Massachusetts IEP Process

1. MassachusettsIEP Process Addressing Unique Student Needs Through Sound Implementation Practices

2. CSPD Training Module:Massachusetts IEP Process • OBJECTIVES: • 1. To increase understanding of school district • structures needed to support successful Team meetings. • 2. To explore the varying roles of Team members in • IEP development: • Enhancing the role of the parents • Increasing student participation in IEP meetings • Improving educator preparation and contribution • 3. To provide further guidance on developing student • centered IEPs that are generally understandable and • comply with regulatory intent. • 4. To highlight the need for continuous improvement • of Team practices. GOAL: To better address unique student needs through a greater understanding of the underlying concepts and mechanics of successful Team meetings.

3. Necessary Conditions for Successful IEP Development Strong and Visible Administrative Support Open and Genuine Effective Collaboration and Communication Effective School Practices Parents as Active and Informed Partners Ongoing and Meaningful Staff Development Activities

4. EFFECTIVE TEAM PRACTICES 1. THINK ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL. Remember that each student has individual needs, based upon the impact of his/her disability. Consequently, each IEP should reflect the individual nature of the student.

5. EFFECTIVE TEAM PRACTICES 2. THINK EDUCATION. An IEP should discuss how an individual student’s disability(ies) impact education and concentrate on offsetting or reducing the resulting problems that interfere with the student’s learning and educational performance. THINK RESULTS THINK ACCESS TO THE GENERAL CURRICULUM

6. EFFECTIVE TEAM PRACTICES 3. THINK ROLES AND ROLE CLARITY. PARENT PARTICIPATION STUDENT PARTICIPATION REGULAR AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS

7. Intent of Regulations Regarding the Importance of Parents and Students • IDEA-97 emphasizes a collaborative approach. • The law expects school districts to bring together: • parents • students • general educators • special educators • other professionals, as needed • to make important educational decisions for students with disabilities. • With the combined knowledge and resources of these individuals, students will be assured greater support and subsequent success.

8. PARENTS! • Parents are equal partners in the Team process. They have a right to be involved in meetings that discuss the identification, evaluation, IEP development and educational placement of their children. • Parents have a unique and critically important perspective on their child’ s learning style, strengths and needs. • Every effort should be made to build trust, respect and understanding in an effort to meet the unique needs of the student.

9. PARENTS! • SUGGESTED PRACTICES TO INCREASE • PARENT PARTICIPATION: • Make available evaluation material in advance, asking parents to develop a list of questions and/or concerns. • Contact parents in advance of meeting to discuss their concerns or to ask them to come in a few minutes before the meeting to discuss their concerns. • Provide parents with a seating plan or use name tags. • Introduce and refer to all Team members in the same manner. • Use conference calling during a Team meeting.

10. STUDENTS! Student participation is important and, at times, required. Students should also be considered important members of the Team. As students get older they should become more and more active within the Team meetings, their interests and preferences determining the direction for the identified goals in the IEP. Students are invited to attend Team meetings beginning at the age 14 or younger if the purpose of the meeting is to discuss transitional services. If the student does not attend the meeting, their preferences and interests must still be considered.

11. STUDENTS! • SUGGESTED PRACTICES TO INCREASE • STUDENT PARTICIPATION: • Give students opportunities to think about their preferences, visions and concerns. • Teach students their civil rights. • Develop students’ self-advocacy skills. • Have students lead their own Team meetings. • Invite adult human service agency representatives to speak to student groups about provided services and eligibility requirements.

