BCP Assessment Record

Behavioral Characteristics Progression (Ages 1–14)

A curriculum-based record for screening, tracking, and planning skills across 56 developmental strands

An inclusive, criterion-referenced record for tracking behavior and skill development across a span far wider than most early childhood tools reach.

The Behavioral Characteristics Progression (BCP) Assessment Record gives professionals a structured way to document where a child or student is across a wide developmental range, from early childhood through the teen years. Because BCP is criterion-referenced rather than normed against age expectations, it measures a learner against their own progression rather than against a standardized peer group, which makes it useful for students whose development doesn't track neatly to chronological age.

For special education teams, transition planners, and programs serving students with disabilities, the Assessment Record provides continuity: the same tool can follow a learner across years and across placements, building a longitudinal picture instead of a series of disconnected snapshots.

The Assessment Record is designed to be used alongside BCP Instructional Activities, which supplies the teaching strategies tied to each area of the progression.

Background

The Behavioral Characteristics Progression was originally developed by the special education staff of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, as part of a federally funded Special Education Management System project. Over 100 special education professionals helped develop and field test the BCP's behaviors and instructional activities.

The BCP organizes 2,300 observable behavioral characteristics into 56 Strands, each progressing from early skills toward behaviors generally considered age-appropriate for adults. Ages and grade labels are intentionally omitted from the progression itself, which is part of what makes it usable across such a wide developmental range.

Who It's For

The BCP Assessment Record is designed for professionals supporting learners across a wide developmental span, including:

• Special education teachers and support staff
• Early intervention and developmental specialists
• Therapists
• Transition planners and IEP teams
• Program coordinators serving students with disabilities

What's Included

• A criterion-referenced record covering developmental ages 1 through 14
• An inclusive format that measures progress against the learner's own progression
• A structure designed to follow a learner across years and placements
• A list of Identifying Behaviors per Strand, useful for screening which areas of need are most relevant for an individual
• A record designed to be used alongside BCP Instructional Activities

Why Professionals Choose the BCP Assessment Record

• Covers a developmental span most early childhood assessments don't reach
• Useful for learners whose developmental age and chronological age differ significantly
• Builds a longitudinal record rather than a one-time snapshot
• Supports IEP goal setting and transition planning with concrete documentation
• Helps structure parent communication and involvement alongside formal assessment

For Program Leaders

• Provides a single record format that follows a student across years and placements, supporting continuity documentation for IEP teams
• Non-discriminatory, criterion-referenced design supports legally defensible documentation
• Low per-unit cost, easy to budget for a caseload spanning a wide age range

What Professionals Are Saying

“We haven't found anything else that works for us the way BCP does. It has allowed us to formalize and systematize our alternative formative assessment to improve consistency across classrooms and schools. I would recommend the use of BCP to my colleagues in the field."

—Noelle C., Utah Special Education Director, Granite School District

"My students are young with multiple disabilities. In the past, it has been challenging to document the students' progress. BCP is a tool that in most cases has steps that are small enough that progress can be documented. During IEP meetings, the BCP is a helpful tool in discussing student progress with parents. The parent are especially interested in seeing the progress from year to year. The BCP is the best assessment tool I have used."

—Jane. R., Elementary Teacher

Product Details

• Developmental Age Range: 1–14+ years
• Format: Assessment record booklet
• A Shine Early Learning Resource

Formats & Pricing

• Assessment Record Booklet
  • Price: $8.95
  • ISBN: 9780897180719