Schools are built to handle a wide span of behaviors that students express while in school. For those students that need more support the learning professionals go find deeper understanding through data collection. As dry of a subject as that might be, it gets more interesting as you learn more about what works and see students succeed. 

A friend of mine passed along a great resource with a lot data collection tools. Data collection tools.

Here is another resource: PENT BIP Manual

A blurb from Behavior Advisor:

Behavior assessment is based upon the following assumptions:

-challenging behaviors do not occur in a vacuum; there is a reason for their occurrence

-behaviors occur in response to an identifiable stimuli (event)

-behaviors are governed (weakened or strengthened) by the consequences that follow them

-behavior is a form of communication (i.e., educators need to figure out what a particular behavior is communicating. The displayed action might be saying, in a non-verbal fashion; “I am tired.”, “I am bored.”, “I’m still upset at what happened earlier”, etc.)
-“misbehavior” might actually be adaptive (justifiable and understandable) given the circumstances. For example, in a classroom in which the teacher is a ineffective manager of student behavior, the student of concern might engage in “inappropriate” actions designed to bond with, and offer protection from bullies.

In this particular case, the “misbehavior” could be designed toavoid victimization  by other students in the presence of the non-protective teacher.

It is believed that all behaviors demonstrated by all persons serve a function and have a purpose. If benefits didn’t result from showing certain behavior, then individuals would stop doing them. Usually, our behaviors are meant to do one of two things:

-obtain something desirable (e.g., attention, money, good grades), or

-avoid or escape something unpleasant or punishing (e.g., penalties, embarrassment, pain, fear)