Collaborative analysis. Actionable results.
The Navigators
Navigating Function First
Navigate Function First is built on a foundation of evidence-based functional behavior analysis and strengthened by partnerships with university programs across the country. Our collaboration provides a steady pipeline of trained intern Navigators, each supervised by experienced school-based BCBAs, ensuring that districts benefit from innovative practices by skilled professionals while sustainably building the future of the school-based workforce.
When students present with persistent, high-intensity behaviors, districts often struggle to complete Tier 3 FBAs effectively and efficiently. Limited staff, inconsistent training, and competing priorities can make it challenging to respond quickly and comprehensively.
Navigate Function First was designed to bridge this gap.
Through The Navigators, our supervised network of aspiring school-based BCBAs, districts gain high-quality, expert-supported FBAs that align with local practices while easing internal workloads.
By partnering with Navigators, districts retain local control while gaining access to a team to analyze behavioral function, align interventions, and equip staff with actionable direction to drive meaningful student behavior change into behavior intervention planning.
What You Can Expect
High-Fidelity FBA Processes
Each case is handled by an intern Navigator, guided by expert school-based BCBA supervisors. FBAs are completed using evidence-based methods tailored to your district’s processes and priorities, ensuring local alignment and actionable results.
Collaborative, Capacity-Building Approach
We keep district teams central to the process. Direct observation, indirect measures, and stakeholder input are collected by local teams, while our Navigators handle data setup and functional analysis. The result: robust FBAs with minimal district disruption.
This research-informed, university-supported model ensures that Navigate Function First delivers measurable impact today while strengthening the future workforce our schools need.
Our Current Partnerships
Our research partnership with Northern Illinois University is focused on pre-practitioner training. Together, we study how aspiring school-based behavior analysts develop readiness for real school settings, refine training and supervision methods, and strengthen the learning-to-practice bridge so emerging practitioners enter the field with stronger judgment, skills, and follow-through.
Interns are applying from…
…and more!
As Incoming Director of The Navigators, I’m committed to bringing steady technical competency, clear professional judgment, and the capacity to move this work forward with care and precision. I hold a deep respect for what the Founding Director built - the vision, the standards, and the heart behind the work - and I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into those efforts and carry them well.
I approach this role with both structure and humility. I’m here to ensure our work stays crisp, well-run, and grounded in what districts and trainees truly need: clear expectations, strong guidance, reliable documentation, and follow-through that holds up in highly applied settings. Just as importantly, I’m committed to how we show up - responsively, respectfully, and with a genuine understanding of what it means to do this work inside districts with competing priorities.
If you’re a district looking to strengthen your internal capacity, an intern looking for a training experience that will shape your real-world readiness, or a university looking to align coursework with practical field learning, I’d love to connect. Reach out anytime - whether you’re ready to start now or simply exploring fit.
FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Dr. Katie Graves
Program Director of The Navigators
Get in touch
Reach out to us anytime, anywhere.
INTERNS
Participate in hands-on school-based FBA experience
Learn from expert guidance throughout the entire evaluation process
Recommend interventions grounded in functionally aligned strategies
Build a strong portfolio of diverse, complex student cases
DISTRICTS
Lighten your staff’s internal workloads without reducing control
Deliver comprehensive, actionable FBAs to your students’ families
Ensure evaluation documentation is aligned with district systems
Expand your district capacity and competency without additional hires
UNIVERSITIES
Strengthen pre-practitioner readiness through structured, school-based FBA training experiences
Align field learning expectations with real district systems and practices
Reduce school district reliance on exclusionary measures
Expand placement options without placing additional coordination burden on faculty
JOIN USLet us help you expand your local capacity.
District FAQs
-
Cases where the district wants a technically adequate FBA with clear recommendations, especially when internal workload is heavy or timelines are tight.
-
Your team owns local coordination and access to information. We provide the structure, guidance, analysis, and completion support that keeps the evaluation process moving and results in strong evaluations.
-
Yes - local observation and day-to-day information remain essential. We build the data collection together to be focused and simple so staff effort stays reasonable and targeted.
-
We align documentation to district expectations and formats, and we clarify requirements throughout the entire evaluation process so deliverables don’t need major rework later.
-
An FBA documented in your district’s forms with clear, actionable recommendations and documentation that can be used for behavior planning and family communication.
-
Implementation supports vary by partnership level. If desired, we can recommend next-step coaching or consultation supports based on what the case requires.
Intern FAQs
-
Interns who want real school-based FBA experience, are coachable, and can follow clear documentation and communication expectations.
-
You’ll work on school-based FBA cases that are real students with real teams, with support throughout the full process from start to finish.
-
You’ll receive structured guidance, feedback, and checkpoints so you’re not guessing your way through a case.
-
Time varies by case complexity and local timelines. We’ll clarify expected commitments before you begin the case and set a realistic cadence for deliverables.
-
We provide a clear workflow, templates, and a step-by-step sequence so you can start confidently and build skills as you go.
-
Communication expectations are structured. We’ll define roles up front so you know what you are responsible for and what the district point person handles.
-
You’ll complete evaluation documentation aligned to district expectations, using provided tools and guidance to keep it consistent and usable.
-
Yes - within confidentiality expectations. We’ll guide what can be saved, how it should be de-identified, and what is appropriate to share.
-
The Navigators does not provide supervision. However, the activities you complete through The Navigators are designed to align with unrestricted fieldwork tasks, and the hours you spend on those activities can typically be counted as unrestricted hours under your existing supervisor’s oversight (as long as your supervisor reviews, approves, and documents them according to their requirements).
University FAQs
-
We offer structured, supervised school-based casework that strengthens readiness for real field demands—skills, judgment, documentation quality, and follow-through.
-
The experience is designed to strengthen readiness before independent practice by building case workflow fluency and professional expectations in real school conditions.
-
We coordinate a clear process with faculty so participation is straightforward. We’ll align on eligibility, expectations, and communication routines.
-
That is often the goal. We provide a structured pathway and consistent supervision routines so the experience is easier to manage than fully individualized placements.
-
We provide defined milestones and feedback loops so learners know what “good” looks like based on explicit criteria and rubric scoring so they can improve in a steady, supported way.
-
We follow agreed-upon protocols and keep information sharing limited to what’s necessary. We can align processes to university expectations where appropriate.
New partners join us every month!
Join our partnership network with districts and organizations just like yours.
Be the first to know about what’s happening around TLC
Get weekly updates on current events, partnership spotlights, outreach efforts, Integros events, recent blogs, and more!