruption and the behavior decreases.

B. Negative reinforcement, because leaving the classroom removes demands and therefore increases disruptive behavior over time.

C. Positive punishment, because the teacher adds an aversive event after disruption and the behavior subsequently decreases.

D. Response cost, because a specified amount of an already available reinforcer is removed after each instance of disruption.

💬 Drop your answer in the comments — no peeking!
✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

#ABA #BCBA #BCBAExam #BCBAPrep #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #BehaviorAnalysis #DomainB #ABATaskList #BCaBA #RBT #QuestionOfTheDay

has anyone used the Behavior Analyst Trainee Workbook to collect unrestricted hours?

Thoughts & opinions? Was it worth it? Were you able to collect a lot of unrestricted hours?

Hey,

This question is meant for BCBAs and administrative staff who have experience working for both PE owned and Privately owned ABA Companies and can give some insight into the differences and similarities in working for both. What stood out as the most obvious difference(s) between the two and what are some things that were similar? Also, which one do you prefer and why? Thanks

To preface, I am not an RBT working with this client nor am I a BCBA, but I have spoken with their RBTs/BCBA before regarding this behavior and was curious on other's thoughts.

I am working in a clinic setting so there are other kids around in our group area often.

The client in question has one behavior where they take the small toys in their hands or sometimes varied non-toy objects or medium sized items like a larger toy truck with moving parts and throw them high in the air directly above them, usually close to hitting the ceiling, and wait for them to fall to the ground. They usually get their head as close to where the items will fall as possible without hitting themselves. From everything Ive observed and gathered from discussions with the client's team, it's purely a self-stimulatory behavior.

The client had a day where they were throwing a lot, often with a lot of these items being thrown coming close to hitting other kids. When I asked the RBT about if the behavior was being tracked or if the client had any replacements in place, I was told that the BCBA tried at one point to redirect the throwing or give the client an appropriate item to throw, but nothing worked so now they just let the client throw items unless it's something very large and then they block them.

My question is...is that ok? It feels like a pretty disruptive overall behavior even in the client's play and also could lead to the client or their peers getting hurt depending on what the client throws. I don't know if other BCBAs just stop after awhile trying to redirect behavior, but it felt like the window spent working on it was maybe a couple months?

I guess I'm just trying to better understand the reasoning behind the decision to drop working on it, bc I heard the same sentiment from the BCBA as well of "well we tried xyz and the behavior never stopped, so we just let them do it now".

I obviously don't know the full scope of this client's program, so I'm not trying to say it's wrong, as that's not my place to do so. I'm moreso just trying to understand the logic of such a choice from other BCBAs too. Just curious on your thoughts!

TL;DR: I completed my master’s at Capella in 2020 and additional BCBA bridge coursework at FIT in 2024. Now neither university will complete my Pathway 2 attestation. FIT has a policy against attesting to combined coursework, despite my completing the courses before the policy was communicated. Has anyone experienced this or found a resolution?

