​An emotional and behavioral disorder is an emotional disability characterized by the following:

    1.  An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and/or teachers. For preschool-age children, this would include other care providers.
    2.  An inability to learn which cannot be adequately explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.
    3.  Consistent or chronic inappropriate type of behavior or feelings under normal conditions.
    4.  Displayed pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

    5.  Displayed tendency to develop physical symptoms, pains, or unreasonable fears associated with personal or school problems.​

A student with EBD is a student who exhibits one or more of the above emotionally based characteristics of sufficient duration, frequency, and intensity that it/they interfere(s) significantly with educational performance to the degree that provision of special educational services is necessary. For preschool-age children, these characteristics may appear within the preschool environment or in another setting documented through an extended assessment period. The student's difficulty is emotionally based and cannot be adequately explained by intellectual, cultural, sensory, or general health factors.​​​