The IEP Process

1. The IEP Process September 5, 2012 Regina Rausch, MA Ed. BCIU

2. Agenda • Introductions • Review ER/RR/IEP Processes and Timeline • Break • Discuss Effective IEP Meetings

3. Evaluation • 60 Days 7. Reevalution Every 3 yrs/ ID every 2 yrs 6. Annual IEP Review 2. Determination of Eligibility 5. Progress Monitoring 3. IEP Development 30 Days 4. IEP Implementation 10 days

4. Timeline for Special Education (and other resources) • http://ieps.wikispaces.com/home

5. MODULE 1:ER/RR

6. Purposes of Initial Evaluation • To see if the child is a “child with a disability,”as defined by IDEA • To gather information that will help determine child’s educational needs • To guide decision making about appropriate educational program for the child

7. Requesting an Initial Evaluation • A parent or a public agency can ask for an initial evaluation of a child. • Public agency must obtain parent consent before conducting initial evaluation of the child.

8. Before Any Initial Evaluation Public agency must: • Provide parent with prior written notice • Provide parent with procedural safeguards notice • Obtain parent’sinformed written consent

9. Consent is for initial evaluation, nothing more. Parent consent for initial evaluation must notbe construed as consent for initial provision of special education and related services.

10. Key Points about Initial Evaluation • Must be conducted within 60 calendar days of parental consent for evaluation (or within State-established timeline) • Must be full and individual

11. Key Points about Initial Evaluation • Must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies • Must gather relevant information about the child • Functional • Developmental • Academic Including what the parents provide

12. Review of Existing Evaluation Data As part of an initial evaluation (if appropriate) IEP team and other qualified professionals, as appropriate, must review existing evaluation data on the child, including: • Information and evaluations provided by parents • Current assessments (classroom-based, local, or State) • Classroom-based observations • Observations by teachers and related services providers

13. Review of Existing Evaluation Data On the basis of that review and input from the parents: This group identifies what additional data (if any) are needed to determine: • If child is a “child with a disability” • Child’s educational needs • Child’s present levels of academic achievement and related developmental needs • Whether child needs special education and related services And…

14. Review of Existing Evaluation Data • Whether any additions or modifications to the special education and related services are needed to enable child… • To meet annual goals in the IEP • To participate in general education curriculum (as appropriate) Group may conduct its review without a meeting.

15. Review of Existing Evaluation Data Is there enough data to provide the info needed? • Yes. • No. Public agency must notify parents: Public agency must administer assessments and other measures to produce the data needed. • of that determination and the reason for it • that parents have the right to request an assessment of child

16. Determining the Child’s Eligibility A group of qualified professionals and the parent determines whether the child is a “child with a disability.” Factors involved in making this determination: • How IDEA defines “child with a disability” • IDEA’s special rule for eligibility determination • A variety of information sources

17. Determining the Child’s Eligibility IDEA’s Special Rule A child must not be determined to be a “child with a disability” if the determinant factor for deciding so is… • Lack of appropriate instruction in reading… • Lack of appropriate instruction in math, or • Limited English proficiency; and • If the child does not otherwise meet theeligibility criteria at §300.8(a).

18. Determining the Child’s Eligibility Public agency must draw upon information from a variety of sources, including: • Aptitude tests • Achievement tests • Parent input • Teacher recommendations Information about child’s: • Physical condition • Social or cultural background • Adaptive behavior Public agency must ensure that information obtained from all these sources is documented and carefully considered.

19. Determining the Child’s Eligibility p.s. IDEA contains “Additional Procedures for Identifying Children with Specific Learning Disabilities.

20. Child with a disabilitymeans a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having… • autism • deaf-blindness • deafness • emotional disturbance • hearing impairment • Intellectual disability • multiple disabilities • orthopedic impairment • other health impairment • specific learning disability • speech or language impairment • traumatic brain injury or • visual impairment (including blindness) …and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

21. So—is the child a“child with a disability”under IDEA?

22. Upon completion of the administration of assessments and other evaluation measures Public agency provides parent with… • a copy of evaluation report • documentation of eligibility determination …at no cost to the parent.

23. Reevaluations May occur not more than once a year— Unless parent and public agency agree otherwise Must occur at least once every 3 years— Unless parent and public agency agree a reevaluation is unnecessary

24. What reevaluation shares with initial evaluation: • Its purposes • Prior written notice • Procedural safeguards notice* • Review of existing evaluation data • Parent consent • Gathering additional data, if needed • Parent involvement in evaluation group • Parent involvement in eligibility determination • Factors involved in determining eligibility • Reporting to parents *Upon parent request for an evaluation

25. Other Evaluation Provisions Evaluation is required before determining a child is no longer a “child with a disability”except— … when the child’s eligibility under Part B ends because: • the child graduates from secondary school with a regular diploma; or • the child exceeds age eligibility for FAPE under State law.

