EI Eligibility Determination Best Practices

1. EI Eligibility DeterminationBest Practices February 4, 2014 Brian Lloyd Kristine Wing

2. Agenda Intro and Overview MARSE Criteria for EI IISDEI Eligibility Guideline Document MTSS/RTIPractices Within EI Eligibility Determination FBA/BIP Prior To EIEval– See MARSER 340.1706 Rule 6 (4)(b)(c) EI Versus Social Maladjustment Differentiating EI From Other Eligibilities Assessments for EI– Recommendations and Sharing How Do You Come To A Consensus

3. Intro and Overview There has been some reported inconsistency of EI eligibility practicesin a couple districts. With the changes in SLD eligibility guidelines and the use of MTSS practices for eligibility determination, it seems like it may just be a matter of time until MTSS practices are explicitly used for EI eligibility determinations.

4. MARSECriteria for EI R 340.1706 Emotional impairment; determination; evaluation report. - Rule 6. (1) Emotional impairment shall be determined through manifestation of behavioral problems primarily in the affective domain, over an extended period of time, which adversely affect the student’s education to the extent that the student cannot profit from learning experiences without special education support. The problems result in behaviors manifested by 1 or more of the following characteristics:

5. MARSE and IDEA Criteria for EI (a) Inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships within the school environment. (b) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. (c) General pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. (d) Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

6. MARSE and IDEA Criteria for EI (2) Emotional impairment also includes students who, in addition to the characteristics specified in subrule (1) of this rule, exhibit maladaptive behaviors related to schizophrenia or similar disorders. The term “emotional impairment” does not include persons who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that the persons have an emotional impairment.

7. MARSE and IDEA Criteria for EI (3) Emotional impairment does not include students whose behaviors are primarily the result of intellectual, sensory, or health factors. (4) When evaluating a student suspected of having an emotional impairment, the multidisciplinary evaluation team report shall include documentation of all of the following: (See next slide)

8. MARSE and IDEA Criteria for EI (a) The student’s performance in the educational setting and in other settings, such as adaptive behavior within the broader community. (b) The systematic observation of the behaviors of primary concern which interfere with educational and social needs. (c) The intervention strategies used to improve the behaviors and the length of time the strategies were utilized. (d) Relevant medical information, if any.

9. MARSE and IDEA Criteria for EI (5) A determination of impairment shall be based on data provided by a multidisciplinary evaluation team, which shall include a full and individual evaluation by both of the following: (a) A psychologist or psychiatrist. (b) A school social worker.

10. IISDEI Eligibility Guideline Document Developed by Lansing School District using source material from other ISDs and adopted by Ingham directors for use county wide in 2007. Are you using this document to help inform EIevals? If not, what guidance documents are you using?

11. TEAM TIME • Let’s break in groups of 4. • Person One in your group reads pages 4-8 of the 2007 EI Eligibility Guideline. • Person Two in your group reads pages 9-13 of the 2007 EI Eligibility Guideline. • Person Three reads Appendix A and B. • Person Four reads Appendix C, D, and E. • After each team member reads their section, share out your observations including: • Things that my challenge your thinking about EI eligibility. • Something that confirms your current practice. • Any other highlights and/or points of interest.

12. MTSS/RTI Practices Within EI Eligibility Determination Michigan Department of Education has established that FBA/BIP(s) are part of a MTSS/RTI tier 3 system. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/SchoolwidePBS_264634_7.pdf

13. MDESWPBIS Implementation Guide How is Tier 3 implemented? The following steps illustrate the general process of Tier 3 implementation: Step 1 Create a process for identifying students in need of Tier 3 supports. Step 2 Create a team to develop an individualized behavior support plan. a. Conduct a functional behavior assessment. b. Link functional assessment results to the development of a behavior intervention plan. Step 3 Allocate resources to implement the behavior plan. Step 4 Collect data on student interventions. Step 5 Evaluate success and modify the program.

14. MDESWPBIS Implementation Guide Additional criteria for Tier 3 intervention includes: Student receives more than six office discipline referrals. Tier 2 interventions have been implemented reliably and been found to be ineffective.

15. MARSER 340.1706 Rule 6 (4)(b)(c) (a) The student’s performance in the educational setting and in other settings, such as adaptive behavior within the broader community. (b) The systematic observation of the behaviors of primary concern which interfere with educational and social needs. (c) The intervention strategies used to improve the behaviors and the length of time the strategies were utilized. (d) Relevant medical information, if any.

16. TEAM TIME Discuss with your earlier group how MTSSand PBIS practices are part of your evaluations for emotional impairments.

17. Social Maladjustment Best Practices in Multimodal Assessment of Emotional or Behavioral Disorders – School Psychology Best Practices Volume 5. http://faculty.unlv.edu/sloe/Courses/EPY%20715/McConaughy%20%26%20Ritter%202002.pdf

18. Social Maladjustment

19. Social Maladjustment

20. Differentiating EI From ASD Reference Ingham ISDASDGuidelines for ASD vs. EI(see handout).

21. Differentiating EI From ADHD Biederman, Newcorn, and Sprich (1991) Conduct disorder (30%-50%) Oppositional defiant disorder (35%) Anxiety disorders (25%), 60% of children diagnosed with Tourette’s are also diagnosed with ADHD. Johnstone and Mash (2001) Family and marital functioning Disrupted parent-child relationships Specific patters of parental cognitions about child behavior and reduced parent self-efficacy Increased levels of parenting stress and parental psychopathology. This family disruption associated with ADHD is seen as a possible causal factor in the development of comorbid conduct disorder vulnerability.

22. Assessments for EI What assessment do you use to determine: (a) Inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships within the school environment. – SSIS (Social Skills Improvement Scale) (b) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. CAB – Clinical Assessment for Behavior, Observations (c) General pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. – CDI, BASC-2, Achenbach CBCL, SAED-2 Scales for Assessing Emotional Disturbance (rating scale for EI and social maladjustment), MMPI (adolscent), (d) Tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

23. Assessments For EI What assessment do you use to determine: (a) The student’s performance in the educational setting and in other settings, such as adaptive behavior within the broader community. (b) The systematic observation of the behaviors of primary concern which interfere with educational and social needs. (c) The intervention strategies used to improve the behaviors and the length of time the strategies were utilized. (d) Relevant medical information, if any.

24. How Do You Come To A Consensus Pre-METs? Combined Reports? See example handout.

25. Around The Corner… There is a possibility that a new EI Eligibility Guidelines document may be developed within the next couple/few years. What would YOU feel would be important to be included in this document? Have a great day!