12. Parent Participation in the IEP Meeting . Parent Name: Student Name: Dear Parent(s), Within our community, we recognize that each child is unique, and that parents are experts in their own right about their child. Therefore, your insights are important to us. The information you provide us about your concerns, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and your vision will help us more fully understand your child. We would like you to have an opportunity to prepare in advance for your child’s IEP meeting. The questions below are meant to be a guide. Please add any other information you feel is helpful. When completed, you may bring this with you to the meeting, or return it to us in the enclosed envelope. Thanks for your valuable input. We look forward to meeting with you. 1. My child’s strengths are: (strengths may include academic, social, athletic,musical…) 2. My child’s significant interests are: 3. My concerns about my child’s educational progress are: 4. My goals for my child over the school year are: 5. My vision for my child over the next three to five years is: Adapted from Natick Public School’s “Vision Statement”

13. Increasing Student Participation in the IEP Meeting Student: Grade: Date: I would like you to know these things about me: 1. My strengths are … 2.My disability causes me to have difficulty with… 3. I am most successful in school when … 4. The accommodations I find most useful are … 5. I am especially interested in … 6. After completing high school I would like to … 7. Other things I would like you to know about me and my school program … Suggested for: Secondary School Students

14. Increasing Student Participation in the IEP Meeting Student: Grade: Date: About Me 1. What I like about school … 2. I need help in school with … 3. Learning is easier for me when my teacher … 4. Learning is easier for me when I … 5. Things I like to do… Suggested for: Elementary School Students

15. Intent of Regulations Regarding the Importance of Educators and Related Service Providers • General Educators bring to the Team meeting: • their expertise on the general curriculum. • their knowledge of how the student is progressing in the general curriculum. • their ideas about positive behavioral interventions. • Special Educators and Related Service Providers bring to the Team meeting: • their expertise on disabilities, evaluation and assessment • their ability to provide, design, and/or supervise special education services.

16. What to Think About Before the IEP Meeting General Educator 1. Highlights of General Curriculum 2. Information Regarding General Education Environment 3. Classroom Management 4. Information Regarding Supplementary Aids and Services 5. Information Regarding Administration of State & District- Wide Assessment

17. General Education Teacher Participation in the IEP Meeting Responsibility of the General Education Teacher (as a Member of the IEP Team) 1. Share information regarding the general curriculum as it pertains to this student. 2. Share information regarding the general education classroom environment as it relates to the student’s progress in the general education curriculum. 3. Assist in developing effective classroom management techniques. Include positive behavioral interventions if needed. 4. Assist in identifying parent supports, classroom supports, teacher supports and assistive devices needed for this student to be successful. (Think beyond existing services.) 5. Share information about how this student should participate in state and district-wide assessments.

18. What to Think About Before the IEP Meeting Special Educator 1.Assessment Information - Academic & Behavioral 2. Information Regarding Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP) 3. Suggestions Regarding IEP Goals 4. Information Regarding Supplementary Aids and Services 5. Information Regarding Administration of State & District- Wide Assessment

19. Special Education Teacher Participation in the IEP Meeting

20. What to Think About Before the IEP Meeting Related Service Provider 1. Assessment Information - Academic & Behavioral 2. Information Regarding Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP) 3. Suggestions Regarding IEP Goals 4. Information Regarding Supplementary Aids and Services 5. Information Regarding Administration of State & District- Wide Assessment

21. Related Service Provider Participation in the IEP Meeting Responsibility of the Related Service Provider (as a Member of the IEP Team) 1. Share information regarding the key evaluation results, including progress toward IEP goals. 2. (a) Share information regarding Present Level of Educational Performance (PLEP) in your focus area. 2. (b) Share information regarding accommodations to the general curriculum and specially designed instruction. Include suggestions for maximizing the extent to which the student is educated with nondisabled students. Also include recommendations regarding related services and special equipment and devices to be provided to the student. 3. Develop IEP goals and objectives/benchmarks. 4. Assist in identifying parents supports, classroom supports, teacher supports and assistive devices needed for this student to be successful. (Think beyond existing services.) 5. Share information about how the student will participate in state and district-wide assessments.

22. Required Team Knowledge and Expertise Each Team meeting must also have someone who - • is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction • is knowledgeable about the general curriculum • has the authority to commit school district resources • can interpret instructional implications of evaluation results • has knowledge or special expertise regarding the student (at the discretion of parent or district) These roles can be filled by one or more individuals.

