C.9 · Behavior Acquisition

Acquisition and maintenance

Review how acquisition teaching works toward the written mastery criterion and how maintenance checks assess an established skill after time has passed. Examples show why the full performance history matters when deciding what a result demonstrates.

Task C.9: Distinguish maintenance from acquisition procedures

Useful foundations: B.2: Skill assessments

The rule

Acquisition builds a skill toward criterion; maintenance checks whether an established skill persists over time.

Apply the written mastery criterion, then use later checks to assess maintenance. Record the performance and prompt level required by the plan.

Key terms
Maintenance
A previously established skill persists when checked after time has passed.

What to look for

DistinctionLook forHow to decide
AcquisitionSkill is still being establishedContinue planned teaching until criterion is met.
MaintenancePreviously established skill is checked after timeMeasure whether the skill persists under specified conditions.
Mastery boundaryA defined threshold across required observationsCheck the complete criterion across the required observations.

Worked examples

Acquisition

Check the full mastery threshold

A teaching plan requires at least 90% independent correct across three consecutive sessions. The learner scores 70%, 90% and 100%. A colleague suggests moving the skill to maintenance because today was perfect.

Relevant facts

  • The criterion requires three consecutive qualifying sessions.
  • Only the last two sessions reach 90%.

Continue teaching toward the full mastery criterion.

70% breaks the run; 90% and 100% provide two qualifying sessions

Today’s performance adds evidence of progress. Continue following the plan until all parts of the mastery criterion are met.

Maintenance

Check after a delay

A learner previously met the plan’s mastery criterion for packing a lunch bag. Two weeks later, a scheduled check uses the same response definitions with no extra prompts. The learner completes the required steps independently.

Relevant facts

  • Mastery was already established.
  • The check occurs after a planned delay.

Record successful maintenance at the two-week check.

Established skill → time passes → independent performance

The finding concerns persistence over time under the specified conditions. A check in a new setting or with new materials could also assess generalization.

What changes the answer?

Keep today’s independent packing performance; change its history.

  • The learner completes the routine independently today.

This is the first successful teaching session.

Acquisition evidence.

Further performance evidence is needed to meet the complete mastery criterion.

Mastery was documented earlier and this is a delayed check.

Maintenance evidence.

The question is whether an established skill persists.

The same performance can answer a different learning question depending on its history.

Remember

  • Apply the plan’s written mastery criterion.
  • Maintenance needs time and evidence of retained performance.
Sources for this topic

Reviewed 2026-09-30 · C.9 version 3.