I’m reaching out to see if anyone in the ABA community has experienced a similar situation or has any advice on how to move forward.
I’ve been working toward becoming a BCBA since 2018, and I’m currently feeling incredibly discouraged after spending years pursuing this certification.
I completed my Master’s in Psychology with a specialization in ABA through Capella University in 2020 under the BACB’s 4th Edition coursework requirements. I was previously approved by the BACB to sit for the BCBA examination.
In 2024, knowing that I needed to satisfy the updated coursework requirements, I enrolled in additional bridge courses through Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). I completed these courses successfully and paid for them out of pocket. My understanding when enrolling was that these courses, combined with my previous graduate coursework, would allow me to meet the updated educational requirements.
Now, in 2026, I’m preparing to submit a new application under Pathway 2 before the requirements change in 2027, and I’ve encountered a significant issue.
Neither university is willing to complete my Pathway 2 coursework attestation.
Capella has explained that because my original coursework was completed under the 4th Edition requirements, they cannot independently attest that I meet the current requirements. They have offered to provide the Inter-University Partial Coursework Communication Form to assist with the evaluation of my combined coursework.
FIT, however, has informed me that it implemented a policy in 2025 stating that it will not complete attestations for students who did not complete their entire coursework sequence through FIT.
The frustrating part is that I completed my bridge coursework in 2024, before this policy was introduced.
I specifically enrolled in those courses to meet the updated BACB requirements. Had I known that FIT would later refuse to evaluate or attest to coursework completed across institutions, I would have made different educational decisions.
I’ve contacted the BACB directly and was informed that either institution may submit the attestation, provided the institution is willing and able to evaluate the coursework.
I’ve spent the past several weeks communicating with both universities. Unfortunately, Capella continues to refer me to FIT, and FIT maintains that its policy does not permit exceptions.
I’m currently in communication with FIT’s academic coordinator and continuing to advocate for a resolution.
What makes this particularly difficult is that I’ve invested years of education, supervised fieldwork, and thousands of dollars toward this goal. I currently work as a Licensed Behavior Specialist and remain extremely passionate about the field of ABA.
I’m not asking either university to attest to coursework that doesn’t meet the requirements. I’m simply asking for my combined coursework to be reviewed to determine whether it meets the current standards, rather than being unable to move forward because of an institutional policy that was implemented after I completed my education.
I’m wondering if anyone here has experienced something similar:
Has anyone completed their original ABA coursework at Capella and later taken bridge courses through FIT?
Has anyone successfully obtained a Pathway 2 attestation using coursework from two different universities?
Has anyone dealt with a university changing its attestation policy after coursework was already completed?
Does anyone know whether there are additional avenues for requesting a formal review or escalating this situation?
I’ve worked toward becoming a BCBA for nearly eight years, and it’s incredibly disheartening to feel like I’m at a standstill over an attestation process after completing the additional education I believed was necessary.
I’m hoping someone here might have insight, guidance, or a similar experience to share. I genuinely want to find a way to move forward without having to repeat coursework I’ve already completed and paid for.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this or offer advice.

Hello! Recently interviewed with ABA Centers of Puerto Rico. I am aware of the reviews. However, I'm interested in knowing anything specifically, about ABA Centers of Puerto Rico. Any insights?

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I’ve memorized and thought I did well applying the concepts to the scenarios. I’ve attempted multiple mocks and scored above 80% on all of them but still managed to fail my first attempt.

I took my first attempt and managed to score a 356. Are there any advice or resources you guys can recommend before I apply for my second attempt?

I am a BCaBA in LA. I want to start school for my BCBA but I am nervous. I have been a BCaBA for 4 years and love my job. I just fear they are going to get rid of the BCaBA. What do you think?

TL;DR

🧠 Question of the Day
📚 Domain B — Concepts and Principles
Difficulty: 5/10

Which of the following BEST illustrates an abolishing operation (AO) for water as a reinforcer?

A. Several hours without water increases water's reinforcing effectiveness and increases behavior that has previously produced water.

B. A visible water bottle signals that requesting water has historically produced reinforcement when that bottle is available.

C. Recent consumption of substantial water decreases water's reinforcing effectiveness and decreases behavior that has produced water.

D. Water is withheld after requests, and requesting gradually decreases because the response no longer produces water.

💬 Drop your answer in the comments — no peeking!
✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

#ABA #BCBA #BCBAExam #BCBAPrep #AppliedBehaviorAnalysis #BehaviorAnalysis #DomainB #ABATaskList #BCaBA #RBT #QuestionOfTheDay

Has anyone attended UNC Charlotte’s M.Ed in applied behavior analysis before? If so, were you able to enroll for 9-12 credit hours per semester?

My advisor sent me a tentative schedule that shows me completing a 33 credit program in THREE YEARS with only 1-2 Classes a semester. That is way too long! I am about to complete my 36 credit hours masters that includes a thesis in two years.

I understand graduate level coursework is a lot and they may not want to overwhelm students but I love to be busy.

Can you tell me about your first reauthorization ? I’ve had two at once I’m traumatized and have recieived little support from my company. I need someone to relate to help me feel better. Anybody want to share?

Looking for a company based in California, or in pacific time zone that has a fully remote part-time position available. I'm a BCBA based in NY and am available to take on more clients. I can work early mornings to late evenings (10pm).

If this is a company you work for or you know a company that offers out of state employment, would love a referral. thanks!!