23. Additional Expertise • For postsecondary transition planning, representative(s) from agency(ies) that is likely to be responsible for providing/paying for transition services. • For meetings where placement will be discussed, a person who is knowledgeable about placement options. Team members can wear more than one hat!

24. On to the IEP. . . IEP development relies on the judgement of Team members. No two Teams will respond alike. No two Team meetings will be alike.

25. An IEP is a contract between the parent and school district that. . . • considers the individual needs of the student • describes how the student learns • focuses on what will make the biggest difference for the student • describes how the school staff will help the student learn better • reflects the decisions of the Team

26. Individualized Education Program You must remember that: • every student is different. • no two IEPs will be alike. • there is no single correct way to write an IEP. Write in clear, understandable language. Use a style that best reflects Team decisions.

27. IEP Checklist & IEP Form • IEP Checklist - reference tool • reviews items to be included in each IEP section • lists regulation citations • IEP Form - communication tool • designed to assist Team reviewing all required IEP elements • designed to assist Teams in documenting their recommendations

28. Sample IEP Statements • Written to assist Teams in developing IEPs. • Written to demonstrate the following: (a) that Teams may use a variety of styles to communicate their intent (b) that Teams must avoid the use of educational jargon

29. IEP 1 • Parent and/or Student Concerns • Student Strengths and Key Evaluation Results Summary • Vision Statement

30. EXAMPLES OF: Parents and/or Student Concerns IEP 1 Example 1: a. wants to see Sam’s reading skills improved by the end of the year b. wants to see Sam participate in after school activities Example 2: Concerned about after graduation plans: (1) Will Juan be prepared for work? (2) Will Juan be prepared to continue his education after high school? Example 3: Kenya’s mother and father are concerned with her overall school progress. She does not seem to be keeping up with her classmates and her IEP goals are not consistently being met. Perhaps she needs different strategies and/or services to improve her performance?

31. EXAMPLES OF: Parents and/or Student Concerns IEP 1 Example 4: Communication skills: with teachers and peers; need for additional in-class supports; reinforcement of skills through home activities Example 5: •When should Joanne return to Brown School? • What help will Joanne receive once there?

32. EXAMPLES OF: Student’s Strengths and Key Evaluation Results Summary IEP 1 Example 1: Jose participates in appropriate activities with his classmates. He responds to staff requests. He likes being active and helping others. Jose has at least averageintelligence and a communication disability. His speech is clear and easily understandable but he has difficulty expressing his thoughts. His vocabulary and word finding skills are below age/grade expectations. His teachers take time to make sure they understand Jose but his peers may not. Example 2: strengths: academic skills, following directions, work completion interests/accomplishments: sports of any kind, nature especially endangered species, active Boy Scout, plays soccer and basketball education related details: sensory impairment - hearing; general education performance is above that of peers and consistent over school history; solid intellectual and academic abilities

33. EXAMPLES OF: Student’s Strengths and Key Evaluation Results Summary IEP 1 Example 3: attends school regularly; responds well to a structured behavior management system; enjoys hands-on learning activities; won honorary mention in recent science fair, lead singer in school chorus, loves animals and volunteers in an animal shelter; inconsistent performance over school history resulting from sustained, inappropriate feelings/behaviors (emotional impairment); has limited general education achievement and MCAS results despite average abilities and skills; less achievement towards IEP goals than expected even with an increase of counseling and in-class support last year

34. EXAMPLES OF: Vision Statement IEP 1 Example 1: The Team would like to see Elena enter an integrated kindergarten program when she reaches age 5. Example 2: By the time Rose is in 2nd grade, we can see her taking the yellow school bus to school and walking independently through the school building. Example 3: We hope Kim’s medical condition will be stabilized so that her access and involvement with school and typical peers can increase.

