Special Education Professional Development

1. Special Education Professional Development Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

2. District Routines and Procedures Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

3. Caseload Manager Special Education Teachers are responsible for: • Referral Compliance: Transfer In Documentation • IEP Component Compliance (incl: NOM/IEP’s/Eval/MDR/) • Eval/Reeval Compliance • Data Collection on all IEP Goals • Transition Compliance • Adherence to IEP minutes (Maintain Teacher Schedule) • Collaboration with General Education Teacher • Sped Track Referral & IEP Information • Scheduling Para support for eligible students • Developing/Maintaining FBA/BIP • District Scheduled Progress and Reporting Periods

4. Infinite Campus & Other Teacher Responsibilities • Following an Initial or Annual IEP meeting the IEP case manager should notify the District Special Education Coordinator (DH) and • Include the placement and disability category in order to ensure student has “sped flag” identification and that placement/disability category is accurate • Maintain an Updated Substitute Folder: • to include: daily schedule; lesson plans- with included lesson material/books; student’s homeroom teacher or daily schedule; extra duty responsibilities; lunch break; MAP of school; important contact numbers; substitute feedback form

5. Sped Track Case managers are responsible for: • Entering all current IEP information including: • Meeting notices • RED information • Contacting Assessment Coordinator (Barb Shumard) via email with: • student name • referral date • areas of assessment • Completing IEP • NOA • BIP attachments

6. Checklist

7. Paraeducator • Paraeducators play an important and dynamic role in providing educational opportunities to students and in making school more efficient and effective. As schools' improvement efforts continue to look for new ways to structure and provide services, the role of the paraeducator continues to expand. Models such as the inclusion of students with exceptionalities into the regular education classroom require additional support from staff members. The utilization of paraeducators in the classroom allows for expanded learning opportunities for students as well as additional planning and instruction time for teachers. Paraeducators help meet the students' needs for more intensive and individualized instruction and help monitor the classroom in order to promote increased appropriate student behaviors.

8. Role of Paraeducator • Various factors influencing the specific responsibilities assigned to paraeducators include: characteristics and personalities of teachers, paraeducators and students; interpersonal skills of both teachers and paraeducators; the skill level of the paraeducators; and the physical environment of the classroom. Individual teachers may vary the responsibilities of the paraeducators to enhance the program of instruction. The following list illustrates instructional and administrative duties which could be assigned to the paraeducators: • Assist individual students in performing activities initiated by the teachers. • Supervise children in the hallway, lunchroom, and playground. • Assist in monitoring supplementary work and independent study. • Reinforce learning in small groups or with individuals, while the teacher works with other students.

9. Role of Paraeducator • Provide assistance with individualized programmed materials. • Score objective tests and papers and maintain appropriate records for teachers. • Perform clerical tasks, i.e., typing and duplicating. • Assist the teacher in observing, recording, and charting behavior. • Assist the teacher with crisis problems and behavior management. • Assist in preparation/production of instructional materials. • Carry out instructional programs designed by the teacher. • Work with the teacher to develop classroom schedules. • Carry out tutoring activities designed by the teacher. • Operate and maintain classroom equipment including film projectors, overhead projectors, etc.

10. The paraeducator may perform these instructional duties: • Assist in organizing field trips. • Read aloud or listen to children read. • Assist students in performing activities that have been initiated by the teacher. • Hand out papers and collect paper work. • Assist with supplementary work for advanced pupils. • Provide special help such as drilling with flash cards, spelling, and play activities. • Assist in preparing instructional materials. • Reinforce learning with small groups. • Assist children in learning their names, addresses, telephone numbers, birthdays, and parents' names. • Supervise free play activities. • Prepare flash cards and charts. • Prepare art supplies and other materials. • Hear requests for help, observe learning difficulties of pupils, and report such matters to teachers. • Score objective tests and papers and keep appropriate records for teachers.

