Special Education District Validation Review Team Member Training 2019-2020

1. Special EducationDistrict Validation Review (DVR) Team Member Training and School Preparation Information 2019-2020

2. What is the District Validation Review? • Mandated by Modified Consent Decree • Internal Monitoring process for LAUSD Special Education Programs • 25% of all schools reviewed annually • Includes Charters and NPS • Data used to: • Identify school-level noncompliance and remediate through required corrective actions • Determine potential systemic noncompliance and correct violations through professional development and revision of District policies and procedures

3. When will the DVR take place? • October through March • One or Two* Day Review *Schools with over 250 IEPs require a two-day review • Schools notified of DVR date by September 6th. • No postponements, cancellations or rescheduling allowed.

4. DVR Schedule of Activities • 8:00 DVR Start Time • 8:30-9:30 Administrator/Staff Interview • 8:30-9:30 Parent Interview/Meeting • 9:30-12:00 Classroom Observations • Document Review/Record Review On-Going • Summary Conference Upon Completion of Review Activities

5. Who are the DVR Team members? • Local District and Division of Special Education staff who are not from your school • 2 Certificated Staff Members from your school • 1 Parent Team Member hired by the District • This is a requirement of the MCD • No parent volunteers from the school site

6. What will the DVR Team do? • Review Staff & Parent Surveys • Conduct Parent Interview/Meeting • School to provide Interpreter, if needed • Conduct Document Review • Conduct Administrator/Staff Interview • Conduct Classroom Observations • Student Record Review Activities • IEP Implementation Activities: Services, Supports, Accommodations • Determine Educational Benefit of Special Ed services • Verify implementation of 504 accommodations • Conduct Summary Report Conference • Review findings and explain Corrective Actions (CAs) as applicable – submit electronically to DVR Team Lead

7. Who should view this presentation? • DVR School Team Members • Two Certificated Staff Members • At least one should be a staff member who writes IEPs and can share information with colleagues • Principal/Site Administrator

8. Should any other staff members view this presentation? • Please encourage any certificated and classified staff members involved with supporting compliance with special education legal requirements to view this training.

9. What are the primary responsibilities of the DVR school’s certificated team members? • Participate for entire School Day • Receive Student Record Review Training on: • Writing a compliant IEP ePPM- The Special Education Process, Conducting an IEP Meeting • Conduct Student Record Review Activity (IEP) • Participate in Summary Report Conference which addresses: • DVR findings with Principal and DVR team • Corrective Actions and due dates if applicable

10. How does your school prepare for the DVR? Complete School Self Review Checklist (REF 2624.15) • Correct areas identified that are not “IN PLACE” • Pay close attention to due dates and required publications/brochures/posters that must be available for parents • Monitor IEP legal requirements by reviewing your school’s data weekly and remediating any noncompliance- Timelines, Service delivery documentation • Maintain evidence of your efforts • Welligent Reports

11. DVR Preparation Materials for Schools • DVR Preparation Worksheet • Special Education Staff Survey and Cover Letter • Special Education Parent Survey and Cover Letter • DVR Parent Interview/Meeting Flyer • Translated Documents for Parents • Click on link below: • DVR Preparation Materials for Schools

12. DVR Preparation Worksheet and Data Reports • Worksheet Organization • DVR Schedule of Activities • Preliminary Tasks-Invites & Surveys • Required Documents • Student Records- IEPs & 504 Plans • Data • WelligentAdministrator and Service Provider Monitoring Reports (IEP Timelines and Service Delivery)

13. Staff Surveys, Parent Surveys and Meeting • AT LEAST 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR DVR: • Distribute to General/Special Education Staff • Staff Cover Letter • Staff Survey • Distribute to ALL Parents of Students with Disabilities • District Validation Review Parent Cover Letter • Letter informs parents of upcoming DVR, parent survey and group interview/meeting activities • Parent Survey- available in most languages • Parent Group Interview/Meeting Flyer

14. Second Parent Meeting Flyer* • If fewer than 10 Parents respond that they plan to attend, send out a second invitation/flyer to all and date the second invitation/flyer • The dated flyers serve as documentation

