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Effective IEPs. Presented by: Anne Goins and Patty Williams. Effective IEP Team Meetings. Let’s Cover Some Basics: When do I need to have an IEP meeting? Any time there is discussion of topics related to an IEP/Special Education Services for a child
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Effective IEPs Presented by: Anne Goins and Patty Williams
Effective IEP Team Meetings Let’s Cover Some Basics: • When do I need to have an IEP meeting? • Any time there is discussion of topics related to an IEP/Special Education Services for a child • Ex: Annual review, parent request, updates/changes needed to any part of the IEP, re-evaluation, initial evaluation • Can I make changes to an IEP without a meeting? • NO • Addendum? • Any meeting that is held between annual reviews-an addendum meeting can be held at any time that updates or changes need to be made to a student’s IEP • A”me”ndment? • Oops I made a clerical error on the IEP
IEP basics continued Participants Who has to be at the meeting for it to be an official IEP meeting? Required Participants: -Special Education Teacher -General Education Teacher -LEA (administrator or principal designee on a limited basis) *Parents (must receive appropriate prior notice to have opportunity to attend) Other Participants: -other professionals as needed such as school psychologist, liaison, SLP, OT, outside agency reps, etc.
IEP Invitations • Create an invitation in Goalview as soon as a meeting is planned and finalize it • Print a copy of the invitation to be placed in the student’s Mod 2 (official record) and send a copy home via the parent’s preferred communication method • 7-10 days notice for a meeting should be provided unless a parent agrees otherwise
Draft IEPs • A draft of the IEP including (updated) present levels and (updated) proposed goals and objectives should be prepared for each meeting • Appropriate/best practice to provide parent with a copy of the draft if requested prior to the meeting • Project IEP for all to see during meeting and update live as the meeting takes place
Effective IEP meetings • Make sure all participants and a draft are prepared • Start on Time • Make Introductions • Create and promote an atmosphere of mutual respect • Stay on task • Selective seating for collaboration • Be sensitive to parents feelings • Pre-meet on difficult cases • Provide evaluation results to everyone to review prior to meeting (yes, parent if they request)
Case manager responsibilities/goals for IEP meetings • Schedule meeting and invite parents • Ensure all needed documents are ready for meeting (draft, signature pg, handbook, etc) • Secure/prepare room and technology to facilitate an effective meeting • Collaborate with staff so that all are prepared and know their role and responsibility for the meeting • Facilitate a timely, positive meeting • Finalize IEP and provide to parents within 3 days of the meeting (best to update live and provide at end of meeting)
Development of effective and legally defensible IEPs • What is an IEP? • The term individualized education program or IEP means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting, and must include …. (NC 1503-4.1)
Present levels of performance (PLOP) (1) A statement of the child’s present levels of academic achievementand functional performance including-- (i) How the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum; or (ii) For preschool children, as appropriate, how the disability affects the child’s participation in appropriate activities;… NC 1503-4.1 (a)(1)
What makes the PLOP so important? The present levels of academic achievement and functional performance are the cornerstone of the IEP. It is the source that drives other IEP components, particularly goals and objectives. The PLOP is the statement that links all components of the IEP together.
Present levels of performance (PLOP) • Academic achievement • For school-age students: • child’s performance in academic areas • How does their performance compare to gen ed curriculum expectations? • For preschool-age students-performance compared to age appropriate development levels • Functional Performance • refers to skills or activities that may not be considered academic or related to a child’s academic achievement • often used in the context of routine activities of everyday living • can impact educational achievement
PLOP should be: • Should be: • Current • Relevant • Objective • Measurable • *Understandable* • Should include: • Strengths of student • Needs of student resulting from disability • Current and data specific information related to current performance • Effects of the disability on involvement and progress in the general education curriculum
What types of data might I report in the PLOP? • Data from multiple sources • Data that is current and relevant • Possible data/info. sources(not an exhaustive list) • Formal eval results • Classroom grades and assessments • Curriculum based assessments • Observations and supporting anecdotal records • Work samples • Progress toward goals • Information from parents
The PLOP should answer the following questions? • Where does the child stand in terms of academic and functional performance? • How are they performing compared to grade level expectations or general education curriculum benchmarks? • How does the child’s disability affect his/her involvement and progress in the general education curriculum and toward grade level expectations?