11. Special Education Files Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

12. Confidential Files • Since many students are in special education programs for numerous school years, the special education file tends to become very bulky. • Centralized confidential file area is recommended by DESE for a number of reasons…

13. 2 Separate Files • Main Confidential File • Centralized location • Limited access • All original documentation • Working File • Kept at school with casemanager or in department office • SpedTrack reduces the need for large paper files

14. Working File • Case manager file • progress toward goals • specific interventions and results • behavior records • protocols administered by teacher • records of distribution of goals/accommodations • parent and teacher communication • All this information could be considered part of the student record • Much of this documentation supports what YOU do if/when there’s a question of provision of FAPE

15. File Organization • 1st Tab (inside cover) • Access Log • 2nd Tab • Current IEP • Most recent evaluation Documents in the remaining tabs are in reverse chronological order (most recent on top) • 3rd Tab • Prior IEPs • Prior Evaluations • Review of Existing Data Forms • Referral Forms • 4th Tab • Notices(s) of Action • Notice(s) of Meeting • 5th Tab • Manifestation Determination Documentation • FBA results • 6th Tab • Other IEP Forms

16. What NOT to Include In many cases, special education files contain more than the required documentation to meet minimal compliance standards. The importance of proper documentation cannot be overstated; however, too much paperwork can be confusing and hide the essential documents such as the current IEP, which is used to provide an appropriate educational program.

17. Coming Soon … to a laptop near you!

18. Website www.confluenceacademy.org • Click on “District Information” • Click on “Special Services” • Special Education • Section 504 • Homebound Instruction • English Language Learners

19. RTI Lite Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

20. What is RTI? Response to Intervention is the use of high quality instruction matched to student need using level of performanceand learning rate over time to make educational decisions.

21. Core Beliefs • All students can learn at high levels • Quality teaching and on-going assessment makes a difference • Be proactive and intervene early • Multiple-tiers of support for all students

22. Without Early Intervention Programs/Services Sea of Ineligibility General Education

25. Key Elements • Collective Responsibility – Team Approach • Scientifically Research-Based Core Curriculum • Universal Screening • Data-Based Instructional Decision-Making • Research-Validated Interventions • Progress Monitoring

26. Define: What is the problem? Analyze: Why is it happening? Evaluate: Did it work? Develop a Plan: What should be done about it? Problem Solving

27. Tiered Intervention Model Few Some All

28. Quality Recommendations and Successful Implementation Make Learning Constant Unpredictable or Inconsistent Results Time (constant) + Instruction (constant) Learning(variable) Time(variable) Targeted Instruction/ +Interventions (variable) Learning(constant)

29. Without Early Intervention Programs/Services Sea of Ineligibility General Education

30. Bridging the Gap Core + Intensive Core + Supplemental Core Weekly Amount of Resources Needed To Benefit Weekly-Monthly 3x/year Severity of Educational Need or Problem

31. RtI Resources • National Center on Response to Intervention • Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education • Intervention Central • RtI Action Network • Florida Center for Reading Research

32. Time’s a Tickin’ Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

33. Initial Referral Process • Parent Referral • Agency Referral • Care Team • Interventions • Pre-Referral Intervention Manual (PRIM) • Students with Identification of Young Child with Developmental Delay (YCDD)

34. http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/documents/initialreferral.pdfhttp://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/documents/initialreferral.pdf

35. Eligibility • http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/specedlawsregs.html • Criteria can be found under either the Standards and Indicators Manual or in the Local or State Compliance plans under “Identification and Evaluation.”

