Data Management for Students with Disabilities

1. Data Management for Students with Disabilities Rachel Wilkinson – Data Coordinator, TDOE

2. Brief Background on Discipline Reports for Students with Disabilities (SWD) • All states receiving IDEA Part B funds must track discipline data for SWD • This data is annually reported to the federal government as a means to oversee states’ implementation of IDEA, evaluate state discipline practices for SWD, examine issues related to disproportionality, and make larger policy decisions • Districts are no longer required to submit Table 5 discipline reports to the Tennessee Department of Education; this information is now pulled by department staff via the Education Information System (EIS)

3. Discipline Data Verification • All districts should routinely run discipline reports via their respective Student Information Systems (SIS) or EIS to ensure the quality and accuracy of data • Common issues that have been found include: • Incorrect end dates due to keying errors (i.e., discipline event ending 4/10/2030) • No end dates provided • Data verification periods will be available over the summer for the previous school year’s data • The Division of Special Populations Data Coordinator will contact you should there be any data quality issues in your district and provide a period during which the data can be corrected before compiled for federal reporting

4. Open Communication Across Departments • It is imperative that those working with discipline data, attendance reporting, etc. in districts maintain open lines of communication with their special education department regarding information on SWD • Discipline data is not reported directly in EasyIEPTM and thus the special education department must be made aware of the disciplinary status of SWD • Under IDEA those SWD suspended/expelled for greater than 10 days must be reported to the federal government and can be flagged if excessive • As well after the 10 day limit districts are required to have a manifestation determinationcompleted for the specific student • Attendance personnel should notify the special education department when SWD are approaching the 10 day limit

5. Understanding Manifestation Determinations • Basic Definition: • Under IDEA law, within 10 school days of any decision to change the placement of a child with a disability because of a violation of a code of student conduct, the LEA, parent(s), and other relevant members of IEP Team must review information in student’s file to determine: • (i) if conduct in question was caused by or had substantial relationship to child’s disability • (ii) if conduct in question was the direct result of LEA’s failure to implement IEP • If LEA, parent(s), and IEP Team determine either subclause (i) or (ii) is applicable to child, then conduct shall be determined to be a manifestation of child’s disability

6. Open Communication Across Departments Continued • Exit information for SWD is also important to discuss across attendance, EIS, and special education departments • Under the Table 4 reports SWD exit reasons must be provided to the TDOE and subsequently submitted to the federal government • The information in EasyIEPTM must be accurate and viable. It should also match the information submitted in the district’s SIS package and EIS system • Note that graduation dates for all students including those SWD should be listed within the specific district’s school year, NOT the final date of the fiscal year (June 30)

7. Contact Information Rachel Wilkinson, Division of Special Populations Data Coordinator Rachel.Wilkinson@tn.gov Robbie Ammons, PCG Consultant Rammons@pcgus.com

8. Questions?