Day 2 Special Education PACTA PIL Special Education Service Delivery, IEP Implementation and Student Achievement

1. Day 2 Special Education PACTA PILSpecial Education Service Delivery, IEP Implementation and Student Achievement Brenda Kauffman, Special Education Consultant Donna S. Weldon, Esq. September 17, 2010

2. Agenda • Scenarios • Keys to Success for Students with IEPs in CTE • Special Education Service Delivery Models • Transition • Supplemental Supports and Services - SDI • IEPs • Roles Responsibilities • Activities and Planning

3. GOAL: To ensure every student achieves proficiency by 2014. To achieve this goal, it is necessary that the career technical centers and the sending school districts coordinate courses and academic supports.

4. Scenarios

5. Scenarios Continued

6. At the end of today’s session, • You should be knowledgeable about special education in the least restrictive environment and IEP processes so that you can provide leadership and oversight in your schools. • You will be able to read IEPs and determine if your school is able to deliver the supports and services that are listed • You will know what you need to do if a student is not making progress, is failing and/or you are having trouble delivering the IEP • You will have drawn your school’s special education organizational chart • You will have drawn your IEP flow chart • You will have access to tools that support the transition process as well as the preparation for the demands of career technical education • You will access to a tool that can be used to profile a class and then used to specify appropriate supports and services for individual students. • You will have resources that will provide information and guidelines regarding special education issues. • You will have a plan for how to move forward with the components of special education delivery to support student achievement in your school.

7. Activation Strategy: So, where are we??? What are we doing well? Aha Moments from 9-16 Special Education Student What are we not doing? What do we need to do better What is the urgency?

8. Key to Achievement for Students with IEPs • Special education service delivery model embedded in overall effective, evidence based career technical education system • Special education staff to case manage, write IEPs, provide direct support to students and staff • CTE staff that understand their roles and responsibilities regarding serving students with IEPs in the general career technical training programs • Training for referring teams about the opportunities and demands of CTE • Collaboration / Communication between the referring school and CTC as well as between the academic and the career technical programs • Knowledgeable participants at IEP meeting • Systematic use of tools like Skills Alignment Charts by referring schools and CTC to prepare students for the demands of the career technical training program and to determine goals and pinpoint SDI • Full IEP implementation • Progress Monitoring and Instruction • Revision as needed

9. What is Special Education? …the free and appropriate pubic education (FAPE) of students with special needs that is based on and addresses the unique individual differences and needs of each student …the education of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environments (LRE) to the maximum extent possible withthe use of supplementary aids and services. …the education of students with special needs based on an individually developed and systematically monitored plan of annual educational goals, teaching procedures, interventions, specially designed instruction (SDI), supports and services (the IEP).

10. Federal and Commonwealth Commitment: LRELeast Restrictive Environment Recognizing that the placement decision is an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decision, our goal for each child is to ensure IEP teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment.

11. Student placement decisions begin with a consideration of the general education classroom with the use of a wide array of supplementary aids and services, resulting in general class placement for students representative of the full range of disabilities for meaningful portions of the school day. All general educators expect that they will have students with disabilities in their classrooms and welcome them as members. Student Placement & LRE

12. What does Special Education Look Like in a CTE Fair, Equal Outcomes High Expectations Supports and Services • It is not a place or a class; it is a service. • It is inclusive education… The students with disabilities in your class are fully included in the general career technical education program with mostly the same expectations as all students but with supplementary aids and service that provide support to the student and to you. • Full inclusion means high expectations for students and high expectations for staff.

13. Who are the students • 29% to 60% of the students enrolled in CTE schools are students with IEPs (Jobs for the Future) • PSSA The proportion of career and technical education students taking the 11th grade PSSA that have IEPs is double the proportion of all students taking the 11th grade PSSA that have IEPs – 26.6% versus 13.6%. • AYP • Graduates/Completers • NOCTI • Transition to employment • Transition to post secondary training

14. Why are the students with IEPs coming to LCCTC • CTE has a history of providing excellent education, training and support to this population • CTE provides rigorous and relevant programming • CTE provides career training leading to job skills and/linkages to post secondary training • CTE is the keystone of the transition plans for many student with IEPs • CTE is drop out prevention for some students

15. Head Swimming???

16. Special Education Service Delivery Models

17. Special Education in LCCTC: One CTE Special Education Service Delivery Model • Cross System Service Delivery Model with emphasis on collaboration LCCTC 16 Referring Districts IU 13 • Heavy emphasis on aligning the preferral and application processes with the transition planning process to increase the number of students who re-are placed in programs that meet their career interests, abilities and aptitudes (Skills Alignment Charts) • Heavy emphasis on visitations, guidance and the application/admissions process

