A student's IEP says "community-based instruction, 90 minutes weekly." On Thursdays the class takes a bus to a grocery store. One day the student asks his mother, "What are we learning there?" She does not know. The IEP does not say.
Community-based instruction is a way of teaching skills where they will be used. It can be among the most useful parts of a transition plan, and among the least explained. This guide describes what it is, how it fits the federal definition of transition services, and what to ask so that each trip has a purpose. It is general information, not legal advice, and schools run it in different ways.
What it is
The New Jersey Department of Education describes community-based instruction as an evidence-based practice that helps students with disabilities move from school to adult life and take part in their communities. It says that when the community is regularly used as a learning environment, students get practical, authentic experiences, and it lists intended outcomes: more independence, interdependence, and quality of life, plus skills for careers, postsecondary education or training, and community activities.
The Boggs Center at Rutgers, which works with New Jersey's special education office on CBI training, adds that the community can be used in person or virtually, that skills are taught in authentic settings, and that instruction is aligned with students' IEP goals. It describes the goals as positive post-school outcomes in community living, postsecondary education, and careers.
In other words, CBI is not a trip for its own sake. It is teaching, in a real place, of something the student needs.
Where it fits in the federal framework
Section 300.43 defines transition services as a coordinated set of activities, including instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, where appropriate, daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation. Community experiences are on that list. So CBI is one way a team can deliver them.
Section 300.320(a)(7) requires the IEP to state the anticipated frequency, location, and duration of services. For CBI, the location is the community, and the IEP should say how often and for how long. See what is an IEP transition plan.
What it can look like
| Setting | A skill it can teach | An invented goal link |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery store | Making a list, finding items, paying | The student will pay for three items with exact change, with one verbal reminder |
| Public bus or train | Reading a schedule, boarding, paying, getting off at the right stop | The student will ride a route to a work site independently, three of four trips |
| Library | Checking out materials, asking for help | The student will ask a librarian for help finding a book, in two of three visits |
| Restaurant | Ordering, waiting, paying | The student will order a meal and pay without assistance |
| Workplace | Following directions, working with others | The student will complete an assigned task at a work site |
| Bank or post office | Using services, handling forms | The student will complete a deposit slip with checks for accuracy |
Notice that each example names a skill and a way to tell whether the student has it. That is the difference between instruction and an outing.
Signs of a good program
Taken from the descriptions above, a well-run community-based program shows these features.
- A goal. Each trip links to an IEP goal.
- A plan. The Boggs Center lists a lesson plan template among its resources, which suggests planning each outing.
- Safety. The same center lists a safety checklist.
- Permission. It also lists a permission slip and a permission request form.
- Teaching, not only supervising. Staff teach steps, prompt, and fade help.
- Data. Staff record what the student does, as in any other instruction.
- Generalization. The skill is practiced in more than one place.
- Reflection. The student talks about what went well afterward.
Questions to ask
How the family can help
Families can support the same skills at home and in the community.
- Ask what skill the week's trip taught, and practice it on a family errand.
- Share what you see. If your child can now find the cereal aisle, tell the teacher.
- Offer new settings. A place your family uses, such as a laundromat or a clinic, may be a good next step.
- Keep a short note of dates and results. It becomes evidence for the next assessment.
Virtual and local options
The Boggs Center says the community can be a learning environment in person or virtually. Virtual options can help when a place is far away or when a student is learning to prepare for a first visit, for example by watching a video of a bus route or practicing an online order. They do not replace real practice for most skills. Ask the team how virtual and in-person experiences will be combined.
Documenting progress
Because the IEP has to state the frequency, location, and duration of services, any CBI that is a service should be recorded, along with what the student did. Ask how often progress is reported. See independent living skills goals, money management skills, and transportation skills for examples of goals that CBI can serve.
Planning one trip, step by step
A good trip is planned before the bus leaves. A teacher might choose the skill, such as paying with exact change, and write what the student will do in one sentence. Next come the steps in order: choose items, check the price, count the money, hand it over, take the receipt. The teacher decides how much help the student gets at each step and when it will be reduced. After the trip, the teacher records what the student did and writes one thing to practice next time. Families can ask to see this sheet. If a teacher cannot say which skill a trip was for, that is useful information, and a polite question usually leads to a clearer plan.
Adapting for different students
Students need different amounts of support. One student may travel to a store with a peer and a list. Another may need an adult at an arm's length, picture cards to help sequencing, and a short rehearsal in the classroom first. A student who becomes anxious in crowds may start with a quiet time of day and build up. A student who uses a communication device may need the device programmed with words for the setting beforehand. Ask how the plan adapts to your child's needs, who adjusts it, and how often. The IEP team decides what services your child receives, so changes to the amount or setting of instruction belong in a team conversation.
Safety and independence
Safety matters, and so does the chance to be independent. Ask how the program balances the two: how staff supervise, how students learn to cross streets and handle strangers, what the plan is if a student is lost or ill, and how risks are decided. The Boggs Center lists a safety checklist among its resources, which suggests programs think about this ahead of time. A student who is never allowed any independence will not learn it. A program that lets a student try, with safeguards, is closer to the spirit of transition.
CBI mix-ups
- Treating it as recreation. It should teach a named skill.
- Not linking it to a goal. Ask which one.
- Skipping the permission form. Read what you sign.
- Leaving out the family. Practice at home reinforces it.
- Expecting results with no data. Ask how progress is recorded.
Terms are in the glossary.