Brandywine Special Needs PTA

1. Brandywine Special Needs PTA Individualized Education Programs (IEP) April 16, 2008 Delaware Department of Education (302) 735-4210 www.doe.k12.de.us

2. Resources Used • Administrative Manual for Special Education Services (July, 2007) • Better IEPs: How to Develop Legally Correct and Educationally Useful Programs, 4th Edition (Bateman and Linden, 2006) • Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives (Bateman & Herr, 2006) • Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA 2004) • The IEP Process (Delaware Department of Education, 2001) • A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE, 2000)

4. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA Child is identified as possibly needing special education and related services Child is evaluated How a child is identified Eligibility is decided From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

5. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA (cont’d.) Child is found eligible for services How a child is identified IEP meeting is scheduled Writing the IEP IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

6. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA (cont’d.) Services are provided What happens after the IEP is written Progress is measured and reported to parents IEP is reviewed (Reevaluation every 3 years) From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

7. Got questions?Who ya’ gonna call? IN A PARTICULAR ORDER: • Teacher/School Principal • District office – Special Education Director • Delaware Department of Education – Exception Children/Early Childhood Education Group Parent Information Center (888) 547-4412

8. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA (cont’d.) Child is found eligible for services How a child is identified IEP meeting is scheduled Writing the IEP IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

9. Walk in Prepared • Know what reading and math programs are available in the school district • Ask what “peer-reviewed research” supports this curriculum – and then look it up! • Know which general education teachers will be in attendance • Ask if your child is participating in the same curriculum as other peers – is there a supplementary curriculum?

10. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA (cont’d.) Child is found eligible for services How a child is identified IEP meeting is scheduled Writing the IEP IEP meeting is held and the IEP is written From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

11. NEW IEP FORM

12. Annual Goals • Begin with asking “If the service we are providing is effective, what will we see in the student’s behavior that tells us so?” • Purpose of goals and benchmarks are to evaluate services • Benchmarks should be statements of how far the student will progress toward the annual goal • Annual goal is really a 12 month objectives that tells you by when.

13. Annual Goals • A goal must be meaningful • A goal is measurable • A goal guides decision-making and future planning • A measurable goal contains: • An observable learner performance (what the learner will be doing) • Any important conditions such as “given software”, or “given access to dictionary”, and • Measurable criteria which specify the level at which student’s performance will be acceptable (e.g., speed, accuracy, frequency, quality) From Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives (Bateman & Herr, 2003)

14. Basic Special Education Process Under IDEA (cont’d.) Services are provided What happens after the IEP is written Progress is measured and reported to parents IEP is reviewed (Reevaluation every 3 years) From A Guide to the Individualized Education Program (Office of Special Education Services, US DOE)

15. How to Evaluate Progress • Go to parent/teacher conferences • Set up additional conferences • Ask teacher if progress is being made • Understand how the annual goal is being measured

16. 40% Reading Goal - PLEP at IEP in June states: Grade 4 – lesson 39 – read 75 words per minute with 3 errors 64% Reading Goal – Progress update for 1st marking period (Nov): Grade 4 – lesson 72 – read 63 words per minute with 2 error Is it Progress?

17. What to do if progress not being made or is slower than expected? • Set up IEP meeting • Discuss student’s rate of progress • Is there any progress at all? • Is it slower than expected? • Discuss why student is not making progress • Decisions can include: • Stay the course • Change accommodations or the teaching • Change the target • Revise the annual goal (target a specific area)

18. NEW IEP FORM

19. Parental Disagreement/Refusal of Services • Try to reach consensus • Reach a temporary solution/placement • Ask for mediation • School/District inform parents of their rights • Ultimately, District is responsible for ensuring FAPE (1998 Appendix C to part 300, Question 9) From Better IEPs: How to Develop Legally Correct and Educationally Useful Programs, 3rd Edition (Bateman and Linden)

20. Got questions?Who ya’ gonna call? IN A PARTICULAR ORDER: • Teacher/School Principal • District office – Special Education Director • Delaware Department of Education – Exception Children/Early Childhood Education Group Parent Information Center (888) 547-4412