Iowa Child Find

1. 2009-2010 Child find is the process by which students with disabilities are located, evaluated, and identified as needing special education services. Iowa Child Find

2. Background: • Two-year development process for Statewide Procedures • Child Find Committee with representation across the State , including AEA 9 • As of August 2009, new Statewide Procedures and Forms guide: http://www.aea9.k12.ia.us/en/programs_and_services/integrated_services/special_education/special_education_information/

3. Setting sail from the old world… 10 AEAs Combine “best” of procedures into one First Order Change

4. First Order Change • Is perceived as an extension of the past • Consistent with prevailing agency norms • Congruent with personal values • Easily learned – implemented with existing knowledge by those responsible for implementation • Requires resources currently available to those responsible for implementation

5. Lost at Sea… More issues than first thought Expanded audience

6. Finding the New World… • Conclusion drawn: • Second Order Change • See the shore…not yet in the harbor

7. Second Order Change • Is perceived as a break from the past • Inconsistent with prevailing organizational norms • Incongruent with personal values • Requires the acquisition of new knowledge and skills • Requires resources currently not available • Changes are discontinuous, outcomes are not uncertain

8. Critical Concepts • General education interventions belong to general education • Evaluations begin when a disability is suspected • Evaluations must be comprehensive—Consider all domains • Exclusionary factors may exclude some kids • Just say no when appropriate • Don’t Burn Bridges! • Determining student needs—the real purpose of evaluation • Documenting student progress is necessary

9. Critical Concept #1 General Education Interventions belong to General Education No longer required as a prerequisite for special education evaluation

11. Capstone Study 194 files reviewed Determine alignment of intervention, evaluation and IEPs 18 files from each AEA (more from Heartland) Stratified random samples Iowa State University and Department of Education

12. What percentage of the files reviewed had progress, discrepancy and need documented? 38%

13. In what percentage of the plans reviewed was the intervention judged “goal not met, explore eligibility”? 92%

14. In what percentage of the plans reviewed was the intervention successful? (conditions which enabled learning were established) 3%

15. In what percentage of interventions were general educators the primary implementors? 42%

16. Course Correction – Proposed Rules General Education Interventions 281-41.111(2) • General Education’s Responsibility • Every student is entitled to supplemental assistance or interventions as needed • Incidental and Occasional support from Special Education staff

17. Course Correction – Proposed Rules Progress Monitoring 281-41.314 • Evidence of progress in general education instruction – Standards determined by DE and AEA • In other words, interventions in general education must be monitored in some fashion

18. General Education Interventions…Let’s get this right! • General Education Intervention is not gone—responsibility has shifted • Every student is entitled to appropriate intervention • Student’s response to intervention provides critical information (progress and exclusion)

19. Critical Concept #2 Evaluations Begin… When Disability is Suspected!

21. Suspicion = obligation to seek consent & evaluate • Interventions cannot delay evaluation if suspicion exists • Academic progress cannot automatically rule out suspicion of disability • Parents can request evaluation at any time, sometimes the answer is no if no suspicion of disability exists

22. When is Disability Suspected? ?

24. Sources of Information

25. Disability Suspect Form • Disability Suspected Form • The State Directors of Special Education have agreed that by November 1, 2009, the Disability Suspected Form will be used consistently by AEA and LEA staff.

26. Critical Concept #3 Evaluations must be Comprehensive… Consider all Domains

28. Domains Behavior Adaptive Behavior Communication Academic Hearing/ Vision Physical Health

29. Consent for FIE – What’s New? • Consent For Notice Form • The use of this form must begin immediately. Form is available on the Web IEP site. Information regarding the use of the form is available in the new Procedures Manual and Forms Guide.

30. Consider Evaluate guiding questions Consider

31. Critical Concept #4 Exclusionary Factors… (e.g., other plausible explanations) May Exclude Kids! (from being mislabeled as having a disability)

32. Exclusionary Factors… • Lack of appropriate instruction in reading • Lack of appropriate instruction in math • Limited English proficiency • Ecological considerations including: socio-economic status, cultural or ethnic differences, or school attendance or mobility (multiple moves, different districts).

34. Critical Concept #5 Just Say “No”… When Appropriate!

37. Critical Concept #6 Don’t Burn Bridges…

41. A Vision for the Future • General education interventions as a separate process for addressing needs of individual students will not longer be necessary: • Effective differentiated Core instruction and monitoring • Effective differentiated Core plus Supplemental instruction and monitoring

42. A Vision for the Future • Special education staff (district and AEA) focus on improving outcomes for students with IEPs • Subgroup performance improves

43. How will we get there? • Short-Term • By November 1, general education interventions will no longer be required prior to seeking consent • By November 1, all AEAs will use the Disability Suspected form in prescribed fashion • By November 1, this overview information will be shared with AEA and LEA audiences • Effectively immediately, all performance domains must be considered in conducting an evaluation

44. How will we get there? • By July 1, 2010, • All intervention activities currently being conducted by special education staff will lead to: • Consent for evaluation and consideration for special education entitlement • Transferring responsibility for such activities to general education personnel.

45. How will we get there? • Plans to phase in these changes will be developed centrally by DE personnel and the Child Find Committee • New documents, training and other types of assistance will be shared as they are made available.

46. What does your district need to support these changes? • Your input will be shared with the Directors and the Child Find Committee • Please take a few minutes to complete the input form • Contact Julie Schendel or your Sector Coordinator if you have questions.

47. Conducting the FIE – Intro to Critical Concepts 5-7 • Purpose of the evaluation • Determine interventions required to resolve the problem and. (NEED! CONNECT TO THE IEP!) • Determine if the interventions are special education. (ELIGIBILITY!)

48. Conducting the FIE – Intro to Critical Concepts 5-7 • Steps in conducting the FIE: • Collect info about Needs, Progress, and Discrepancy • Collect info to rule out Exclusionary Factors • Summarize info in EER • Schedule Eligibility Determination Meeting within 60 days of receipt of signed consent form (and before the child’s third birthday if transitioning from Part C to Part B)

49. What processes do we use to conduct evaluations? • Multiple methods (RIOT) • Multiple sources (LICE) • Consider ecological context • Team evaluation including parents • Consent • Due Process • Exclusionary Factors

50. Conducting the FIE – Intro to Critical Concepts 5-7 • How do we conduct an FIE? • RIOT Methods applied to ICEL sources of information • See the Assessment Methods and Source Matrix