36. EDUCATIONAL IDENTIFICATION We identify students based on eligibility in educational categories.

37. WE DO NOT DIAGNOSE!!!

38. Transfer Documentation • In-State Transfers (Section 500) • http://www.dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/MOSample_Forms/Index.html • “If there is a known or suspected disability and an evaluation report is not received within 30 days of enrollment, proceed with evaluation/reevaluation procedures.” • “If an IEP is received at enrollment and there is a delay in accepting or rejecting the previous IEP or if the previous IEP is rejected and there is a delay in developing a new IEP , the public agency, in consultation with the parent, must provide FAPE to the child, including services comparable to those described in the previous IEP, until such time as the public agency can convene an IEP team meeting to develop a new IEP that is consistent with Federal and State law and regulations.” • Out of State Transfers (Section 550) • More of the same! • Eligibility requirements differ from state to state

39. In-State Transfer Documentation In-state Transfers • In the case of a child with a disability who transfers school districts within the same school year, who enrolls in a new school, and who had an IEP that was in effect in Missouri, the local educational agency shall, without delay, provide such child with a free appropriate public education according to the procedures outlined below. • For students with known disabilities who enroll and have a copy of a current evaluation report and IEP the responsible public agency shall place the child, without delay, in the appropriate special education placement and provide FAPE to the student including the services comparable to those listed in the IEP until the responsible public agency either accepts the prior IEP or develops and implements a new appropriate IEP next annual review or if the IEP team determines it necessary to review/revise the IEP. • If the public agency does not agree with the current evaluation report, it must initiate a reevaluation as described in this State Plan. During the time that the reevaluation is being conducted, the agency shall implement the IEP, as written, from the sending agency or develop an IEP until the reevaluation is complete. • For students with suspected disabilities who enroll but do not have copies of the evaluation report and/or IEP, the public agency shall seek information to confirm special education services. Without delay, agency officials shall conduct interviews with officials of the public agency in which the student was enrolled, the student’s parent/legal guardian, and, when appropriate, the student and provide such services as can be determined from interviews. • If no evaluation report is obtained, the public agency shall refer the student for comprehensive evaluation and review/revise the IEP, if determined necessary, at the completion of the evaluation.

40. Out-of-State Transfer Documentation Out of State Transfers • For children who transfer from another state, and had an IEP that was in effect in that state, to a Missouri public agency and enroll in a new school within the same school year, the Missouri public agency, in consultation with the parents, must provide the child with FAPE (including services comparable to those described in the child’s IEP from the previous public agency) until the new public agency: • A. conducts an initial evaluation, if determined necessary by the new public agency, and • B. develops, adopts, and implements a new IEP (if appropriate). • When a child’s records are not available to the new public agency, the new public agency shall: • A. place the child in regular education, and • B. initiate an initial evaluation, and • C. if the child is found eligible, develop and implement an IEP.

41. Compliant IEPs Part One Confluence Charter Schools Special Services Department September 21, 2012

42. Timelines It’s All in the Numbers.

43. 5-30-60-30-20 • 5: Provide procedural safeguards to parents • 30: Propose or Refuse evaluation • 60: Complete evaluation and hold eligibility meeting • 30: Complete IEP and hold team meeting • 20: Provide copies to parent

44. Written Consent • Doesn’t need to be obtained for initial or re-evaluations that do not require additional testing • Usually needed prior to administration of an assessment • Failure to Respond vs. Refused Consent • When parents fail to respond… • Initial – cease or file! • Re-evaluation – another timeline to remember!

45. http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/documents/initialreferral.pdfhttp://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/documents/initialreferral.pdf

46. Before the Meeting Be Prepared!

47. Planning While many things are required for compliance IEP development, one of the most important steps is planning.

48. Yearly Schedule • Develop yearly schedule of IEPs and re-evaluations • Adhere to IEP/re-evaluation expiration dates • Begin scheduling meetings far in advance of due dates (at least 30 days) • Be prepared for scheduling conflicts and have alternate dates in mind

49. Think Ahead • What needs to be done? • Assessment • December 1 count • ESY eligibility research • Age of majority letters • Data collection • Functional behavior assessment • Other?

50. Coordinate! • Coordinate with the student, parents, and professionals for compliant participation and data collection • Related services providers • General education staff • Administrators • Outside agency personnel • Other special education teachers • Parents