PLOP Example-Reading • Patty is performing significantly below grade level in the area of reading. While her decoding skills and ability to read accurately and fluently are within a year of expected levels her ability to retell and answer comprehension questions falls more than 2 grade levels below. This impacts her ability to successfully read and understand material in a meaningful way in all academic areas. • The following DIBELS scores provide specific information about her performance compared to grade level expectations: • ORF (Oral Reading Fluency)-87 words per (wpm) minute read correctly at an accuracy level of 97%. The expectation for this point in third grade is 100 wpm at 97% • Retell-Patty is able to retell only 10 words per minute out of an expected 30 wpm. • TRC (Text Reading Comprehension)-independent level for Patty is Level J and instructional level is Level K. The expectation is Level S. She struggles with both oral and written responses to comprehension questions
PLOP non-example-reading • Patty is a sweet girl who likes to read but has trouble understanding what she reads • Her current average in reading is a 76%
Special Factors One component (required by law) of developing an IEP is the consideration of special factors. Consideration of the following special factors is required: • Assistive Technology • Visual Impairment • Hearing Impairment • Behavior Supports • Limited English Proficiency
NC 1501-2.4 Extended School Year Services (a) General: (1) Each public agency must ensure that extended school year services are available as necessary to provide FAPE. (2) Extended school year services must be provided only if a child's IEP Team determines, on an individual basis, that the services are necessary for the provision of FAPE to the child. (3) In implementing the requirements of this section, a public agency may not: (i) Limit extended school year services to particular categories of disability; or (ii) Unilaterally limit the type, amount, or duration of those services.
ESY Continued… (b) Definition-the term extended school year services means special education and related services that– (1) Are provided to a child with a disability: (i) Beyond the normal school year of the public agency; (ii) In accordance with the child's IEP; and (iii) At no cost to the parents of the child; and What does this actually mean? What types of services or things can be ESY be provided for? How do I determine a need for ESY?
ESY Continued… • 3 reasons ESY might be appropriate for a student: • Regression and longer than average recoupment time • Prevention of significant regression • Window of opportunity
Final Thoughts on ESY • Must be considered at least once annually • To be determined by the IEP team • Should be based on data and team discussion • Reminder that ESY is only considered regarding IEP goals and objectives • Liaisons are to be consulted for students who may be in need of ESY services
Goals and objectives Now that I know how the student is performing and how their disability is impacting their educational performance, what do I do next?
Connecting IEPs to State/District Standards Means… • Referring to standards to determine expectations at grade level • Conducting an analysis to determine the gap between grade expectations and student’s current skills/knowledge • Using the standards as a guide to determine what is important for the student to learn or be able to do in order to progress in the general curriculum
Measurable Annual Goals The Individualized Education Program must include… A statement of measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals designed to: • Meet the child’s needs that result from their disability to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum; and • Meet each of the child’s other educational needs that result from the child’s disability;
Measurable Annual Goals For each area needing specially designed instruction, determine the desired level of achievement or outcome for each goal for a student by considering the following: • Primary concerns stated in the present levels of academic achievement/functional performance. • Skills needed to progress to the next level of performance and/or to work toward expected grade level outcomes • Behavior/skills that will improve with a more intensive level of instruction/modifications. • Amount of time the student has left in school and the age of the student. • Skills needed to achieve transition.
Annual goals should be… • Objective • Measurable • Observable • Relevant • Reasonable
Major Components of Measurable Annual Goals • Any important givens/conditions (when, with what, where)…as applicable • An observable learner performance (what the learner will be doing, an action) • Baseline/current achievement and target/expected achievement • A skill/domain area (academic, behavioral, functional) • Supported by short-term objectives
Short-Term Objectives Short term objectives (also called IEP objectives) are: • measurable, intermediate steps between the present levels of educational performance of a child with a disability and the annual goals that are established for the child, and • developed based on a logical breakdown of the major components of the annual goals; and can serve as milestones for measuring progress toward meeting the goals.
Other tips for strong annual goals/objectives • We encourage not writing goals directly to the NHCO probes but rather to student specific needs and skill deficits • Ensure that you have a strong plan for measuring progress that includes specific methods of data collection • Rely on present levels to determine areas of need for specially designed instruction which will guide your goal and objective development
Monitoring/Reporting Progress Toward Goals • Completion of IEP progress reports is required at least once each nine weeks and should coincide with report cards • IEP progress reports may be required on a more frequent timeframe if determined by the IEP team • When reporting progress, you should include information in addition to percentages and a selection from the dropdown • Be prepared to explain/show data supporting reported progress • Progress report to be updated and provided to parents at annual review and a copy put in Mod 2 with annual review IEP