18. Cross System Service Delivery Model with emphasis on collaboration Heavy emphasis on aligning the pre-referral and application processes with the transition planning process to increase the number of students who are placed in programs that meet their career interests, abilities and aptitudes (Skills Alignment Charts) Heavy emphasis on visitations, guidance and the application/admissions process Special education staff to student ratio Collaborative IEP process with districts, CTC and IU Special Educators at mtgs IEPs for full day students written by your special education staff for your program and reviewed with you early in the school year Array of special education support services available for you and for the students daily/as per schedule CTE teacher delivers IEP with support from IU special educator and team as well as with support from CTE administration and IU special education team CTE monitors progress/works with IU special education teacher to monitor progress CTE teacher implements behavior plans with support of special education team CTE teacher communicates student performance issues concerns to parents, special education support teacher, CTC administration and/or RtII groups Special Education StaffLCCTC/IU13/16 district Special Education Service Delivery ModelFee for Service • Special education staff to student ratio following Chapter 14 Guidelines • Array of special education support services assigned only to you and available for you and for the students daily/as per schedule • Itinerant Learning Support Teachers for Full Day Students • Learning Facilitators for Half Day Students • Special Education Consultants • Psychologist • Social Worker • Supervisor

19. Training, Collaboration and CommunicationLCCTC/IU13/16 district Special Education Service Delivery Model • Training for CTE staff • Training for district referring teams • Training for Special Education direct service staff • Time for outreach and collaboration with referring districts • Collaboration and communication with job alike groups • Checks and balances regarding referrals • Informal and formal networks of communication focusing on macro as well as individual issues related to special education service delivery and special education student concerns

20. IEP PROCESSLCCTC/IU13/16 district Special Education Service Delivery Model • Collaborative IEP process with districts. Minimally, CTC Guidance and IU Special Educators at meetings • IEP schedule developed by CTC guidance and IU team • IEPs for full day students written by your special education staff for your program and reviewed with you early in the school year • IEPs for Cluster students are written by districts but with input from LFer and your Guidance staff and then reviewed with you early in the school year • CTE teacher delivers IEP with support from IU special educator and team as well as with support from CTE administration and IU special education team

21. Next Steps for 2010/2011 SY • Continued collaboration between entities • IEP implementation in CTE classes with emphasis on the role of the CTE teacher • Implementation of IEP goals that are specific to each child and to each CTE program • Progress monitoring and documentation • Request for increased CTE teacher involvement in the IEP process • Assessment and refinement of service delivery

22. Activity: Your Special Education Organizational Chart/Service Delivery Model • Make a graphic that represents your Special Education Service Delivery System • Include how many students with IEPs/number of general career technical students, number of referring districts, type of school. • Highlight key components of special education service delivery, areas of strength and those of concern

23. The Key to Special Education Delivery is the IEP.An IEP is to Special Education what a Blueprint or work contract is one of the trade areas in your school. …the education of students with special needs based on an individually developed and systematically monitored plan of annual educational goals, teaching procedures, interventions, specially designed instruction, supports and services (the IEP). . .

24. ‘IEP must be reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive meaningful education benefit in light of their intellectual potential……’ Donna Weldon, Special Education PIL PACTA, September 2010

25. Key to Achievement for Students with IEPs – Well Written IEPs • Knowledgeable stakeholders at IEP meeting • Pertinent PLAAFP • Transition Plan based on assessment, interest, ability, aptitude and preparation for demands of training or work environment • Goals that address student needs in CTE program • Supplementary Supports and Services • Specially Designed Instruction • Related Services • Supports for School Personnel • Full IEP implementation • Progress Monitoring and Instruction • Revision as needed

26. Complexity of IEP Implementation Students requiring intensive support Students requiring moderate support Students requiring minimal support RtII Triangle used to provide structure for conceptualizing CTC demographics Many complex supports & services Basic supports/services More Supports/ Services

27. In the IEP for CTE Students, we • Provide information in depth information about the student in the Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) • Consider program elements of the general career technical education setting using the Skills Alignment Chart • Identify potential barriers to learning and curriculum access in the general education classroom using the Skills Alignment Chart • Identify strategies and services to eliminate barriers using the Skills Alignment Chart and the IEP team’s knowledge of student and CTE programming • Discuss and analyze appropriate supplementary supports and service options, goals and determine viable means for implementation in developing the IEP

28. Sections/Content of the IEPThe Annotated IEP – A Reference Tool IEP Team Members Special Considerations Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance Parent Concerns How disability affects progress in general curriculum** Participation in State and Local Assessments Transition Services – Course of Study* Goals and Objectives as well as Progress Monitoring Requirements Supplementary Aids and Services** Specially Designed Instruction Related Services Supports for School Personnel Educational Placement / LRE Questions

29. Who Contributes to the IEP Team Are you at the table? • Student, if 14 or older • Parent/Guardian • Regular Education Teacher • Special Education Teacher • Career Tech Representative* • LEA Representative • Community Agency Representative, if parents agree • Specialists as appropriate – OT, PT, JTer Is your CTE teacher present? Who represents you?/Do IEPs reflect their input?

