2027+ Standards

The 2027+ standards represent the updated BACB fieldwork requirements based on the 6th edition task list. These standards introduce several meaningful changes designed to simplify certain administrative requirements while strengthening others. If your fieldwork start date falls under the 2027 standards, all of these updated rules apply to your entire fieldwork experience.

The most notable changes include an increased monthly hour cap (160 hours, up from 130), the shift from count-based to duration-based observation requirements (60 minutes minimum for supervised fieldwork, 90 for concentrated), and the complete elimination of the monthly supervision contact requirement. Additionally, BCaBA candidates on concentrated fieldwork see their supervision minimum adjusted to 7.5%, down from 10% under the previous standards.

These changes reflect lessons learned from years of the previous system. The higher monthly cap gives full-time candidates more flexibility. Duration-based observations ensure supervisors spend enough time watching trainees to provide meaningful feedback, rather than checking a box with brief observations. And removing the contact requirement acknowledges that the supervision percentage and observation requirements already ensure adequate supervisor involvement without the need for a separate interaction count. For candidates starting fieldwork under these standards, the overall experience is somewhat streamlined, with fewer individual metrics to track on a monthly basis.