26. Other Evaluation Provisions When child’s eligibility under Part B ends— …Public agency must provide child with— • Summary of child’s academic achievement and functional performance, including… • Recommendations on how to assist child in meeting his or her postsecondary goals

27. Evaluation • 60 Days 7. Reevalution Every 3 yrs/ ID every 2 yrs 6. Annual IEP Review 2. Determination of Eligibility 5. Progress Monitoring 3. IEP Development 30 Days 4. IEP Implementation 10 days

28. MODULE 2:IEP Development To Provide Educational Benefit

29. PRESENT LEVELS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE 29 29

30. Writing Present Levels of Performance It cannot be overstated that the overall quality of an IEP rests firmly on the foundation of the Present Levels of Performance. 30

31. The IEP as an individualized long-term lesson plan Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Annual goals Plan and deliver instruction Measure progress (on-going assessment) 31

32. Key Questions for Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Strengths, Affinities? Needs? Learning styles? Preferences, Interests? Parent/Student concerns? Special Considerations? Progress in the past year? Student Performance compared to standards? Response to Intervention? What has worked? What hasn’t? Transition – Post high school plans? (age 14 and up) 32

33. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance • Annual goals are developed to address the individual student’s needs from the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. • There must be a direct relationship between the annual goals and the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance. • Annual goals are statements, which emanate from the present levels of achievement and functional performance. 33

34. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Present Levels of Performance must specifically describe and reflect the students’ learning, social and developmental characteristics as identified by the IEP Team. It is also important to document student strengths and interests in the present levels of performance. Strengths can be leveraged to enhance the learning experience. Students’ preferences can guide teaching strategies; e.g. Large group vs. small group, learning style, etc. Parental and student input must be reflected in order to give a more complete description of the student. 34

35. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Details, details … When documenting present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, a detailed description of the student’s learning, social and developmental characteristics is required in order to ensure that the annual goals, in turn, will truly address student needs: e.g. Carla is reading far below grade level. (No detail) e.g. Carla demonstrates an inability to consistently remember symbol to sound relationships. This prevents her from being able to successfully sound out words. (Details!) 35

37. Detailed descriptions of students include information relating to progress made since the previous IEP was written, as well as their performance compared to standards. The IEP must document student growth from one year to the next. Formal assessments, class tests, as well as teacher and provider observations give information on how the student is performing in comparison to the standards. Again, details are important: Suzanne has made progress since last year. (No detail) Since last year, Suzanne has increased her decoding skills. Currently, she is able to decode multi-syllable words containing closed and open syllables. (Detail!) Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance 37

38. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Individual students may have unique traits that affect their learning process Detailed documentation of these traits will give teachers better insight into the student’s individual social–emotional performance. Details, details, details…. Maria is disruptive. (No detail) When Maria is confronted by challenging assignments she often reacts by talking loudly, leaving her desk and refusing to complete the assignment. (Detail!) 38

39. Educational Benefit:Present Levels of Performance Results of evaluations, as expressed in an IEP, must be interpreted and described in language that is understandable by teachers and parents. Do NOT use clinical language on the IEP. Describe the tasks performed Describe the level of performance obtained Describe any relevant specific behaviors observed during testing Project a description of how weaknesses may affect classroom performance; e.g. Student’s weakness in auditory processing interferes with her ability to take useful notes. This projection makes it much easier to select pivotal skills goals! 39

40. Present Levels of Academic Achievement Provide a summary of baseline academic achievement data/assessment data indicating what the student is currently able to do and a description of how the disability effects student’s progress in the general education curriculum * include at least 3 of the 4 types of assessment (Summative, Formative, Diagnostic, Benchmark) 40

41. Present Levels of Academic Achievement Instructional Level and Grade Level It is critical that assessment, present levels, goals and progress monitoring include both the instructional and grade levels Instructional level alone does not meet the criteria of the general education curriculum Grade level alone does not meet the criteria of an IEP based on identified skill deficits

42. Present Levels of Academic Achievement Instructional Level and Grade Level The two levels together allow the student to make progress in the general education curriculum, while also addressing skill deficits It is necessary to use grade level, particularly for outcome, large scale measures in order to determine if what is in the IEP is working The information then translates into content for goals and specially designed instruction in order for the student to work toward mastery in the general education curriculum

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44. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Example 1: (Gary is an eighth grader.) On the calculation subtest, Gary demonstrated mastery of addition and subtraction of four digit numbers, with regrouping. He has mastered the 2, 3, 5 and 10 multiplication tables for single digits. He struggles with long division, which affects his ability to solve algebraic equations. Test results show that Gary has trouble with sequential memory. This affects his ability to easily recall basic math facts, and slows down his completion of assignments. 44

45. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Example 2: On the reading comprehension subtest, on which he was required to provide correct answers to questions related to a passage read silently, Gary demonstrated the ability to comprehend reading material on the fifth grade level. His weakness in organizing information appears to affect comprehension. His teacher reports that Gary struggles to understand content area reading assignments, and he takes a long time to complete tests. 45

46. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Example 3: Gary’s frustration with his difficulties in reading comprehension interferes with his ability to stay engaged during silent reading assignments in the classroom, and when his peers are responding to teacher questions related to reading material. He often attempts to distract his peers by making jokes, tries to initiate conversation, and looks for reasons to leave his desk. His behaviors escalate when rebuffed by his peers. 46

47. Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance It is important to include information about which teaching and learning strategies have been successful with Gary and which ones have not. Example 5: Teachers report that Gary does not respond well to independent class activities. He does not like to work alone. He operates best during small group activities in which he has opportunities to share information with and learn from his peers. 47

48. Educational Benefit:Matching Present Levels Academic Achievement and Functional Performance to Annual Goals All areas of student needs on the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance, MUST be addressed on Annual Goals or within the Specially Designed Instruction. 48

49. S.M.A.R.T. Goals 49 49

50. Writing Meaningful IEP Annual Goals We can’t measure what we cannot sense (see, hear, smell, feel, taste). Out with the old! Annual goal: (Student) will display improved social skills. What does that look like? What is it you want to see? Annual goals must be observable as well as measurable. Identify a behavior. Describe a concrete behavior or skill set that the student will exhibit.