30. IEP Participation Students requiring intensive support Students requiring moderate support Students requiring minimal support RtII Triangle used to provide structure for conceptualizing CTC demographics As Many Staff As Appropriate to Needs Standard Participants Teacher, if possible, as well Supports/Services

31. The GO-TO Person IEP CASE MANAGER • Special Education Teacher: • Manages special education paperwork • Writes IEPs for full day students • Works with teachers and administration to implement the IEP and behavior plan if appropriate • Collaborates and coordinates to ensure all services are delivered • Progress monitors student/Works with teachers to monitor progress • Communicates with teacher and student regularly • Along with teacher, communicates with parents • Works with teacher, student, parent to determine if more supports and services are needed. Documents on IEP as revision. May need to reconvene IEP team. • Guides reevaluation process.

32. Transition

33. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA 2004 Primary Purpose • To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living H.R.1350 (IDEA 2004)

34. Transition Services 300.43(IDEA 2004) Transition Services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed to be within a results oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of a child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities, including post secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education , adult services, independent living or community participation. Is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences and interests….

35. Transition Goals Must Be Based on Transition Assessment Transition assessment is an ongoing process of collecting information on the student’s strengths, needs, preferences and interests as they relate to the demands of current and future living, learning and working environments.” Pamela Leconte Assess for Success, 2007

36. SECONDARY TRANSITION ROADMAP

37. Transition Requirements Set Program of Study to Reach Post School Goals • Transition services are required for students age 14 or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team. • If the students does not attend the meeting, the school must take steps to ensure that the student’s preferences and interests are considered. • Student must be made aware of educational options available to him/her, such as the Career and Technical Education but must also determine post secondary training and employment opportunities • Academic program, course of study should prepare student for desired post school goals

38. TRANSITION GOALS • Annual goals must be measureable estimates of expected student outcomes in an academic year based on the student’s present level of academic achievement and functional performance and anticipated rate of learning. • Annual goals should lead to achievement of the post-secondary goals. • Annual goals must address education and training, employment and, as needed, independent living.

39. Supplementary Supports and Services SDI Related Services Supports for School Personnel

40. Supplementary Supports and Services (SaS)Key to Achievement and to Successful LRE Placement Supports w/in the general career technical program related to how disability affects progress in general curriculum** • Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) • Supports for School Personnel (BK’s note: under utilized) • Related Services

41. The Extent of Supplemental Supports and Services Will Vary in Complexity, in Intensity and Frequency of Delivery Students requiring intensive support Students requiring moderate support Students requiring minimal support RtII Triangle used to provide structure for conceptualizing CTC demographics Most Daily Many to Fewest Many Daily to weekly Could be daily/weekly/periodically. Often independent/teacher driven

42. Supplementary Aids and Services Source: Etscheidt & Bartlett, 1999

43. SaS: Instructional Examples – What you might see • Using a keyboard/portable electronic device • Instruction in keyboarding skills/ use of a scribe or note taker • Reading directions aloud • Using special writing tools • Providing charts/conversion charts/visual cues • Color coding • Providing graphic organizers Modifying curricular goals may not be possible in CTE setting

44. SaS Physical Examples What you might see • Preferential seating • Adaptive equipment • Visual Reminders • Student requested breaks in pre-set area out of the classroom • Separate study area that is designated as distraction free setting for seatwork/homework • Water bottle or sensory object at desk

45. SaS: Behavioral Examples • Support for rules and expectations • Increased direct instruction for rules, expectations, safety protocol • Individualized behavioral support plan • Social skills training • Staff supports– daily check-ins • Counseling supports • Communication with parents • Self reporting of behavior • Peer support

46. Transition to CTE and the Identification of Supplemental Supports and Services for Inclusion in CTE are Frequently Disjointed & “Fuzzy” Processes • Students take interest inventories, ability and aptitude tests – scores are reported • Students take tours of CTE schools/programs • Students apply to CTE programs sometimes without the blessing or knowledge of the IEP team • IEP teams talk about academic profiles but frequently do little to address how the child’s disability would affect his/ her involvement in the general career technical education curriculum • CTE representatives talk about the demands of the CTE programs but IEP teams often to not address the student’s needs for supplemental supports and services in relation to the rigorous CTE training environment • Students are frequently accepted with little synthesis of the planning, preparation and design for supports needed for them to be successful

47. Must begin with an understanding of the instructional context of the general education classroom Universal design for learning work Organize types of supplementary aids and services Ecological Inventory approach/discrepancy analysis (environmental scan) Identification of and elimination of curriculum barriers (CAST) Instructional, social, physical, and collaborative domains from the literature (Etscheidt & Bartlett, 1999) How to Think About the Design of SDI, Supplementary Supports and Services

48. Compile Information About Student; Identify Student Strengths and Needs Develop Profile of General Education Classroom(s) Identify Potential Barriers to Curricular Access and Instruction Identify Strategies and Services to Eliminate Barriers Identify Viable Alternatives for Implementation A Multi-Step Process 48

49. Tools to Address Preparation and Determination of Needed Supplemental Supports and Services Problems Skills Alignment Charts Class Profiles

50. Discrepancy Chart/Skills Alignment Chart: A Tool to Help Students Prepare ALL Students with IEPs for transition to the Rigor of Career Tech Education and for IEP Teams to Pinpoint Support Needs