15. Document Review Activity • Refer to DVR Preparation Worksheet, Section B Documents • See ePPM- Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual • Assemble required documents per DVR Prep Worksheet • Refer to REF 2624.15 Checklist for annually required publications/brochures/posters • Place in Folder or Notebook

16. Administrator /Staff Group Interview • Suggested Participants • Principal • Assistant Principals • Special Education Teachers • General Education Teachers • Special Education Paraprofessionals • Purpose • Determine school team’s awareness and implementation of special education legal requirements • Prepare by reviewing REF 2624.15 (Checklist)

17. Classroom ObservationsActivity • Classroom Observations • General Education Class with Students with Disabilities • Special Day Program • Core Curriculum • Alternate Curriculum • Preschool Curriculum classes • 20-30 Minute Observation • See REF 2624.15 for recommended classroom instructional practices per applicable curriculum Essential Standards

18. School Preparation for Student Record (IEP) Review Activity • Green Folder or Confidential Special Education Folder • Selected IEPs • Review compliance items per REF 2624.14 School Self-Review Checklist, 2018-19 • ePPM- The Special Education Process, Conducting an IEP Meeting • School team will learn to determine whether IEPs written at your site meet “compliant” determination standards.

19. Student Record Review • 10% of Total Special Education Records • IEPs Completed by Staff Currently at Your School • Work with DVR Team Lead to choose another IEP if not written at your school • Your DVR Team Lead will provide you with a list of IEPs that you will pull at least one week before your DVR- This is a Welligent randomly selected list. • Please provide: 1 Assessment Report written by each Resource Specialist Teacher

20. Student Records • Entire Cumulative Record • Do Not Photocopy Student Records • Simply provide the entire cumulative record • Green Folders or Confidential Sped Folder • Parent Request for Reasonable Accommodations • Current IEP • Request for Special Education Assessment • Special Education Assessment Plan • Notification to Participate in an IEP Meeting • IEP Team Member Excusal Form(s)

21. Section 504 Plans • 2 Records of Students with Section 504 Plans Section 504

22. Summary Report Conference • Provide Summary Report to Administrator • Discuss DVR Findings with DVR Team • Review Corrective Action Plan and/or Recommendations, if Applicable • Provide Directions for Follow-up Actions/Due Dates • Principal Attendance Is Required • LD Supt signature required for District schools

23. What happens after the review? • Implement Corrective Action (CA) Plan and/or Recommendations by due date* • Submit CA evidence electronically to DVR TEAM LEAD by due date • Follow-up Monitoring/Technical Assistance: • Local District Special Education Staff • Educational Equity Compliance Office * Within 45 days of DVR

24. Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

25. Surveys Do we have to send home the Parent Survey to parents of all our students? No. Only send home the Parent Survey to parents of student’s with disabilities (IEPs).

26. Surveys How many completed Staff Surveys do we need to have available for the DVR Team? There is no minimum or maximum number of Staff Surveys required for the DVR. The team will review the Staff Surveys that have been completed.

27. Parent Meeting After a second attempt, if my school still cannot document that at least 10 parents plan to attend the Parent Meeting do we have to keep trying to get the minimum number to attend? DVR procedures require you to provide documentation the initial and second attempt to ensure the attendance of at least 10 parents. You have the option of making additional attempts. Please provide an interpreter for the meeting if needed. Your interpreter will sign a Confidentiality statement .

28. Administrator/Staff Interview How many staff members need to participate in the Administrator/Staff Interview? There is no minimum or maximum number of participants required for this interview.

29. Scheduling Is there any flexibility in scheduling the Parent Meeting and Administrator/Staff Interview at different times than those indicated in the training? Due to the number of DVR activities, it is recommended that you follow the suggested schedule. However, some schools may have circumstances which warrant a change. If this is the case, contact your DVR Team Lead. Any changes impact too many schedules.

30. Classroom Observation On the day of the review, may a DVR school team member be released from their DVR responsibilities in order to be observed teaching during a scheduled classroom observation? Yes.

31. Additional Questions? • Contact your DVR Team Lead or Local District Special Education Office: • Central (213) 241-4999 • East (323) 224-3300 • Northeast (818) 686-4400 • Northwest (818) 654-5001 • South (310) 354-3431 • West (310) 235-3700

32. You’re Ready!