35. EXAMPLES OF: Vision Statement IEP 1 Example 4: Pedro wants to be a reporter on the school newspaper and wants to take as many courses as possible to improve his writing skills. He sees himself writing a book in the future. Example 5: Sean loves automobiles and would love to spend after school and summer around cars. After graduation, he sees himself working as an auto mechanic at a foreign car dealership, living in an apartment with friends, maybe taking a course or two at the local community college and continuing to play baseball in a local adult league.

36. EXAMPLES OF: Vision Statement IEP 1 Example 6: Brittany wants to go to college but is unsure of what she might want to study once she is there. She is interested in art and music and would like to learn more about careers in those areas. She plans to live at home after college but eventually would like to own her own home.

37. IEP 2 • Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP) • A: General Curriculum • Affect of Disability on Progress • Accommodation(s) • Specially Designed Instruction

38. EXAMPLE 1: PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 Curriculum Areas: All Impact of Disability on Progress: Jorge is able to write simple sentences but requires teacher assistance to add detail to his work and to correct mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation. He writes slowly and laboriously even using a pencil grip, lined paper and a slightly tipped desk top which means he takes a longer time to complete written assignments than expected (about 10 minutes longer for a short assignment). Jorge’s shorter written assignments are legible but as he tires during the completion of lengthy assignments, his papers become more difficult to read. When given time to prepare, Jorge is great at telling stories that are full of facts and details and can orally respond in a complete manner to open-ended questions.

39. EXAMPLE 1: (continued) PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 • Accommodation(s): • -pencil grip • -large-lined paper • -slanted desk top • -use of classroom word processor for long written assignments • -extra time for written assignments • Special Designed Instruction: • Content: • Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: • Performance Criteria: • Modify length of written assignments to include some practice of each concept but not to include overly repetitive practice of each concept; plan assignments that allow Jorge to respond orally or through project-based activities (like building a model or filming a video)

40. EXAMPLE 2: PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 • Curriculum Areas: Mathematics • Impact of Disability on Progress: • Tony: • is able to compute addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems • he has a good memory for shapes and objects. • has difficulty understanding what is asked of him when asked to problem solve. • is very slow in his efforts, as his inability to break down the task causes him anxiety and often stops him cold . • with help on task analysis, recognizes the steps he needs to take, and is better able to successfully complete the problem.

41. EXAMPLE 2: (continued) PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 • Accommodation(s): • Use of manipulatives (coins, base ten blocks tanagrams…) • Multiple examples • Modified homework assignments • Extra time for standard assessment assignments • Special Designed Instruction: • Content: • Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: Provide visual information (pictures, charts, graphs…) that reinforce the concept being taught; allow for Tony to work with peer or in small groups to solve problems- where he will have the opportunity to hear the questions other children ask, and do more quality thinking than by himself; individualized instruction to help Tony visualize the math problem (have him draw pictures, tell stories that incorporate the problem being solved...) • Performance Criteria: • In addition to the standard classroom evaluations, Tony should be allowed to present responses • visually and with manipulatives.

42. EXAMPLE 3: PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 • Curriculum Areas: All • Impact of Disability on Progress: • Ability to understand spoken language is below her typical age/grade peers. • Having difficulty learning to pronounce words, reading grade level material, paying attention and understanding oral directions and learning new information. • Has difficulty expressing herself in a clear and easily understood manner. • Much better able to give complete responses when reminded to use newly learned articulation skills and when asked to pause to think through answers before speaking. • Easily frustrated by her communication difficulties. • May give up easily and refuse to complete work when upset. • May ask to leave the classroom to go to the Nurse’s Office when classroom demands accumulate and become too stressful.

