· David Cruz · ABA Best Practices · 4 min read
Mastery Criteria in ABA: From Calculated Progress to a Recorded Decision
Define measurable criteria, understand which observations count, and review the evidence before recording mastery. See how objectives support that workflow in TallyFlex.
Key Takeaways
Meeting a numerical criterion and recording mastery are different steps. A clear criterion makes the evidence easier to review; the mastery decision still belongs to the responsible practitioner. TallyFlex calculates progress for the current objective, then lets someone with editing access review and record mastery.
When a graph looks promising, the useful question is specific: which observations meet the agreed criterion, and under what conditions? Answering that before advancing keeps a promising data point from becoming an unsupported completion decision.
Write Criteria You Can Actually Evaluate
Start with the skill, the conditions under which it should occur, and how you will measure it. Then specify the numerical rule:
- Metric: the measure that matches the target, such as percent correct or frequency.
- Threshold and direction: the value to reach or stay below.
- Period: session, daily, or weekly.
- Consecutive periods: the required number of evaluated periods meeting the threshold.
For example, “at least 80% correct across three consecutive sessions” defines a calculation. It does not, by itself, establish independence, performance with different people, or retention over time. Include those expectations in the plan and review the relevant observations. The numbers in this example illustrate configuration, not a universal mastery standard.
In TallyFlex, these numerical criteria belong to optional objectives inside a target. A target can also have written mastery criteria without objectives; in that case, the practitioner interprets the written criteria and records target mastery directly.
Choose the Period That Matches the Question
A session criterion asks whether each eligible session met the threshold. A daily criterion combines the day’s observations, while a weekly criterion groups observations by week. Several entries on the same day do not become several daily periods.
For percent correct, the underlying correct and total counts are combined within the period. For example, 8 correct out of 10 and 1 correct out of 2 produce 9 out of 12, or 75%, rather than an average of the two percentages.
TallyFlex evaluates the current In progress objective using eligible evidence after activation. Starting an objective partway through a day or week excludes that current daily or weekly period. Missing dates do not create failed periods: the streak follows consecutive evaluated periods. Manual entries can contribute to daily or weekly totals but do not create separate session periods.
Baseline handling also depends on the period. Baseline-only daily and weekly periods are excluded; mixed Baseline/Intervention periods use their combined totals. Session criteria do not apply that same Baseline-only exclusion. See the mastery criteria guide for the calculation details before choosing a period.
A Worked Example: Criteria Met, Then Reviewed
Suppose a current objective requires at least 80% correct across three consecutive evaluated sessions. The eligible results are:
| Session | Percent correct | Current streak |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80% | 1 |
| 2 | 70% | 0 |
| 3 | 90% | 1 |
| 4 | 80% | 2 |
| 5 | 90% | 3: criteria met |
The result after session 5 is criteria met, not automatically recorded mastery. Review the observations, prompt conditions, and the rest of the plan before confirming the objective’s mastery.
Normal mastery confirmation starts the next pending objective in order. An objective on hold stays unfinished until deliberately resumed. Once every objective is recorded mastered, the target is recorded mastered as well.
If a target has no objectives, use Manage mastery to review its written criteria and record target mastery. With objectives, the same menu opens objective management.
Keep Objectives, Program Phases, and Recording Mode Separate
An objective is a step within a target. A program phase groups targets. Baseline and Intervention are recording modes that label how observations were collected.
A phase uses recorded target mastery to check its configured rule: all targets, or a specified number of targets. When an in-progress phase completes in an active program, Auto-progress phases can start the next not-started phase. This does not switch targets from Baseline to Intervention.
If a phase requires 3 of 5 targets, the two remaining targets are still unmastered when the phase completes. Phase completion is not a substitute for reviewing each target’s status.
Review What Happens After Mastery
Choose follow-up observations that answer the next question: whether the skill persists, transfers to another context, or needs renewed teaching. The maintenance probes guide explains how to keep completed work available for that review.
If the evidence calls for reopening a directly mastered target, use Reopen target. For a target with objectives, update the relevant objective’s status in the editor. These changes preserve the observations; unfinished objectives clear the target’s mastered state.
For setup and examples, continue with Mastery Criteria and Objectives.