43. EXAMPLE 3: (continued) PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 Accommodations: Seat near teacher to allow teacher to easily provide extra help Specially Designed Instruction: Content: Pre-teach new vocabulary words and concepts; give out study sheets in all curriculum areas; plan routine review of all major unit concepts (especially before tests and quizzes) Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: Provide help at the start of any new, unfamiliar activity; ask for directions to be repeated back to assure understanding; provide ongoing praise and periodic activity-time reward for work completion; send home weekly report to parents on progress and classroom behavior Performance Criteria: Test only on vocabulary and concepts included on study sheets; have a series of grading options/activities to choose from at the completion of every major curriculum unit

44. EXAMPLE 4: PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 Curriculum Areas: All Impact of Disability on Progress: Dan’s emotional disability (depression) has the following impact on his education: 1. Unable to muster needed energy to attend to academic tasks; 2. May be driven to occasional periods of perfectionism; 3. Becomes frustrated, anxious and easily disappointed over not meeting academic expectations; 4. Inconsistent, sporadic effort and school attendance seem to have led to gaps in learning because achievement does not match potential 5. Responds best when school work is given to him in a manner that allows him to concentrate on one or two short-term assignments at a time; and 6. Responds better when given consistent teacher feedback rather than relying on mid-term progress reports and report cards. (See report completed by school psychologist for further information.)

45. EXAMPLE 4: (continued) PLEP - A: General Curriculum IEP 2 • Accommodations: • Send to Nurse’s Office right before lunch break for his medication. • Notify guidance counselor if Dan puts his head on his desk and refuses to participate in class. • Specially Designed Instruction: • þ Content: • Don’t assume mastery of easier content/concepts – pretest knowledge and understanding • þ Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: • Break assignments into step by step pieces and assign gradually over time; assist Dan in developing time management strategies (daily planner and schedule); provide reinforcement for the completion of each assignment • þ Performance Criteria: • Grade assignments as soon after completion as possible; have student log completed assignments in daily planner; meet with student weekly to review achievement if student is completing work as assigned; meet daily with student if work completion begins to lag

46. IEP 3 • Present Levels of Educational Performance (PLEP) • B: Other Educational Needs • Affect of Disability on Progress • Accommodation(s) • Specially Designed Instruction

47. EXAMPLE 1: PLEP - B. Other Educational Needs IEP 3 • Other Educational Needs: Behavior • Impact of Disability on Progress: • Carl is making good progress in school when working in structured, learning environments that provide routine reinforcement for his on-task appropriate behavior. Carl’s involvement in nonacademic and extra curricular activities has been limited because his behavior has interfered with completion of these types of activities. • He has been unable to remain focussed on the activity and has tended to challenge the authority of the individual running the activity and/or has provoked arguments with other students. Carl wants to participate with his schoolmates and is most interested in basketball.

48. EXAMPLE 2: (continued) PLEP - B. Other Educational Needs IEP 3 • Accommodations: • Team does not see a need for accommodations in this area. • Specially Designed Instruction: • Content: • Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: Contract that includes clear behavioral expectations and consequences will be written between the basketball coach and Carl; Carl’s appropriate participation will be rewarded routinely; rewards will be chosen in a meeting between Carl, his coach, his parents and the school adjustment counselor; as basketball is Carl’s preferred activity, Team members recommended basketball as a starting point; however, other activities should gradually be added to Carl’s schedule in the same manner once he has successfully participated in basketball • Performance Criteria:

49. EXAMPLE 2: PLEP - B. Other Educational Needs IEP 3 • Other Educational Needs: • Adapted Physical Education • Impact of Disability on Progress: • Tyler is: physically active student even though he uses a wheelchair; likes to participate in various sport activities including swimming and basketball; needs to continue building upper body strength; and needs to continue range of motion activities.

50. EXAMPLE 2: (continued) PLEP - B. Other Educational Needs IEP 3 • Accommodations: • Same as previous IEP page. • Specially Designed Instruction: • Content: • Participation in typical physical education class but modified and supplemented only as required by attached doctor’s order • Methodology/Delivery of Instruction: Designed and monitored by physical therapist based on doctor’s order • Performance Criteria: • Graded on participation and effort in gym activities as well as skill improvement in modified activities